Two Great American Brands Team Up For Independence Day

‘Cheers to Good Company’ collaboration includes a one-of-a-kind Sam Adams lager beer made with … [+] domestically sourced hops, and a limited-edition apparel line from American Giant. Both products are called American Crafted and made in the U.S.A.

Courtesy of American Giant

American Giant and Samuel Adams are collaborating on a limited line of beer and apparel to celebrate the U.S. Independence holiday. The “Cheers to Good Company” collaboration includes a one-of-a-kind lager beer made with domestically sourced hops, and a limited-edition apparel line. Both are called American Crafted. 

In the press release, Sam Adams and American Giant discussed the similar values of both companies and how this is a natural partnership because both use the best domestically grown ingredients, whether that means malt and hops or cotton. 

American Giant and Sam Adams coming together in honor of Independence Day to celebrate community, … [+] friendship, and shared bonds.

Courtesy of American Giant

Coming together in honor of Independence Day to celebrate community, friendship, and shared bonds felt like a ripe opportunity. “American Giant and Samuel Adams are all about two things: quality and values. Simple as that,” said Bayard Winthrop, CEO and founder of American Giant. He continued: “Using the highest quality ingredients is of the utmost importance, whether for a classic sweatshirt that can be passed down for generations, or a carefully crafted beer. We’re proud to work with Samuel Adams, a company that shares our commitment to quality and craft.”

American crafted products from American Giant

American Giant has designed a high quality, limited-edition t-shirt and classic full zip Sweatshirt, a silhouette which has come to be known as ‘the greatest hoodie ever made.’ The limited-edition gear, in true American Giant fashion, is 100% sourced and produced in the U.S.A., and is available today at the Samuel Adams e-store, Samuel Adams Massachusetts and Cincinnati taprooms, American Giant website and American Giant retail locations. 

American Giant has designed a high quality, limited-edition t-shirt 100% sourced and produced in the … [+] U.S.A.

Courtesy of American Giant

According to an American Giant spokesperson, this is a limited-edition collaboration and the company will not be restocking products so customers should order soon before items are sold out. When asked about future collaborations like this one, a spokesperson for American Giant said, “We love partnering with brands and organizations who share our mission and values, and we’re always open to exploring creative and interesting collaborations.”

American crafted beer from Samuel Adams

Sam Adam’s American Crafted lager is made with domestically sourced hops from Michigan and malt from Malteurop Malting Company in Milwaukee and Valley Malt in Hadley, MA. The lager features a deep-gold color with a balanced hop and malt character, and is refreshingly unfiltered for the holiday weekend. Rich Ferrell, Samuel Adams Brewer stated, “When brewing American Crafted, we wanted to channel the lager tradition to create a balanced yet elevated unfiltered Kellerbier style with grassy notes, spicy noble hops and herbal aromatics for a flavorful beer that captures the essence of meaningful summer celebrations this season, and that can bring our communities together through our shared commitment to quality, creativity and innovation.” American Crafted retails for $16 for a 4-pack of 16oz cans, and is available at Samuel Adams’ Massachusetts and Cincinnati taprooms and also for sampling at American Giant retail locations.

Sam Adam’s American Crafted lager is sourced and produced in U.S.A.

Courtesy of American Giant The spirit of the times 

Zeitgeist (a term which refers to the spirit of the times) for 2021 may be a focus on community and family after over a year of isolation and lock-down for many people. Independence Day is a holiday truly like no other as the pandemic restrictions in the U.S. market have largely been lifted over the past month and the holiday represents the first-time reconnection for many people. The 4th of July holiday will be one of the first where friends and family are seeing each other after a long hiatus because of pandemic lock-down. Many consumers are feeling a special need to be around family and friends and to celebrate community with outdoor activities, picnics and typical holiday celebrations. 

Zeitgeist, the spirit of the times, for 2021 may be a focus on community and family after over a … [+] year of isolation and lock-down for many people.

Courtesy American Giant Founder Bayard Winthrop discusses his inspiration for American Giant

Winthrop grew up in the 1970s when there were still great American brands prevalent in the marketplace, like Levi’s, Woolrich, and others. He said, “I had almost an emotional connection with those brands because they were not only great products, but brands I was proud to connect myself with.” 40 years later, he moved to the Bay Area and was surrounded by other great companies that were innovating and fundamentally disrupting industries. 

And yet he was being told, after having spent most of his professional career in manufacturing, that we were no longer able as a country to make a sweatshirt in North Carolina. Winthrop said, “I found that to be unacceptable. I felt like the innovation happening with e-commerce, the internet, and technology could lead to an opportunity that would allow me to restructure the business in a way that could unlock great-quality American manufacturing again at scale.” Once he got his head around that idea there was no going back.

Winthrop started American Giant on the simple belief that we can make things better domestically. Ten years later, that still holds true. As other brands relentlessly pursue cheaper manufacturing practices overseas, American Giant instead invests in the domestic supply chain.  Winthrop stated, “When you’re closer to the product it is always going to be higher quality. Period.” 

Customers move to more durable products in apparel

Durable not disposable summarizes the current consumer mentality shift toward buying higher quality but less apparel items and a general move to slow fashion. Winthrop agrees, stating, “Consumers today are more conscious of their purchasing power and the impact that it has on the world around them. That being said, it’s not only up to consumers to create a better world.” He then discussed the fact that consumers, brands, and governments have to work together to reward companies and countries that do good, and disincentivize those that don’t. This is especially true in apparel.While American Giant is not a B Corporation (just over 4,000 companies are certified B Corps),  it certainly acts like one. Certified B Corporations balance purpose and profit and they are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. They are essentially a community of leaders, driving a global movement of people using business as a force for good. 

Independence Day is a great time to celebrate an American collaboration between American Giant and … [+] Sam Adams

Courtesy of American Giant

For both brands, America stands for an uncompromising entrepreneurial spirit, a determination to be better every single day and a desire to disrupt the status quo. As challenger brands, both pull inspiration from their heritage to rethink the ordinary and create extraordinary products for their communities. A great time to celebrate these core values through such an exciting collaboration