Founders Brewing Announces 2021 Craft Beer Release Calendar

Founders Brewing, a leading craft producer, has unveiled their 2021 brand calendar, confirming changes and additions to the brewery’s lineup, including several new beers, a brand-new series and new package types.

Beginning in April 2021, Founders will launch the Bottle Shop Series. This is a tribute to craft’s earliest days, the company says, when beer enthusiasts sought innovation through big flavor, in-your-face complexity and quality. This series kicks off with the release of Nemesis, 11.2% ABV, a barleywine ale brewed with hops and roasted malts for a “bitter, booming flavor.” Nemesis hits shelves across the country in 4-packs of 12-oz. bottles in April. 

The 2021 Barrel-Aged Series begins with Panther Cub, a robust porter, in March 2021. At 9.2% ABV, Panther Cub aged in bourbon barrels, with the addition of maple syrup and vanilla extract. The beer has aromas of maple and vanilla, the company reports.

The 2021 Barrel-Aged Series will also see two brands return in May 2021: Más Agave Clásica Lime (10% ABV) and Más Agave Clásica Grapefruit (9.7% ABV). A yet-to-be-announced Más Agave Clásica variant will also release in May 2021.

All three Más Agave Clásica brands will be available nationwide in 4-packs of 12-oz. bottles, and on draft. 

Joining the year-round lineup in 2021 is 4 Giants IPA. A mashup of four Founders imperial IPA recipes, this beer is 9.2% ABV. After launching last year in a limited release, 4 Giants IPA will be available in 4-packs of 16-oz. cans, and on draft, beginning in March 2021. 

Beginning in Spring 2021, Founders will roll out Más Agave Premium Hard Seltzer nationwide. This hard seltzer is currently only available in ten markets (MI, IL, AZ, TX, FL, PA, NJ, MA, CO and Las Vegas, NV). Más Agave Premium Hard Seltzer comes in 6-pack cans in two flavors: strawberry and lime. The product is also available in a variety 15-pack, which includes lime, strawberry and grapefruit flavors.

“Shaking things up a bit is somewhat of the norm at Founders,” says co-founder and President Dave Engbers. “It’s not just taking the path less chosen — it’s bushwhacking a new trail altogether. This years’ brand calendar has us exploring multiple new styles, revisiting some of our favorite beers from the past, highlighting those who truly helped define our industry and jumping headfirst into the hard seltzer category — approaching it all with the fury only craft brewers like us know by highlighting real fruit flavor and quality above all else. It’s going to be a great year.”