Mountainsmith and Left Hand Brewing have just joined promotional forces to continue that tradition. Besides the fact that all Mountainsmith employees heartily approve of the taste of Left Hand Beer and the Left Hand crew all need packs or bags, there is great synergy between the two Colorado-based companies. The campaign will kick off with a series of Left Hand Beer tastings and sign-ups to win Mountainmsith prizes at bike races, art and music festivals, and other outdoor events. It will then expand to targeted outdoor and liquor retail promotions and other consumer events.

Successful brands need to be sold everywhere but come from somewhere. Both companies will set the tone for their joint promotion on the trails and in the mountains, parks, and arenas of their home state. Left Hand Brewing is located in Longmont, 30 miles from Mountainsmith’s Golden offices. Their beer is distributed in over 20 states and in regions with strong distribution of Mountainsmith product. Colorado will be the staging state for what will become a national partnership, focusing on grassroots marketing to build brand awareness and strong emotional attachments with their respective consumers.

“Sometimes we just get the opportunity to have fun while working, and this is one of those cases,” commented Geoff O’Keeffe, president of Mountainsmith. “Mountainsmith and Left Hand share both a natural affinity as companies, as well as an overlapping demographic base of consumers. Outdoor enthusiasts were among the early adaptors to the craft beer movement. The consumer who appreciates higher quality in their adult beverages also understands the kinds of thought we put we into our designs.”

Chris Lennert, who directs sales and marketing for Left Hand, agrees. “We both attract the same discriminating consumer. Someone who is buying a bottle of Chainsaw Ale is most likely the same person buying a Mountainsmith AT55. They’re making a conscious choice that tells others that they’re serious about their beers and serious about their packs. It’s about the emotional connection with the brand-we become very much a part of their individual style.” It’s that very lifestyle choice that both companies plan on tapping into across the country, allowing consumers a taste of Colorado.