Clipper City Brand to End Production

Several, unconfirmed but likely true sources, have reported that Clipper City will cease as a brand as of February 1^st 2010.

Quote from BeerinBaltimore.blogspot.com

“It’s true.  Direct from the hors–er, managing partner’s mouth on Friday night.”

“”Clipper City will cease to exist as a brand effective February 1st.”

“The Heavy Seas brand will end up as the business name and house brand, with requisite changes to be made as needed.  He was mum on exactly what beers might change, but it’s certain that the Oxford and Clipper City names will be history.ONLY THE BRAND NAME–i.e. the packaging and marketing–is changing.  They are not discontinuing any of the beers (at least yet) or changing the recipes.  The four CC beers–Pale, Gold, MarzHon, and McHenry–will still be produced.  Oxford, too, for now–I got the impression that they were still working out just what to do with the brand and recipes.

“The strategy behind this is simply market expansion.  Right now, Clipper City beers are only available in Maryland; putting them under Heavy Seas will ease their expansion into other states where Heavy Seas is already located.”

What does the mean for the brewery? I think it’s too early to tell how consumers will be affected but my guess is very little and for the better if anything. The Heavy Seas line has seemed to be their focus for at least the past several years or so and often easier to find in D.C.

How does everyone feel about this potential re branding of sorts?

Perhaps Heavy Seas will re-launch the Gold , Pale, and Marzhon under the Heavy Seas Label ?

Tags: Baltimore, heavy seas, Hugh Sisson