During a trip to Cuba last year, Scott Hansen and Brandon Perry were enjoying the local beer selection when they noticed the available options were limited, and it sparked a thought.
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Where are there gaps in the domestic craft beer porfolio?
“There is no easy-drinking craft beer,” Perry surmised.
Thus, Perry and Hansen set out to fill that gap, and they’ve done so with the South Carolina-produced Island Coastal Lager, now available for order at Breakthru Beverage South Carolina! We were thrilled to sit down with the two owners and learn more about the ICL story.
Answers from Scott Hansen and Brandon Perry, co-owners of ICL and Sullivan’s Island Locals
Tell us about Island Coastal Lager team.
We are very excited about this new brand, and we’ve assembled a team of some of the best brewers — a lean, yet powerful group that will help grow Island Coastal Lager in a way that will continue to spark interest.
Tell us about the beer.
ICL uses the highest-quality Vienna malt and Perle hops available in the market. We do not use any adjuncts, artificial flavors or fillers. The beer is an easy-drinking American craft lager with a lower, 4.5% ABV. We wanted something refreshing and sessionable that we could keep stocked in the cooler, and ICL is that beer. Clean and crisp, it’s a great accompaniment to food as well.
You’ve got a new brewery, too?
We chose a partner brewery that has the capacity for us to scale our operations and is strategically located to bring the beer to the entire Southeast. We have lofty ambitions for ICL, so we’re working with a partner to help us achieve those goals through their facility, capacity and access to the best ingredients.
What is one unique aspect to the ICL brand that you’d like consumers to know?
Due to the all craft recipe, highest-quality ingredients and extra time to ferment, ICL takes twice as long to make as most beers.
How did you two get into the craft beer business?
We’ve always had a passion for quality, craft beer, and after our trip to Cuba, realized there was a void in the market that we were positioned to fill. We’ve both been involved with projects to bring breweries and taprooms to the Charleston market, so we felt confident we could create this brand and this beer, and really do it right.
In your opinion, what are the key aspects to successfully launching and building a craft beer brand?
We believe it’s all about the beer, the people and the story. We want to bring craft beer to a wider market and give people a quality alternative to mass market brands. We're the tip of the spear when it comes to craft brands going after the “big guys.” We believe people deserve a reliable, everyday craft brand, and ICL is it.
What’s next for ICL? Any future plans you can let us know about at this time?
We are opening our flagship taproom on Shem Creek in Charleston in 2018, and are currently in talks with wholesale partners in other states to help expand our presence throughout the Southeast.
