Client: Full Sail Brewing

As part of a general revolt against the microbrew craze, acclaimed craft-brewery Full Sail found itself unable to compete with the surging Pabst Blue Ribbon brand that was gaining traction as the hip brand to drink. Determined that a new ale would not sufficiently turn the tide, Full Sail created an entirely new concept: a macro-brew from a micro-brewery. They had been contract brewing pilsners for Miller’s regional brand Henry Weinhard, and were well trained in the science and equipment necessary to create consistent lagers at scale. They were also smart enough to know that better ingredients and a pre-Prohibition recipe could create a populist beer, authentic in nature, hip at heart, with a premium taste profile. And it would be bottled in the once ubiquitous 11-oz. stubby bottles from the glory days of American brewing. The year it launched, Session became the fastest growing brand in the entire craft brewing category nationwide, even though it was only distributed to six states. Session grew to sell more than all of the Full Sail ales combined, and was chosen as the Best American Lager by the New York Times.