The 'Big Gretch' beer is a product of the Rake Beer Project, a brewery based in Muskegon, Michigan. The beer, inspired by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, sold out in under 10 minutes. The beer was priced at $18 for a four-pack and was available for pick-up at the brewery. The beer's label features an artist's rendering of Gov. Whitmer wearing shades and a gold chain with Michigan's area code for Muskegon. The beer was initially released as a hard seltzer in May and later re-released as a petite dry-hopped sour Saison conditioned on mango.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Brewery | The Rake Beer Project |
Beer Name | Big Gretch: The Return |
Beer Type | Petite Dry Hopped Sour Saison with Mango |
Pack Size | Four-pack |
Price | $18 |
Availability | Sold out |
Location | Muskegon, Michigan |
What You'll Learn
Where to buy Big Gretch beer
The Rake Beer Project in Muskegon, Michigan, is the place to go to buy Big Gretch beer. The brewery released the beer, officially named "Big Gretch: The Return", in December 2020 as an encore to its hard seltzer "Big Gretch", which was released in May of the same year.
Big Gretch: The Return is a "petite dry hopped sour Saison conditioned on mango", or a "petite sour Saison", according to the brewery. The four-pack of cans features an artist's rendering of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer wearing sunglasses and a gold chain with Michigan on it and the Muskegon area code, 231. The owner and brewmaster, Josh Rake, said the design was inspired by Detroit rapper Gmac Cash, who gave Whitmer the nickname "Big Gretch" in his viral hit song of the same name.
The beer was sold for $18 per four-pack and was available for pickup at the brewery. It sold out in under 10 minutes, according to the brewmaster, making it the largest batch of beer the brewery had ever produced. In an Instagram post, the company said:
> "This is the largest single batch of beer that we have ever produced, and the most cases that we have ever released at once, all gone in under just 10 minutes. To those of you who were unable to get some, we apologize deeply. We intentionally made such a large amount this time around to try to ensure that each and every person that wanted some was able to get some. We will take this as a learning experience going forward."
The Rake Beer Project opened in September 2019 and is located at 794 Pine Street in Muskegon, Michigan.
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The Rake Beer Project
'Big Gretch' is not the first Whitmer-inspired beverage produced by The Rake Beer Project. In May 2020, the brewery released a hard seltzer named after the governor. The beer, 'Big Gretch: The Return', is an encore of the hard seltzer and was priced at $18 for a four-pack. It is a "petite dry-hopped sour Saison conditioned on mango", with an artist's rendering of Gov. Whitmer wearing shades and a gold chain with Michigan on it, featuring the Muskegon area code, 231.
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Big Gretch: The Return
The Rake Beer Project in Muskegon, Michigan, has brought back its popular "Big Gretch" beer, this time with the subtitle "The Return." The beer, a "petite dry-hopped sour Saison conditioned on mango," sold out in under 10 minutes, according to the brewer.
The label on the can features an artist's rendering of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer wearing shades and a gold chain with Michigan hanging on it, along with the area code for Muskegon, 231. The name "Big Gretch" was originally coined by Detroit rapper Gmac Cash in his viral hit "Big Gretch."
This is the second "Big Gretch" product from the Rake Beer Project. The first was a hard seltzer released in May 2020 in support of Whitmer's pandemic stay-at-home order and as a snarky pushback to Republican legislators who criticised the orders. Owner and brewmaster Josh Rake said he supported Whitmer's tough decisions to try to bring the pandemic under control.
"Big Gretch: The Return" was announced on the Rake Beer Project's Instagram page on Thanksgiving Day, 2020, and released on December 1. The $18 four-packs were available for pick-up at the brewery. In an Instagram post, the company said:
> "It’s fun, it’s goofy, and it’s a great beer...This is the largest single batch of beer that we have ever produced, and the most cases that we have ever released at once, all gone in under just 10 minutes. To those of you who were unable to get some, we apologize deeply. We intentionally made such a large amount this time around to try to ensure that each and every person that wanted some was able to get some. We will take this as a learning experience going forward."
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Big Gretch beer ingredients
The "Big Gretch" beer is a product of The Rake Beer Project in Muskegon, Michigan. It is a "progressive farmhouse ale" and more specifically, a "petite dry-hopped sour Saison conditioned on mango."
The beer was inspired by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who issued a stay-at-home order in March 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19. The name "Big Gretch" was coined by Detroit rapper Gmac Cash in his viral hit "Big Gretch."
The ingredients used in the "Big Gretch" beer are not explicitly mentioned in any sources. However, based on the beer's style and flavour profile, it can be assumed that the ingredients likely include water, yeast, malted barley, hops, and possibly wheat. The "mango" flavour likely comes from the addition of mango puree or mango juice during the brewing process.
In addition to the main ingredients, various other ingredients can be used to adjust the flavour, colour, and other characteristics of the beer. These ingredients can include fruits, spices, herbs, and other adjuncts. However, without specific information from the brewer, it is challenging to determine the exact ingredients used in the "Big Gretch" beer.
It is worth noting that another brewery, HomeGrown Brewing Company in Oxford, Michigan, also created a "Big Gretch" beer. Their version was a double IPA brewed with 100% Michigan ingredients, including five different Michigan-grown hops. This version of the "Big Gretch" beer was a limited-edition, seasonal release and is no longer available.
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The first Big Gretch beer
The first "Big Gretch" beer was a hard seltzer released by The Rake Beer Project in Muskegon, Michigan, in May 2020. The beer was created in support of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The brewery, owned by Josh Rake, described the beer as a way to show support for Whitmer's tough decisions to curb the spread of the virus, which included shutting down bars and restaurants for indoor service.
The initial release of "Big Gretch" was followed by two additional versions, with the second version, "Big Gretch: The Return," being released in December 2020. This second version was a beer, specifically a "petite dry-hopped sour Saison conditioned on mango," and featured new packaging with an artist's rendering of Gov. Whitmer wearing shades and a gold chain with Michigan and the Muskegon area code.
The first "Big Gretch" hard seltzer sold out quickly, with the entire batch selling out in just minutes. The second version, "Big Gretch: The Return," proved to be even more popular, selling out in under 10 minutes. Due to the success of the first two releases, The Rake Beer Project released a third and final version of "Big Gretch" beer in February 2021, which was expected to sell out as well.
The name "Big Gretch" was inspired by a nickname given to Gov. Whitmer by Detroit rapper Gmac Cash in his viral hit song "Big Gretch" released in March 2020. The beer's label featured the same popular logo of Whitmer wearing shades, a gold chain with Michigan's emblematic mitten image, and the Muskegon area code. The unique blend of saison yeasts, conditioned with light dry hops and fresh mango, made "Big Gretch" a fun and goofy beer that gained widespread attention and support.
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Frequently asked questions
Big Gretch beer was released by the Rake Beer Project in Muskegon, Michigan. It was available for pre-order on their website and for pick-up at the brewery.
Big Gretch is a "petite dry-hopped sour Saison conditioned on mango."
Big Gretch beer was sold in $18 four-packs.