Tilray Brands is launching nine of its US craft beer labels in the UK through BrewDog’s bars, rolling out 24 SKUs into the market. The move follows Tilray’s acquisition of some of BrewDog’s UK and Ireland assets in March, and a separate deal covering part of the Scottish brewer’s US and Australian operations.
BrewDog framed the launch as “the first step” in a bigger plan to get Tilray’s beer brands into UK and continental European off-trade and on-trade retail, not just BrewDog’s own bars. There is also an “ambition,” per BrewDog, to eventually brew some of these beers at BrewDog’s own brewery in Ellon, Scotland, rather than importing everything.
The Nine Brands Making the Jump
Tilray CEO Irwin Simon said in April that the group would bring its Montauk, Shock Top and SweetWater beer brands to the UK through BrewDog’s bars. The full list rolling out now is wider than that:
- Montauk Brewing Co., the Long Island beach-town brewery behind Wave Chaser IPA
- Shock Top, the Belgian-style witbier brand best known for Belgian White
- SweetWater Brewing Company, the Atlanta brewery behind 420 Extra Pale Ale
- 10 Barrel Brewing Co., the Bend, Oregon brewery that just marked its 20th anniversary
- Alpine Beer Company, the San Diego brewery behind the long-running Duet IPA
- Green Flash Brewing Co., another San Diego brewery, whose West Coast IPA helped define the style
- Blue Point Brewing Co., the Long Island brewery behind Toasted Lager
- Terrapin Beer Co., the Athens, Georgia brewery whose Hopsecutioner IPA is a Southeast staple
- Runner’s High Brewing Company, Tilray’s non-alcoholic beer brand, launching alongside the alcoholic labels
That is a genuinely wide spread across styles and price points: hop-forward San Diego IPAs, an East Coast amber lager, a Belgian-style witbier, a flagship Southeast IPA, and a non-alcoholic option, all under one distribution push.
Why BrewDog, and Why Now
Rajnish Ohri, president of Tilray’s International division, called the move “a major milestone in our global beverage strategy.” He added: “This is just the beginning. We see significant long-term opportunity to continue expanding our craft beverage portfolio globally across beer, spirits, non-alcoholic beverages and ready-to-drink categories as we build a scaled international beverage business.”
The BrewDog connection is not a coincidence. Tilray’s UK and Ireland asset acquisition from BrewDog earlier this year gives it an existing retail and bar footprint to plug these brands straight into, rather than negotiating shelf space and tap lines from scratch in a new market. Selling through BrewDog’s own website alongside its bars gives UK drinkers a direct way to try brands most had never had access to before.
What This Means If You Are Not in the UK
For US drinkers, none of this changes availability, but it is a useful signal about where Tilray’s craft beer portfolio is headed next. We have covered several of these brands’ flagship beers individually, including honest notes on where each one is actually available to buy through Saucey right now, plus close alternatives for the two (Alpine and Terrapin) that are not yet listed everywhere.
If you want the full picture on how these brands stack up against each other, our reviews above cover ABV, IBU, flavor profile and real buying options for each one.
