It’s back! Beer calendar season is upon us one again and this year we are kicking things off with a look at the official 2021 Brand Calendar from Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan).

In keeping with our approach in previous years when it comes to release calendars, we have posted Founders Brewing Co.’s full 2021 Brand Calendar below for you to peruse at your own pace. With that said, we would like to point out a few highlights before we turn you over to that document:

• After a successful debut as a Limited Release in 2020, 4 Giants IPA – “a mashup of four of [the brewery’s] favorite imperial IPA recipes” – will return in March 2021 as a Year-Round offering. 4 Giants IPA will be available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft.
• The 2021 Barrel-Aged Series will open with the March release of Panther Cub, a Robust Porter “aged in the finest bourbon barrels available along with a kiss of maple syrup and vanilla extract. The aroma of maple and vanilla combine with a surprisingly deep character to make this rare creature one to gaze upon fondly.”
• In April 2021, Founders will launch the Bottle Shop Series, a series created as a tribute to the early days of craft; when beer enthusiasts sought out innovation through big flavor, in-your-face complexity and revered quality above all else. This series will kick off with the release of Nemesis, a barleywine-style ale brewed with roasted malts and no shortage of hops for a pleasantly bitter, booming flavor (11.2% ABV). It will hit shelves across the country in 4-packs of 12oz bottles in April.
• Más Agave Clásica Lime (10% ABV), Más Agave Clásica Grapefruit (9.7% ABV), and a yet-to-be-announced Más Agave Clásica variant will be released in May 2021 as a part of the Barrel-Aged Series lineup. All three Más Agave Clásica brands will be available nationwide in 4-packs of 12oz bottles and on draft.
• Beginning in Spring 2021, Founders will roll out Más Agave Premium Hard Seltzer nationwide. The premium hard seltzer is currently available in ten markets (MI, IL, AZ, TX, FL, PA, NJ, MA, CO and Las Vegas, NV). Más Agave Premium Hard Seltzer is available in 6-pack cans in two flavors: strawberry and lime. It 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,” said 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.”

Alrighty . . . that should cover everything we wanted to point out, but there is still plenty for you to discover on the calendar below. Give it a look and get ready for another fun year of beer with Founders Brewing Co. in 2021. Prost!