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Pure Project Brewing's Rove "adventure beer." Photo courtesy of Pure Project Brewing
Pure Project Brewing's Rove "adventure beer," an American-style lager. Photo courtesy of Pure Project Brewing
ColumnsFood & WineI Like Beer

Time to ‘Rove’: Are you ready for adventure beer?

I like adventures, and I like beer, so when I saw a new beer called Rove Adventure Beer with some silhouetted pine trees and the tagline, “For all of life’s adventures,” in my Instagram feed, I assumed it was some targeted marketing. It wasn’t. It was (and is) a new beer offering from the team at Pure Project Brewing.

I was in the middle of planning an epic camping trip, my first to Yosemite National Park, and I was already looking for a beer to bring along. This could be the beer I enjoyed at the end of a long day roving the hiking trails. This could be the beer I drank next to the campfire while trying to remember every awe-inspiring crevice of the dawn wall.

But why I wondered, would they create a new brand identity for this one beer? I had to find out. I reached out to Makenna Barris, director of marketing at Pure Project, to ask.

Cheers!: Rove Beer is — to my understanding — not a new brewery but a single branded beer. Why decide to create a brand identity separate from Pure Project to promote this new product?

Makenna: Yes, Rove is a complementary brand to Pure Project. Due to the approachability and shelf stability of the beer, we believe it has the potential to access a wider consumer base.

The columnist Ryan Woldt kayaking with a can of Pure Project Brewing's Rove adventure beer.
The columnist Ryan Woldt kayaking with a can of Pure Project Brewing’s Rove “adventure beer.” Photo by Ryan Woldt

Cheers!: How is Rove different from Pure — either the beer itself or will it have its own team on the operations side?

Makenna: The Rove brand will still carry the same passion for quality and attention to detail as all of our beers. As opposed to some of our more complex offerings, Rove is built on four simple ingredients: water, malt, hops, and yeast. The team on the operations side is one and the same at this time, but that has the potential to change as the brand grows.

Cheers!: How would you describe the vibe of Rove Beer, and how does the beer itself help push that vibe?

Makenna: We’re calling Rove an adventure beer — as in, it’s the perfect sidekick for all of life’s adventures — and that very much contributes to the vibe of the beer. It’s only 4.2% ABV, so this beer is perfect after a hike, a surf session, or a backyard barbeque. Adventure can mean a lot of things to different people, and Rove is suitably “sessionable” for whatever your definition of adventure may be.

Cheers!: Can you explain what Pure/Rove means when you say, “Beer for Good”?

Makenna: As a brewery, we know that we have an impact on our environment. And as a business, we know we have an opportunity to do right with our profits and within our community. To that end, we are certified climate neutral, plastic neutral and are a 1% for the Planet company. As a 1% company, we donate 1% of all sales to non-profits that work to protect our planet.

Pure Project Brewing's Rove "adventure beer."
Pure Project Brewing’s Rove “adventure beer.” Photo courtesy of Pure Project Brewing

Cheers!: Is there anything else we should know about the Rove Beer brand right now, or you have planned for the future?

Makenna: Follow Rove on Instagram @rove.beer, and keep an eye out for some summer giveaways! And we always love to see everyone’s adventures, so tag us in your next #roventure.

Cheers!: What is the best way for beer drinkers in North County to try some Rove beer?

Makenna: Rove is available at all Pure Project taprooms and online at www.rove.beer for shipping throughout California.

Cheers!: Since you’re already here and I’m already asking questions…Is anything new (besides Rove) you want to share about Pure Project?

Makenna: We’re still basking in the afterglow of our latest taproom opening in North Park. If you haven’t checked out the space yet, head down for some epic backyard Biergarten vibes. Porch swings, fire pits, and fresh beer flights — you really can’t go wrong.

My Yosemite trip was canceled last minute due to snow, closed roads, and single-digit temperatures, but I already had the beer in hand. I decided to seek out some adventures close to home. It went down quickly after a kayak around Lake Hodges. It kept me refreshed after a hike through Hosp Grove. Then I basked in the afterglow of adventure at home with the can cracked, the ballgame on the radio, and a campfire.

According to Makenna, there are no more one-off branded beers planned at Pure for the time being, but who knows what adventure is waiting for Pure Project just over the horizon?

Stream the Roast! West Coast coffee podcast on the Coast News Podcast page, and be sure to follow and share your drinking adventures with Cheers! North County on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.