Will Coors Revive – Again – Herman Joseph’s?

Potential effort to tap popularity of craft?

Could Coors Brewing Company be bringing back a beer that’s been launched and discontinued twice before?

The brewer has filed a trademark application for Herman Joseph’s, described in the application as a beer.

Beer industry vets with good memories may recall that Coors launched Herman Joseph’s – named in honor of Coors co-founder Adolph Herman Joseph Coors –as a superpremium ale back in 1980. It was discontinued due to weak sales in 1989.

Coors relaunched the brew in 1995 as craft beers took off.

From a Coors press release issued in November 1995:

"Herman Joseph's -- or HJ -- was a great beer, but was in market ahead of its time. In the 80s, popular-priced and light beers were the rage. Now, the market has come full circle with consumer demand for above-premium beers soaring," said Jon Runge, director, New Product Development. "This has created a new and viable market for HJ. Our distributors, retailers and consumers have been saying we never should have stopped making HJ. Coors is excited to be reintroducing Herman Joseph's."

Coors pulled the beer out of the market after a few years. Coors CEO Leo Kiely in September in 1999 told Modern Brewery Age:

“We pulled that back out of the market. It's a great beer, but it was hard to figure out how to market it. Today that business is largely imports, and import look-alikes and craft beers. I'm not sure where we'll participate, but we will participate. It may be an off-shoot of some of the stuff we do around the world, it may be a continuation for the Killian's work we've done. We've got a wonderful product in Blue Moon, and the Belgian White is growing very nicely in a hugely cluttered category. It will take a couple of years for that clutter to dissipate. It takes brands a long time to die.”

Kiely has been proven prescient on Blue Moon. And it’s worth noting that now, as in the mid-1990s, craft and higher-priced beers are booming.

The trademark application begs the question whether Coors thinks it might be able to replicate its success with Blue Moon with a new brand – and whether three time’s a charm for Herman Joseph’s.

The trademark application can be seen here.

The Modern Brewery Age homepage is here.

Comments

[bobby sherman]

Please bring back herman joseph beer. My dad has been telling me to find this beer for the last 19 years of my military career. I have only found it once in D.C. back in 96. I bought him 2 cases and everyone that he has giving some to loves it. Find a way to market this beer if it is only during the holiday til you get a strong following.

[Tim Pachak]

BRING IT BACK!!!! I loved the HJ and haven't seen it in years. Is it still out there somewhere? Start the brew!!!

[Tom Seymour]

I really miss Herman Joeseph's
and promise scouts honor to buy nothing else if you make it again.