Born in the Rockies

In 1978, Coors Light was born in the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, which continue to inspire our brewing today. The spirit of these surroundings is embodied in our process, which is why Coors Light is such a refreshing and impressive Cold Lager » Always Lagered below Freezing : Lagering is the process of aging Coors Light. We lager it below freezing for the perfect amount of time…It’s these two key components of time and temp that give Coors Light its signature crisp taste. After that, it’s ready for Cold Filtering

Always Cold Filtered, Always Crisp: We cold filter Coors Light. This is what contributes to its overall brilliance and clarity, which means it has a nice, bright appearance when poured. This process gives Coors Light its crisp, clean taste before going into Cold Bottling »Bottled Cold, Of Course Nothing beats an ice-cold lager. That’s why Coors Light is never heat pasteurized. Instead, it’s cold bottled while at the peak of freshness because that’s how you like it.

And you’ll know it’s cold thanks to our Cold Activated Labels. Cold Activated: It’s Science: Cold activation may look like magic, but it actually works because of a scientific process called thermochromism. When your beer is the perfect cold temperature to drink, the label dye reacts by changing from white to blue, serving as a nice tribute to our birthplace in the Rockies.

Miller Lite-Taste Great… Less filling…

In 1972 Miller Brewing Company’s new president, John Murphy, orchestrated the purchase of three brands from a bankrupt Chicago brewer, Meister Brau. Those brands included a newer Meister Brau product, Meister Brau Lite. It was Meister Brau’s recent entry into the low-calorie beer field, one in which the previous entrant had failed miserably, despite heavy advertising support. By this time, Miller Brewing had a New York ad agency, McCann Erickson, working on growing its High Life brand. According to sportswriter Frank Deford, who wrote the authoritative history of the Lite Beer commercials, Lite Reading, sales figures showed that the city of Anderson, Ind. was crazy about Meister Brau Lite.

McCann Erickson staff toured the bars in Anderson and observed that its popularity was greatest among blue-collar male consumers—not the expected market for a “diet beer.” Miller was inspired by the sales in Anderson, and saw that there could be potential in the product. The team spent a year reformulating it, and finally produced a low-calorie brew that tasted like beer. Back in New York, Bob Lenz of McCann Erickson had an inspiration; use a retired athlete to endorse the product (laws forbade using active athletes). He chose Matt Snell, a former New York Jets running back and star of the 1969 Super Bowl.

In July 1973, McCann Erickson rented a bar in Manhattan for three days of shooting. The script was made up as they went along; it wasn’t until late in the third day that Matt Snell uttered the memorable words on camera, “You know, new Lite Beer from Miller is all you ever wanted in a beer … and less.” Snell then went on to explain that Lite had a third fewer calories and fewer carbohydrates.

Keith Villa

Head Brewmaster and Founder of the Blue Moon Brewing Company®

After earning his Ph.D. in brewing from the University of Brussels in Belgium, an honor only a handful of brewers have achieved, Keith came back stateside with the idea of crafting beers inspired by Belgian styles, but with a twist. He returned to Coors in the early 1990s and got what seemed like a dream assignment: to create a microbrewery at Coors Field in Denver. Sandlot Brewery was born. Mr. Villa had his own take on the Belgian wheat beers he encountered overseas.

He used barley malt, wheat and coriander, like most Belgians. But instead of mixing in the traditional tart Curacao orange peel, he used a Valencia, which gave it a subtle sweetness, and added oats to give it a creamier texture. The brew is unfiltered, which makes it cloudy. (That's why it's called a Belgian "white.") He branded it Blue Moon on the advice of an administrative assistant, who said beers like this only come around "once in a blue moon." But in America, where the craft-brew scene was still in its infancy, drinkers did not get it. This murky brew scared them away.

So Mr. Villa traveled the country, going bar by bar to explain his creation, even touting the health benefits of the fiber in the oats and Vitamin B in brewer's yeast. "I would tell them, 'I'm a beer doctor, I know these things,' " he recalled, laughing. In 1997, a breakthrough came -- in the form of a garnish. While wheat beers were usually served with a lemon, Mr. Villa began hanging an orange on the glass. He gave bags of oranges to bartenders, even including free cutting boards and knives.

Leinenkugel’s family has built 6 generations of rich family tradition and great beers. Starting In 1845 when Jacob Leinenkugel immigrated from Meckenheim, Germany, with his parents and two brothers to Wisconsin. Its rich soil was perfect for growing hops and grains and when he got older Jacob opened his own brewery in the logging town of Chippewa Falls. The Brewery's Beginning was a humble one.

In the early days Jacob Leinenkugel and business partner, John Miller, were the only employees. Jacob brewed the beer, 400 barrels in the first year, and John delivered it using a small cart and a horse named Kate. The partnership flourished for seventeen years until 1884 when John sold his share of the company to Jacob. With the help of his wife, Josephine, and their children the brewery grew. In 1890 a new four-story brew house was built. Over the next few years an icehouse, three-story malt house, bottling house, cooper shop and barns were added.

Time would challenge the Leinenkugle family and generation after generation they stood tall. Through Prohibition in 1919 to the Great Depression the Leinenkugel family stood together and adapted to the ever changing landscape that presented itself. In 1988 the brewery merged with Miller Brewing Company. This partnership has allowed Leinie's to share its quality brews with even more beer enthusiasts. The next chapter starts with the 6th generation of Leinie’s legacy. Building on their family’s legacy, they’re making sure their beers continue to satisfy palates everywhere.