Co-Brand of the Month: Broken Compass Brewing Company
We took notice when we started getting repeat co-brand Growler orders from Broken Compass Brewing Company in the Rocky Mountain town of Breckenridge, Colorado. Figuring they must be doing something right, we reached out to their Co-Founder, David Axelrod a.k.a Ax, to see if we could uncover some of the secrets to their success.
KK: What is Broken Compass known for and what values drive your brewery?
BC: Our key values: sustainability, community, and quality. We strive to make our community better by bringing people together around the highest quality craft beer and using our energy and profits to make the place we live and love better and more sustainable.
KK: There are more than a few craft breweries in Colorado, what sets Broken Compass apart?
BC: What sets us apart is our focus on our local community. We don't distribute and our hyper-local focus allows us to help support the great organizations which are trying to make Breckenridge the best place to live, work and visit.
As skiers, bikers, boaters and general mountain lovers, we are passionately committed to sustainability. We are currently in the top 25 percent of sustainable breweries and we are building a new brewery which we are striving to make the most sustainable brewery on the planet or as close to it as we possibly can.
Our local mentality also allows us to focus on creativity and exceptionally high quality in our brews. When you take the distribution out of the equation, you have more margin to put into higher quality ingredients and your beer is fresher. Small can be very beautiful.
KK: What brew are you known for and which is your most underrated?
BC: Our Coconut Porter is our most widely talked about beer after winning a medal at Great American Beer Fest last year, but I would say our FDFH (Fabulously Delicious Finely Hopped) Brown is our most underrated. It’s a dark brown with a complex flavor and aroma and a nice hop finish. Its big brother the Imperial Bourbon barrel aged brown is also a great beer and a real nice surprise. We age it for almost a year in Breckenridge Bourbon barrels.
KK: What kind of feedback do you get from your customers about the Klean Kanteen co-brand Growlers?
BC: Our customers LOVE the Klean Kanteen Growlers! Almost 30 percent of our business consists of growler filling and having a super high quality growler is extremely important to us. Since we live in a tourist destination and we don't distribute, many people want to fly home with our beer. The Klean Kanteen Insulated Growler with the Swing Lok Cap lets us rest assured that our beer will arrive at its destination in the best condition possible.
KK: Any funny stories about the Growlers or your customers’ interactions with them?
BC: Nothing super exciting, but we often hear of people leaving them to roast in their cars or the blazing sun while they are hiking, biking, or participating in other outdoor activities and coming back to cold refreshing beer.
KK: Anything else you want to say?
BC: Kind of like our beer, when people hear that our Klean Kanteen Growlers are responsibly and sustainably made, it puts them over the top. The competitors have no real commitment to sustainability and their lids don't hold up compared to the Klean Kanteen. There are a few boutique high-quality options out there but none of them have Kleen Kanteen's commitment to the environment and community.
A big THANK YOU to Ax and Broken Compass for taking the time to help us make this happen. If you find yourself in Breckenridge, Colorado, make sure to pay them a visit.
For more information on co-branding Growlers and other products, please visit our website.
