A few weeks back, I came across this post on Aleheads about Swag Brewery, which is not a brewery at all but but actually a Craft Beer Outfitter, carrying a variety of craft beer related gifts and, well… swag! (Who doesn’t like a little swag now and then, AMIRIGHT?) So anyway, after reading that they make beer soap (with real hops!) I left a comment about how I’d like to try the Beer Soap with Lagunitas IPA … well, Max Arndt, Swag Brewery co-founder and obviously a nice guy, saw my comment on Aleheads and sent me an email asking if he could send me some! (Of course he also asked if I wouldn’t mind plugging it on my site, that cheeky monkey…)
[Clearly, I told him I would gladly accept free swag in exchange for publicity on my site. Any breweries out there want to send a sixer my way? Feel free.]
But seriously, he sent me the soap, and I’ve been using it, and you guys… it’s awesome. I’m not just saying that because it was free, I actually really like this soap. I don’t know if it has anything to do with the fact that it has beer and hop pellets in it, but I love how my skin feels after using it. It’s lightly exfoliating and has an emollient quality that locks in moisture and leaves my skin soft and smooth. And it smells good! Not much like beer or hops as I’d hoped, but a nice herbal scent just the same. Thanks Max!
Founded in 2012 by a couple of beer-loving guys from Minnesota, Swag Brewery carries all kinds of craft beer “stuff” including art prints, like this one from Pop Chart Lab (which is currently hanging in our kitchen), beer coasters to protect that custom bar you built for your sweet man-cave (also works on your mom’s coffee table), and t-shirts for the stylish beer lover that likes to wear his hops on his sleeve. If you’ve got a special craft beer girl in your life (you lucky guy!) let her know how sweet she is with hop candy, or get classy and get her a pair of beerings!
So if you love craft beer, or find yourself obligated to buy a gift for someone who does, check ‘em out! And if you do, stop back and leave a comment about what you thought, especially if you try the hop candy!