82: Inside Garage Beer’s $200M Brand with Chief Creative Officer Corey Smale - Business of Drinks

Garage Beer isn’t just having a moment — it’s on fire. Backed by Travis and Jason Kelce, the brand was just valued at $200 million after its first institutional funding round. It’s on track to do $60–70 million in revenue this year, and is rewriting the playbook of what a modern beer brand can be, with its irreverent, lo-fi brand presence. TL;DR — Garage Beer is a rare bright spot in a beer category that’s facing headwinds.

In this episode, we sit down with Garage Beer’s Chief Creative Officer, Corey Smale, the mastermind behind the brand’s nostalgic-yet-fresh, tongue-in-cheek approach. Corey shares how the team is blending old-school beer marketing magic with today’s hyper-online, community-first culture — and why they’ll still hand-mail you a sticker if you send them a UPC code.

We discuss how Garage Beer is:

• Turning a “beer-flavored beer” into a $200M rocket ship

• Using cult-like creative activations — from Goosebumps-inspired Halloween art to the production of retro-style, martial arts spoof films — to appeal to broad audiences, from Gen X to Gen Z 

• Balancing celebrity horsepower from the Kelce brothers with a DIY, hyper-authentic brand voice

• Winning in social media, outpacing major domestic beer brands on engagement with a lean, five-person marketing team

• Building lifetime customers through niche communities like pro wrestling and ball hockey, instead of chasing expensive sponsorships

For insights on how challenger brands can outmaneuver industry giants with creativity, speed, and authenticity — while having a heck of a lot of fun — this episode delivers.

Last Call:

Americans are partying less — a lot less. Per a recent analysis in The Atlantic:

📉 Just 4.1% of U.S. households host or attend parties on a typical weekend.📉 That’s down 50% since 2003.📉 For ages 15–24, party time has fallen 70%.

Instead, screens and solo behaviors are taking over — changing how young people connect, and how (or if) they drink together.

But at the same time, social media is full of hosting tips and #tablescape trends. Are we craving something we’ve forgotten how to do?

This week’s Last Call unpacks the data and what it means for drinks brands trying to build social occasions.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on Sept. 24.

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

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Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

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Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

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Instagram @borkaline

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