In 2019, Floyd Hayes registered his favorite IPA as an "Emotional Support Beer" and the story went viral. Now, Hayes has collaborated with New York's Woodstock Brewing to create a real Emotional Support Beer—but it doesn't come with any special privileges. The beer does, however, help to support Operation at Ease, a non-profit that matches dogs from shelters with veterans and first responders to help them deal with post-traumatic stress.
The Emotional Support Beer serves as a conversation starter when it comes to important issues surrounding animal shelters and mental health. The novel beer itself takes the form of an unfiltered IPA with Citra hops. As Hayes himself describes, "expect a nice juicy smack of citrus, passion fruit, and mango. It's subtle though, which is just how I like it."
Emotional Support Beers
Woodstock Brewing's Emotional Support Beer Aids Operation at Ease
Trend Themes
1. Emotional Support Products - Creating emotional support products such as craft beer can contribute to mental health conversations and support important non-profit initiatives.
2. Collaborative Cause Marketing - Partnering with non-profits for collaborative cause marketing initiatives can create unique products and contribute to important social causes.
3. Unconventional Product Branding - Using unconventional product branding and naming strategies such as 'Emotional Support Beer' can create viral marketing opportunities and raise awareness for important issues.
Industry Implications
1. Craft Beer Industry - Craft beer companies can collaborate with non-profits and use unconventional product branding to create innovative products that contribute to social causes and increase brand awareness.
2. Non-profit Industry - Non-profits can partner with craft beer companies for collaborative cause marketing initiatives that raise awareness for important social causes and generate fundraising opportunities.
3. Mental Health Industry - The mental health industry can benefit from the use of emotional support products like craft beer to start conversations and reduce stigma surrounding mental health issues.