Lakemaid Beer: Where To Buy And What To Know

Lakemaid Beer, also known as The Fisherman's Lager, was launched in 2008 by a team of Minneapolis admen who wanted to sell beer with original folklore and a unique, smiling freshwater mermaid on each bottle. The brand was quietly shut down during the pandemic after a dozen years on the market. The beer was brewed in Schell's old-world tradition, capturing the flavour of the fishing country in a crisp, clean, and refreshing lager. With a mild malt flavour and a sparkle of hops, this ice-cold beer proved that great fishermen never need to exaggerate. Lakemaid Beer was a limited release brew from August Schell Brewing Company and Rapala, and while it is no longer in production, it left a lasting impression on the world of craft beer.

Lakemaid Beer stockists

Lakemaid Beer is a limited-release brew from the August Schell Brewing Company and Rapala. It was launched in 2008 and quietly shut down during the pandemic in 2020.

Lakemaid Beer is a classic American lager, smooth, crisp, and refreshing, with a mild malt finish and a sparkle of hops. It is known as "The Fisherman's Lager" and features a smiling freshwater mermaid on each bottle. The brand earned a loyal North Woods fanbase and even won over craft beer aficionados.

Lakemaid Beer was initially brewed in New Ulm, Minnesota, by Schell's Brewing. However, when Schell's ran out of space, production shifted to Stevens Point Brewery in Wisconsin.

While Lakemaid Beer is no longer in production, you may still be able to find limited stock at select retailers or online marketplaces. It is always worth checking with local specialty beer stores or liquor stores, as they may have old stock or be able to special order it for you. Additionally, online auction or resale sites like eBay or Craigslist could be worth exploring to find rare or discontinued items like Lakemaid Beer.

If you are specifically looking for Lakemaid Frosty Winter Lager, which was a special all-malt winter seasonal brew with a deep amber colour, it may be more challenging to find as it was a limited release. However, the same strategies of checking with specialty beer stores, online marketplaces, or auction sites could still apply.

Lakemaid Beer online

Lakemaid Beer, also known as "The Fisherman's Lager", was a Minnesota-based beer brand that was available for purchase online. Unfortunately, it appears that the brand is no longer in operation, as indicated by a publication date in 2024 referencing the brand in the past tense.

The brand was created by a team of Minneapolis admen in 2008 and featured a unique concept centred around original folklore, characters, and a proprietary bottle cap game. Each bottle of Lakemaid Beer featured a smiling freshwater mermaid, with an extensive backstory and individual biographies created for each. The beer was brewed by Schell's Brewing in New Ulm, Minnesota, and later by Stevens Point Brewery in Wisconsin.

Lakemaid offered two main varieties: the Fisherman's Lager and the Frosty Winter Lager. The Fisherman's Lager was described as a smooth, classic American craft lager, with a refreshing and crisp taste, a mild malt finish, and a sparkly hint of hops. The Frosty Winter Lager, on the other hand, was a special all-malt winter seasonal brew with a deep amber colour and a perfect icicle-sparkle of hops. It was described as flavourful and sessionable.

Despite its unique marketing and seemingly decent taste, Lakemaid Beer was discontinued in May 2020, likely due to rising production costs and intense competition in the craft beer market. While it is no longer available for purchase, Lakemaid Beer left its mark on the Minnesota craft beer scene and gained a loyal fanbase during its 12-year run.

Lakemaid Beer Company

The beer itself was a smooth, classic American craft lager, refreshing and crisp with a mild malt finish and a sparkle of hops. It was brewed by the August Schell Brewing Company in New Ulm, Minnesota, in collaboration with the Rapala fishing lure company. The partnership provided extra cash for Schell's and brewing infrastructure and eight-state distribution for the startup beer.

In addition to its unique marketing, Lakemaid Beer also gained attention for its bottle cap game. The bottom side of each cap featured 50+ fishing-themed icons, numbers, or commands, providing a novel way for drinkers to interact with the brand. The game was designed to appeal to the cabin crowd and ice fishermen, offering a fun way to pass the time and even wager a few bucks.

Despite its popularity, Lakemaid Beer faced challenges with increasing production costs and competition for shelf space. The brand also encountered regulatory issues when they attempted to use drones to deliver beer to ice fishermen, drawing the ire of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Ultimately, the brand was discontinued in May 2020, but it left a lasting impression on the world of craft beer and the loyal fans it cultivated over the years.

Lakemaid Beer seasonal releases

Lakemaid Beer, also known as "The Fisherman's Lager", was a limited-release brew from the August Schell Brewing Company and Rapala. It was a classic American lager, smooth, crisp, and refreshing, with a mild malt flavour and a subtle sparkle of hops. Unfortunately, the brand was shut down during the pandemic in 2020.

Lakemaid Beer had two seasonal releases: the original Fisherman's Lager and the Frosty Winter Lager. The Fisherman's Lager was a smooth, classic American craft lager, with a mild malt finish and a subtle sparkle of hops. The Frosty Winter Lager, on the other hand, was a special all-malt winter seasonal brew with a deep amber colour and a perfect icicle-sparkle of hops. It was described as "flavorful and session-able".

The Frosty Winter Lager was introduced as an additional seasonal release to the original Fisherman's Lager. This seasonal release helped the brand gain even more exposure. The Fisherman's Lager was already a hit with anglers and the outdoor crowd, and the Frosty Winter Lager extended the brand's appeal into the colder months.

The brand had a unique marketing strategy, featuring a smiling freshwater mermaid on each bottle and an innovative bottle cap game. The bottle cap game, called "The Bottle Cap Fishing Game", turned opening a bottle of Lakemaid Beer into a fun experience. Under each bottle cap was a fish-themed surprise, such as trophy musky, walleye, or pike. Even if you didn't catch anything, you were rewarded with a delicious Lakemaid Beer.

Although Lakemaid Beer is no longer in production, it left a lasting impression on the craft beer world and its fans. The brand's unique marketing, high-quality beer, and fun bottle cap game created a cult following that continues to mourn its loss.

Lakemaid Beer history

Lakemaid Beer, also known as "The Fisherman's Lager", was a Minnesota-based beer brand that lasted from 2008 to 2020. The concept for the beer was created by the Minneapolis ad firm Pocket Hercules, who were looking to challenge the market share of cabin and icehouse standbys like Old Style, Hamm’s, and Mich Golden Light. The visual elements of Lakemaid Beer featured 12 sultry, bikini-clad models photoshopped onto the bodies of 12 North American gamefish, with each bottle featuring a unique, smiling freshwater mermaid and a different fishing-themed icon on the bottle cap. The brand was positioned as a "fisherman's lager", with an associated backstory and individual biographies for each of the "Lakemaids" invented by the ad firm's copywriters.

The beer itself was a collaboration between Pocket Hercules and Schell's Brewing in New Ulm, Minnesota. Fifth-generation owner Ted Marti and brewmaster Dave Berg were happy to add Lakemaid as a contract client, providing extra cash for Schell's and brewing infrastructure and distribution for the startup beer. Brewmaster Dave Berg described the beer as "probably the first American lager that ever used first-wort hops", a production style that boosts hop flavor while maintaining a smoother bitterness.

Lakemaid Beer was an instant niche hit, with sales of 50,000 cases during its seasonal summertime run in the early 2010s. The brand expanded with another seasonal release, the Frosty Winter Lager, a special all-malt winter brew with a deep amber colour and a sparkly hop profile. However, despite its initial success, Lakemaid Beer faced challenges due to the ballooning costs of contract brewing and intense competition for shelf space. Production eventually shifted from Schell's to Stevens Point Brewery in Wisconsin, but the brand was ultimately discontinued in May 2020, just a couple of months into the pandemic.

Despite its shortcoming, Lakemaid Beer left a lasting impression on its fans, with its unique marketing campaign and decent-tasting beer. It served as an example of how a creative marketing concept can be successfully tied to a product, engaging and entertaining consumers while also delivering a quality product.

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