Cigar City Brewing found its success by sharing the history of Tampa with locals through its beers, and the company is making international moves to continue this tradition.
Craft beer has risen in popularity within the past decade. The brews have gained a following in the Southeast U.S., and Cigar City Brewing is eager to get its product into more people’s hands.
“We feel like we offer something that’s really very high quality and very innovative. So if there’s an opportunity for us to put that beer into people’s hands, we want to explore that opportunity,” says brand manager Neil Callahan.
One of the brewery’s most popular beverages is the Jai Alai IPA. The citrusy craft beer is one of the best-selling across the state. Now that Cigar City Brewing is moving distribution to an international scale, people in different countries can try out the hard ale.
“If you’re in Hong Kong, and you want to get a Jai Alai you can get a Jai Alai in Hong Kong now, which is, which is pretty cool,” says Callahan.
The brewery’s history plays a major role in its branding. Although individuals in foreign countries, such as China, may not relate to the history of Ybor and Tampa, they will appreciate the ales the company offers.
“Some of those stories might not resonate, but the quality and the consistency of the beer is always going to resonate. And that’s really what we want to hang our hat on at the end of the day,” says Callahan.
Check out Cigar City Brewing’s Facebook and Twitter pages to explore its popular array of ales and upcoming seltzers.
