Garage Beer Unveils Retro Glass Bottles in Bold Packaging Shift

Garage Beer, the light beer brand backed by NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce in 2024, debuted its first-ever glass bottles on April 13. Departing from the standard long-neck design, the new bottles feature a retro, stubby form factor with dimensions nearly identical to Garage’s aluminum cans. Crafted from dark-brown glass, the bottles offer a satisfyingly hefty feel.

The packaging update reflects Garage’s core marketing strategy: simplicity. In an industry crowded with competitors launching sub-categories, low-calorie options, and gimmicky campaigns, Garage focuses on an inexpensive, light beer available in only two flavors—original and lime. Despite industry-wide struggles for craft breweries, Garage is reporting record sales.

According to Eric Torgerson, Garage’s chief operations officer, any brand additions must align with its no-frills aesthetic. A retro bottle was a natural extension of the company’s ethos. “We wanted to make sure we were staying true to our brand identity of old school beer the way it should be; beer–flavored beer,” Torgerson says. “This is a ‘bottle-shaped bottle.’”

From Can to Bottle: A Retro Revival

Garage Beer was acquired by founder and CEO Andy Sauer from Kentucky-based Braxton Brewing and relaunched in 2023. Since then, the brand has experienced explosive growth. Over the past three years, Garage has achieved triple-digit year-over-year growth, with sales surging more than 500% in the 12 months ending in early April 2025. As of a September 2024 report from The Wall Street Journal, the company is valued at approximately $200 million and continues to expand despite a broader slump in the beer industry. This month, the Brewer’s Association ranked Garage as the 12th largest craft brewer in the U.S.

In 2024, Sauer told Fast Company that he aimed for Garage to evoke the nostalgia of “that first beer they had with their dad in the garage.” Today, every design choice—including packaging—reinforces that sentiment. While Garage maintains strict control over its recipes and flavors, it embraces creativity in packaging. The brand has already introduced five-gallon kegs of its original beer and is preparing to launch a branded bucket filled with 24 cans.

Fan Demand Drives Glass Bottle Launch

However, Torgerson notes that customer requests for glass bottles have been overwhelming. Social media comments and direct messages are flooded with demands for the retro packaging. “It’s been something that we’ve always wanted to attack,” he says.

A ’70s Homage in Glass

The glass bottle design process began with Garage’s fanbase. The result is a nostalgic tribute to 1970s aesthetics, packaged in a bottle that feels both familiar and fresh.