Massachusetts Brewery Recognized For Their Great Labels
With so many privately owned breweries now popping up across the country, how do you differentiate yourself? Sure, it all starts with a great-tasting beer, but certain establishments are also finding another angle to build a community. USA Today’s 10BEST recently looked at the art side of a brewery. Specifically, those who are creating awesome beer labels to slap on their can and a place in Massachusetts made the list.
“A good beer label stands out from the crowd, piques our curiosity, and represents the brew behind the label,” 10BEST said, describing how the label can serve as the customers’ first impression.
Vitamin Sea Brewing Ranked 6th
Located in Weymouth, MA Vitamin Sea Brewing was specifically highlighted for its unique “You Got This Right?!” brew branding. “The label art features brewing equipment with the good stuff flowing out in abundance,” 10BEST states.
The cold aluminum can here is wrapped in a black label; this craft brew is displayed very artistically. “You Got This” is in small print towards the top. Then, “Right!?” is stamped prominently towards the bottom.
“You Got This Right?! is an India Pale Ale. It is a 6.1% ABV. Vitamin Sea Brewing offers 15 different options on tap. In addition, you can grab cans and bottles to go.
Great branding is not new for Vitamin Sea. One of the first things you will notice upon entering their taproom and brewery is the racks of merch available. From trucker caps to colorful t-shirts, many of these items fly off the shelf. The crest logo and various slogans allows locals to represent their favorite hometown brew with pride.
Vitamin Sea is located at 30 Moore Road in Weymouth. It is also expanding to open a location in Plymouth.
Some other interesting notes from USA Today’s 10BEST feature showcasing cleverly crafted cans include a brewery in Ithaca, NY. Liquid State Brewing’s “Liquid Crush”, a “New England” IPA, was ranked number one. Other breweries on this distinguished list include places in Orlando, Denver, and Iowa.
Massachusetts Brewery Is Crushing It With Their Merchandise
“We have been given the name of Merch King Kong by our peers,” Dino Funari, founder of Vitamin Sea Brewing says. That is because this brewery has some of the most recognizable merchandise in Massachusetts.
Chances are you’ve seen (or have) a hat or t-shirt that sports the branding “VSB,” “South Shore,” “Sea,” an ocean/sunrise vector, or a duck on it. That’s all Vitamin Sea Brewing. In fact, some of their items are so popular they fly off the shelf as soon as they are stocked. Furthermore, you can’t buy them online. They are all purchased onsite.
Weymouth, MA
Vitamin Sea Brewing opened in February of 2019. Their taproom (and headquarters) in Weymouth features twelve taps covering a wide range of craft beer styles. IPAs and stouts are also available to purchase in cans. Some of the beers vary per season, while others are more standard. The Summer IPA, currently on tap, for example, is hopped with Citra, Cascade, and Columbus hops. In addition, on tap number 12, you will find Seas and Desist Blueberry Lemonade. This is Vitamin Sea’s take on hard seltzer.
Their location has a beer garden feel where outdoor seating is available, and they typically partner with food trucks onsite at least three days per week. If you go inside VSB’s Weymouth home base, you will find a colorful wall of t-shirts adjacent to the bar and rack of hats, jackets, sweatshirts and more along the right-side wall.
The Merch Line
“Our marketing strategy happened organically. Well before we opened, I was handing out hats, t-shirts, pins, and stickers to get the word out. And it paid off. We’re constantly asked to advertise monetarily, but we see more value in getting our merch out to people or groups (musicians, athletes, media personalities) with their own audiences and fan bases, which introduces them to our brand,” Funari explains, about VSB’s intent to create such merch.
They have one of New England’s more recognizable logos. Whether you are walking in downtown Portland, ME or attending the Levitate Music and Artist Festival in Marshfield, it is likely you will see the Vitamin Sea round logo or duck along the way. People are proud to represent the passion that Vitamin Sea pours into everything they do. Wearing their gear also shows pride in where you are from.
Here, Funari will take us inside the taproom to provide some insight into this killer Vitamin Sea Brewing merch.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
