Mike Stevens (pictured) — co-founder of the influential US brewery, Founders — has been in the UK promoting the company’s distribution deal with Marston’s.
The visit follows the signing of the five-year deal in June, after Marston’s completed a year of distrbuting the US beers and saw improved sales of 174% for the flagship All Day IPA.
That beer seemed to lead a charge in creating a new beer style, the session IPA, which Mike acknowledged when talking to Beer Today. He told how he and fellow brewery founder Dave Engbers — who got together 22 years ago — had challenged their brewmaster to come up with an under-5% beer that had taste.
All Day IPA now leads Founders’ assault on the UK market — “We are trying to get more of the mainstream drinkers,” said Mike — although at the moment the brewer is gearing up to promote Solid Gold, its first premium lager.
Mike said that Marston’s was chosen as its UK distribution partner because it had been recommended to them. And it didn’t hurt that it was based in the home of UK brewing? I ventured. “No,” laughed Mike.
He said: “They are great partners for us. Their approach is very similar to ours. We are trying to create a legacy here.”
Before he set off to the next pub, I asked Mike what his favourite beer was of other brewers’. Without missing a beat, he named Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale. “A great brewer, great people — solid and consistent quality.”
