Strategy August 30, 2017

College Brew: University of Montana Licenses School-Branded Beer

By  Christopher Ruvo

The University of Montana has joined the growing list of American universities with an officially licensed beer.

The institution of higher learning has partnered with Big Sky Brewing Company, a Missoula, MT-based brewer that will bring “Griz Montana Lager” to market.

The “Griz” is a reference to the school’s nickname – the Grizzlies. The can design for the Bohemian style pilsner features a growling grizzly bear and the university’s motto of Lux et Veritas – Light and Truth.

College Brew: University of Montana Licenses School-Branded BeerPhoto Credit: TOMMY MARTINO, Missoulian

The beer will be on sale through next spring when UM celebrates its 125th anniversary. Part of the profits the university realizes through sales of the suds will go toward UM’s Curry Health Center. Proceeds will also help fund ASUM Transportation and community outreach through the Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce, among other programs.

“We want to do everything we can to help the university succeed,” Bjorn Nabozney, Big Sky Brewing co-founder and a UM alum, told the Missoulian. “We thought this partnership was a wonderful way to market a new product and give back to a great institution at the same time.”

UM officials feel the beer is a viable way to help market the university and connect with adult alumni around the nation. While UM is a dry campus, a fact that caused some eyebrows to rise when news of Griz Montana Lager became public, the university’s chief marketing officer said the partnership with Big Sky will prove a win.

“We are aware that it’s not a no-risk proposition,” Mario Schulzke told the Missoulian. “It has potential advantages and disadvantages, and we thought long and hard about it…. I can see why people would be nervous, but the benefits outweigh the risks.”

By licensing an official branded beer, the University of Montana is part of a trend that is gaining steam on campuses around the nation. Earlier this month, New Mexico State debuted Pistol Pete’s 1888 Ale, the school’s first officially licensed beer. Colorado State University, Louisiana State University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette are among the other schools with licensed branded beers.