The beer industry is abuzz with the news that Sierra Nevada Brewing just made its first-ever brewery acquisition, that of Sufferfest Beer Company of San Francisco. Readers of this blog might remember the name Sufferfest from a relatively recent post I wrote reviewing two of their beers.

Sufferfest is a high-concept brand, marketing beers made for athletes, highlighting the angle that the beers are gluten-reduced. The various recipes are also formulated to appeal to athletes in a post-workout sense. The FKT Pale Ale, for instance, is brewed with salt and black currant, “to bolster gut and kidney health, along with immunity-fighting support” and represent a beer version of an electrolyte-rich sports drink.

Though based in San Francisco, Sufferfest contract brewed all of its beers out of Colorado (though was moving to contract out of Chico, which makes sense now). So, in essence Sierra Nevada purchased a lifestyle brand. Here are some pulls from the press release about it:

Sierra Nevada will acquire 100 percent of Sufferfest, which is the company’s first-ever acquisition. The breweries stated shared values, commitment to innovation, and common goals as the root of the partnership.

“While still in its infancy, Sufferfest is at the front of the wave of ‘functional’ alcoholic beverages,” said Sierra Nevada President and CEO Jeff White. “By joining with Sierra Nevada, Sufferfest will be better positioned to grow and continue to lead the way in a rapidly growing and highly competitive space.”

Sufferfest, which launched in 2016, is beloved by athletes for its gluten-removed line of beers like its 95-calorie Kolsch brewed with bee pollen and its FKT (Fastest Known Time) Pale Ale brewed with salt and black currant.

“The complementary nature of our offerings and their position at the cusp of this emerging category are not the only reasons Sufferfest made sense,” said White. “From the moment we met, it was clear that our two companies are deeply aligned in our values and our commitment to do the right thing.”

So I wonder if Sufferfest was originally just going to contract with Sierra Nevada to brew its beers, and this deal spun out of that?

This news was issued two days ago, February 4. However, lost in the shuffle was this press release dated January 31, but that I received after the Sierra Nevada news release:

Sufferfest Beer Company Launches in Pacific Northwest

New territory expansion to Washington and Oregon doubles distribution footprint.

Sufferfest, the beer brewed by athletes, for athletes, proudly toasts to new regional launches in Oregon and Washington, where it will become widely available through its strengthened partnership with Columbia Distributing.

“We’ve had our sights set on Oregon and Washington for quite some time,”said Caitlin Landesberg, founder and CEO of Sufferfest. “The energy of the athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, and health-conscious people in these regions is infectious and we’re so thrilled to finally serve these communities.”

The launch into PNW leads with its newest set of functional beers, aptly coined “beer with benefits”— FKT Pale Ale, Repeat Kolsch and Flyby Pilsner. Sufferfest’s purpose-brewed lineup features high-powered ingredients like blackcurrant, salt, and bee pollen, all with an eye toward bettering that post-sweat recovery and celebration.

“We’re excited to be kicking things off right with run clubs, trail cleanups, athlete meetups, and beyond to show our commitment to this region and our growing tribe here,” shared Landesberg. Sufferfest is proud to partner with like-minded brands like Brooks Running, Nuun, Territory Run Co, and others to bring experiential events to our respective communities.

The expansion also breathes new career opportunities within Sufferfest, including Community Managers and Area Sales Managers. Find more on Sufferfest careers here.

Columbia Distributing also handles Sierra Nevada here in Oregon.

So with Sufferfest getting more national exposure through Sierra Nevada and launching here in the Northwest, it will be interesting to see how the beer will do with lifestyle-conscious consumers. Particularly since the low-carb, low-alcohol light beer trend seems to be growing now as well.