In addition to their expansion into Fayetteville and Carthage, Southern Pines Brewing Company is expanding its customer base by brewing up canned cocktails to be sold by other stores. 

They are launching a total of six canned cocktails in the ABC system so that individuals can enjoy their drinks across the state. 

The ABV range for the drinks is from six to 10 percent. The drinks are all spirit based versus malt based alcohol as well. 

“We really started this process in November of 2021, and we just launched them right before Memorial Day of this year. So it was literally a year and a half long project of figuring out how to do this…we have a Vodka Transfusion [and] a Cucumber Basil Gin and Tonic were the first two that we released. We are about to release a Bourbon Sour and a Kentucky Buck. The Kentucky buck is, it’s kind of like a Kentucky Mule… And then we’re gonna finish it out with an aged rum, aged Puerto Rican Rum Mai Tai, and a BlackBerry Rye Smash and so we’re really trying to come out with a broad array of spirits to start with” shared Southern Pines Brewing Company owner Micah Niebauer.

Niebauer shared that they did a small pilot run of the six cocktails prior to release and they entered them into four different national and international spirits competitions, and they won 17 medals.

In addition to ABC stores, Niebauer shared that the brewery is hoping more restaurants will choose to add these locally made canned cocktails to their menus as well. 

“We think it’s a great alternative for a restaurant that has a mixed beverage permit that wants to have an easy way to serve a cocktail. You get a nice custom craft made cocktail. We blend them, make them all in house and you know you have no waste. You know it's a perfect pour every time and the speed with which you can start to serve a really good drink to someone with an exact known margin is pretty fantastic. And so we're starting to see a lot of big uptick in golf courses and just other, even pizza shops that say, ‘You know what, I'd love to have a cocktail option, but we're not going to sit and mix cocktails.’ And so it's we're excited to try to get them out there into the retail restaurant community as well,” remarked Niebauer.

Niebauer shared that the goal is to have all six cocktails launched come early July.