It’s no secret that golf and beer have gone hand in hand since… well -- let’s be honest -- since forever.
The beer craze has not surprisingly reached the boys out on the course as PGA Tour pros Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley and Freddie Jacobson recently announced the launch of their own line of craft beers under the name Golf Beer Brewing. The trio –- the first pro golfers to start a craft beer company –- is working with The Brew Hub in Florida.
However, a Toronto-based quartet of entrepreneurs has been in the beer game for months, offering a refreshing and drinkable blonde lager they hope will appeal to the thirsty masses on the course and off.
Welcome to Triple Bogey Brewing and Golf, a brewery led by Geoff Tait, the former co-founder of fashion firm Quagmire Golf and creative director of Arnold Palmer’s Arnie collections.
“Triple Bogey, much like Quagmire, was meant for the lighter side of the game,” Tait says. “I always say life is too short and golf is too serious. Triple Bogey is aimed at the every day golfer who loves to eat, sleep and literally drink the game of golf.”
But why Triple Bogey and not something like “birdie beer” or “eagle ale?”
Tait says he considered a bunch of names but Triple Bogey just stuck.
“Triple Bogey markets way better than a boring old par,” Tait says. “Most people are out making bogeys and drinking beer hence Triple Bogey is born! I bought the website from a company and paid a bit of a premium and trademarked it everywhere and away we went.”
Tait and his colleagues crafted Triple Bogey to be a social beer that people can drink a few of and not get sick of them.
“It's a full-flavored lager with a touch of citrus hops but not a lime or citrus beer by any means,” Tait says. “It's five percent alcohol as we didn't want to get pigeon-holed as a light beer. The beer so far has been enjoyed by both men and women as it's not too heavy but still full of flavor.”
Triple Bogey, founded in 2013, is no one-trick pony. Complementing the brewing side of the company, Triple Bogey offers a full-service design and manufacturing apparel business dedicated to golf offering Triple Bogey’s own line in addition to some private label and custom items all made in Canada.
Tait taught marketing at a college in Toronto to help pay the bills while he got Triple Bogey up and running.
“I was lucky enough to work with a great company called Great Lakes Brewing, and they were awesome to help me get rolling by making me a small batch for sampling and kicking out what I needed each week,” Tait says. “I needed to find working capital so I took on some small equity partners. That has allowed me to operate this summer and build the business. Trucks, wages and of course the beer basics have been the expenses of the summer and then we have done a lot of promos and grass roots marketing which is time and money but it's all been awesome.”
Triple Bogey started shipping in April and today can be found at more than 100 golf courses, indoor golf centers, restaurants/bars and curling clubs across Ontario, in addition to more than 100 LCBOs, government-run liquor stores.
Tait says Triple Bogey already has trademarks in the works for North America and pending approvals and capacity expects the beer to be available in the states in the next year or so.
“Our customers seem to be everyone that loves the game young or old it doesn't matter,” Tait says. “It's an easy drinking lager that everyone can enjoy whether they are out on the links, chilling on the patio talking about their game after the round or are hanging with friends at home or at the pub it's a perfect pint.”
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