Move aside, White Claw, and make room for some hard seltzers from Platform Brewing Co. One of the first locally-produced seltzers, they’re now available in five varieties at all major Ohio grocers.
Seltzers were a natural addition to Platform’s product lineup; in a more health conscious world, many are searching for a drink with fewer calories and carbs without sacrificing that buzz, and sales data show they’re popularizing among consumers. And as buyers are looking for more local options, it also helps that these seltzers are made with all Ohio-sourced ingredients.
“I don’t think it’s a secret that Platform has a very diverse portfolio with different styles from sours to ciders, rotating IPAs,” says Justin Carson, owner and president. “We just felt like this was another opportunity to fill a consumer’s need. Something that’s also local, not produced by a macro brand.”
Platform seltzers are currently available in black cherry, but other flavors like strawberry lemonade, grapefruit tangerine, tropical punch, and ginger and lime will be rolled out in the next several weeks. They’re sold in packs of six for $9.99, but will soon be offered in 12-packs as well for $15.99.
All are available on draft at Platform’s taprooms in Cleveland, Columbus, and soon Cincinnati. Platform is opening a coffee shop and brewery there in January. They’ll partner with roasters around Ohio for their coffee program, including Cincinnati’s Coffee Emporium and Cleveland’s Phoenix Coffee. Others will be announced at later dates.
Platform will also focus more on their barrel aging program at their new Cincinnati facility, which offers 20,000 square feet of cellar space. Carson’s vision is for roasting and brewing to come together there.
“If you think of a Watershed barrel, you can put an imperial stout in there and age it for eight months,” Carson says. “Once that stout is out, you can put coffee beans in, and they’ll pick up the flavor of the whiskey and the imperial stout.”
He says those varieties can then be sold on-site or packaged for customers to take home and brew themselves. They’ll host tours of the Cincinnati site, where experts can explain the origins of the beans and the barrels, and the process it all went through to create the end products.
“It’s just one more way we’re not just putting a barrel aged beer out there on the shelf, we’re engaging the consumer and connecting it with other local brands that we support,” Carson says.
Platform’s Columbus taproom is located at 408 N. Sixth St.
For more information, visit platformbeer.co.