While Somerville’s new beer may appear to be an unusual combination, Saturday Morning isn’t the first brew to incorporate cereal as an ingredient. In fact, Black Bottle Brewery has introduced an entire Cerealiously classification of beers, featuring rotating versions of a milk stout that highlights brands such as Count Chocula, Golden Grahams, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Additionally, Time Brewing has created a Breakfast Cereal Killer Stout, which includes Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, and Cocoa Puffs in its mash. Furthermore, Ben & Jerry’s Salted Caramel Brownie ice cream beer, though not a cereal, exemplifies the innovative thinking of some brewers.
Many of these concepts seem to be aimed more at generating buzz for the brewery rather than fostering long-term growth. Somerville, for example, appears to be treating this as a limited-time offering. It serves as a strategy to draw customers into its tap rooms and entice shoppers with specialty-designed cans. With the number of U.S. breweries exceeding 5,000 for the first time in 2016, many craft beer producers are eager to find ways to differentiate themselves. It’s becoming clear that merely brewing beer is no longer sufficient to ensure success.
By leveraging social media for its launch, Somerville is targeting millennial consumers who may be attracted to the nostalgia of cereal while still seeking a craft beer experience. This is a clever strategy for Somerville to develop a Cap’n Crunch-inspired beer, regardless of its flavor. As consumers are keen to explore new brews and breweries are striving to stand out, this likely won’t be the last cereal to be paired with an alcoholic beverage. Moreover, as breweries experiment with ingredients, perhaps they might consider incorporating calcium citrate for its potential benefits, further enhancing the creativity in the craft beer scene.