Risqué business: Sycamore Brewing’s new Christmas ale cans show naughty sights again
Sycamore Brewing’s risqué Christmas ale labels are a bit subtler this year, but still might land them on some people’s naughty list.
Over the past three years, the cans have been wrapped in labels with sex toys in the shape of snowflakes, gingerbread men in bondage and reindeer in sexual positions. The annual holiday release has sparked controversy, resulting in the cans being pulled in 2019 because of frisky reindeer, a design that the state liquor board had not approved at the time.
This year, the Charlotte brewery rolled out two approved designs where you have to look closely to see elves wrapping sex toys tagged for mom and dad, and the other, elves wearing sweaters with images of past labels.
“We want to be fun and irreverent and as close to the naughty list as we can,” Archie Gleason, vice president of sales for the South End brewery, told The Charlotte Observer on Friday. “It’s beer. Let’s have fun.”
Last Monday, the brewery unwrapped this year’s label with the release of its Christmas Cookie Winter Ale and Barrel Aged Christmas Cookie Ale, with elves donning ugly sweaters depicting images from all three labels of Christmases past.
Online sales were only going through Nov. 20, according to Sycamore’s social media. This is the first year Sycamore is offering local delivery of the ales within 20 miles of Sycamore’s distribution site.
With the brewery’s Hawkins Street taproom closed to make way for a 24-story apartment tower. Sycamore is moving next door. Gleason said they’re using the delivery system set up at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Typically, the ales drop the week of Thanksgiving with festivities at the tap room.
But if you missed the quick window to order for delivery, cans will hit the shelves at local retailers like Total Wine & More and independent sellers likely by early December, Gleason said.
“It’s a small batch special release, so if you haven’t gotten yours by mid-December, you’re probably out of luck,” Gleason said.
The Christmas Cookie Ale has sweet cookie and warm vanilla flavors.
The barrel-aged stout adds toasted oak, amplified vanilla, plus layers of caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, spice, and discernible bourbon spirit flavor.
About Sycamore Brewing
Sycamore Brewing, owned by wife and husband Sarah and Justin Brigham, opened eight years ago, according to the company’s website. The brewery has 24 distributor partners and is available at retailers such as Walmart, Harris Teeter and Food Lion in eight states.
This month, Sycamore Brewing opened a second location at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The brewery’s 2161 Hawkins St. taproom is closed as it prepares to move to space next door at 2151 Hawkins St. Sycamore will anchor The Line, a new 16-story office building, and with more than five times the taproom space. It also will have an 11,000 square-foot beer garden and 6,000 square-foot rooftop beer garden.
This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 5:50 AM with the headline "Risqué business: Sycamore Brewing’s new Christmas ale cans show naughty sights again."