Deschutes named ‘official craft beer of the Pac-12’
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVZ) -- As the Pac-12 Conference welcomes back college football, fans have something else to celebrate to kick off the new season. Deschutes and the Pac-12 announced Friday an exclusive partnership, naming Deschutes as the Official Craft Beer of the Pac-12 Conference.
Beginning with the 2021 football season, set to begin Saturday, Bend’s original craft brewery, known for their leadership in hops through juicy, citrus India Pale Ales like Fresh Squeezed and Fresh Haze, and iconic beers like Black Butte Porter, will engage college sports fans throughout the country through activations at games, on and off-premise programming and digital media.
“All of us at Deschutes Brewery are huge Pac-12 fans and we’re beyond excited to partner with the conference in celebration of these incredible student-athletes,” said Neal Stewart, VP of sales and marketing for Deschutes. “Deschutes Brewery is one of the best-selling craft beer brands in the Western U.S. and it’s an honor to team up with the preeminent athletic conference in the West. We have some exciting plans in the works that will give Craft Beer drinkers unprecedented access to the Pac 12 Football Championship Game and the Pac 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament.”
Rooted in the Pacific Northwest, Deschutes takes pride in partnering with the Conference of Champions® and supporting these local NCAA teams and their mission to develop the next generation of leaders. The brewery expects this partnership to amplify consumer excitement, as Stewart added: “strategic partnerships with iconic and like-minded organizations helps Deschutes increase brand awareness and strengthens our relevance with consumers.”
"Aligning ourselves with Deschutes Brewery, a family-owned, regional craft brewery is a perfect match," said Steve Tseng, Executive Vice President of Sales. "With Deschutes based in our Pac-12 footprint in Bend, we look forward to increasing the awareness of this quintessential craft brewery beyond the Pacific Northwest."
About the Pac-12 Conference
The Pac-12 Conference has a tradition as the “Conference of Champions,” leading the nation in NCAA Championships in 55 of the last 61 years, with 537 NCAA team titles overall. The Conference comprises 12 leading U.S. universities - the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Colorado, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of Utah, the University of Washington and Washington State University. For more information on the Conference’s programs and member institutions, please visit Pac-12.com/conference.
About Deschutes Brewery
Deschutes Brewery, an independent craft brewer in Bend, Oregon family and employee owned since 1988, is one of the quintessential beers of the Pacific Northwest. Founded on the guiding principles of true craftsmanship and ultimate quality, Deschutes is known as a leader in hops, dark beer, innovative India Pale Ales, and small-batch experimental and barrel-aged beers. Deschutes Brewery is crafted for community, committed to sustainable business practices and support of charitable organizations across our distribution footprint. Visit Deschutes Brewery’s beer finder to find a Deschutes beer near you in 36 states across the country. www.deschutesbrewery.com
