When NFL superstars Jason and Travis Kelce joined forces on a new business venture, they didn’t just invest in a product—they elevated a brand. 

By bringing their Midwest charm, unfiltered humor, and unmatched cultural presence to Garage Beer, the Kelce brothers transformed a humble light lager into one of America’s fastest-growing beer brands. 

Their involvement didn’t just move units; it made Garage Beer a lifestyle. Through smart merch, story-driven marketing, and community-first campaigns, they’ve taken the brand to literal New Heights—pun fully intended.

In this article, we’ll show you how Garage Beer, along with the Kelce brothers, turned a no-frills beer into an entertainment property with a loyal fanbase, and how they used Fourthwall to create a merch store that feels more like a digital backyard hangout than a traditional online shop. 

This isn’t just a success story—it’s a strategy guide. Whether you’re a content creator, entrepreneur, or brand builder, Garage Beer’s playbook offers practical insights on how to turn your product into a movement.

A Beer Born in a Garage, Raised by the Midwest

Garage Beer started humbly in 2018 as a single light lager crafted by Braxton Brewing Co. of Covington, Kentucky. But its instant popularity (and clear contrast to Braxton’s other craft brews) led to a full-blown spin-off. 

By 2021, the brand was acquired and repositioned by entrepreneur Andy Sauer, who reworked the recipe, dialed down the hops, and gave it a more nostalgic, backyard-ready identity.

The result? A clean, no-nonsense lager with just 95 calories, sold with the slogan: “It’s just beer. Simple as that.”

Enter Jason and Travis Kelce: Ohio natives, everyday beer guys, and now co-owners of Garage Beer. 

In June 2024, the NFL siblings joined as the largest investors and operational partners, bringing massive attention and cultural momentum to the brand. 

Their personal connection to the product and Midwest upbringing made the partnership feel authentic, not manufactured. 

With their support and Sauer’s leadership, Garage Beer quickly became the fastest-growing light beer in the U.S., available in over 30 states.

However, the Kelce brothers' investment didn’t just pour capital into the company—it gave the brand serious cultural momentum, especially among sports fans and casual drinkers who see themselves in the Kelce brothers’ unfiltered, humorous approach to life.

From the Cooler to Your Closet: Garage Beer’s Brand Strategy

Garage Beer’s merch store isn’t just a side hustle—it’s a core part of their brand experience, seamlessly integrated into their main website and built to reflect the same laid-back, everyman vibe as the beer itself. 

Powered by Fourthwall and accessible through drinkgaragebeer.com, the store feels less like a traditional eCommerce page and more like a curated hangout spot in digital form. 

What’s more, the Kelce brothers’ promotion strategy—anchored in social media, podcast appearances, and viral moments—is a blueprint other creators can learn from. 

Whether it's a casual Instagram post or an unscripted podcast moment, every piece of content subtly reinforces the brand’s down-to-earth appeal.

Here’s how the Garage Beer and the Kelce brothers built a strategy that works:

They Make Merch That Looks Like the Brand Feels

Everything in the store, from slogan banners to swim trunks, leans into the same visual identity found on Garage Beer cans: simple, nostalgic, and proudly unpretentious. 

Designed in collaboration with the branding agency Creature Theory, the entire product line embraces the same vintage-inspired aesthetic as the beer itself. 

Retro fonts, a tight color palette (think bold reds, blues, and grays), and simple, in-your-face slogans reinforce the beer’s mission: no frills, just fun. It’s branding that doesn’t take itself too seriously—and that’s exactly why it works.

Take a scroll through the Garage Beer merch shop, and it’s clear every piece of apparel or accessory could just as easily be found in your dad’s workshop as in a creator’s lookbook. 

The “Tight End of Beers” tee nods to Travis Kelce’s football fame with tongue-in-cheek flair. The “Always Open” hoodie plays on their catchphrase, giving off strong garage hangout vibes. 

Meanwhile, the “Beermuri” shirt and “Hollywood Video” tee infuse nostalgic flair with humor and subtle cultural references.

But it's not just tees. Their Brewmite capsule—which includes shorts, jackets, stickers, and totes—adds a quirky mascot touch while still maintaining that "every guy" relatability. 

On the accessories side, items like custom pint glasses ($15), a logo banner ($25), and tap handles reinforce the brand’s garage bar appeal. Even their “Lime Summer Shoes” ($62) stay on-brand with bright, fun energy that mirrors their lime-flavored beer.

Everything—from the foam trucker hats and bucket hats to the polo shirts and basketball jerseys—feels like something you’d wear to a Sunday BBQ or beer league game, not a merch drop you’d be nervous to stain with mustard. 

The Brand’s Everywhere, Thanks to the Kelce Brothers’ Content Machine

Garage Beer’s rise isn’t just the result of good brewing—it’s smart, personality-driven marketing, largely powered by the Kelce brothers themselves. 

Let’s start with New Heights, the Kelce brothers’ top-ranked podcast available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple. In nearly every episode, Garage Beer’s logo can be seen hanging in the background of Jason Kelce’s actual garage, turning the podcast set into a subtle billboard. 

Jason regularly wears Garage Beer hoodies, hats, or tees on the show, helping blur the line between promo and personality. These aren't product placements, they’re personal favorites, and audiences can feel the difference.

On social media, Garage Beer appears organically across the brothers’ own channels. Jason’s viral Car Wash video, where he hilariously scrubs down vehicles shirtless in a Garage Beer tee, racked up 3.4 million views on X. 

And at the Kelce Car Jam in Kansas City, he wore a branded work shirt that drew attention from fans and media alike. 

Meanwhile, Travis introduced the brand’s launch via his TikTok, sharing behind-the-scenes footage of the brothers’ first Garage Beer photoshoot, earning thousands of likes and shares.

And then there’s Garage Beer’s own Instagram page, @drinkgaragebeer, where the tagline “The Garage is Always Open” sets the tone. 

The account is loaded with beer jokes, stunts, local sports tie-ins, and playful commentary. Recent campaigns include the “Brewmite” series, a full-on 1980s-style martial arts parody starring Jason Kelce as himself, who trains to compete for the “Golden Garage.”

The mini-film, teased with trailers and behind-the-scenes content, is designed like a cult movie event with parts of the video slowly released on Garage Beers’ Instagram and YouTube channels. It even came with its own merch drop, which included holographic stickers, t-shirts, hoodies, and board shorts. 

This kind of layered content strategy transforms Garage Beer into more than just a beverage brand—it’s an entertainment property with a growing world of its own.

They Keep the Marketing Local, Relatable, and Event-Driven

From Midwest golf courses to riverbank tailgates, the brand has built a grassroots marketing strategy that’s hyper-local, delightfully unpredictable, and deeply rooted in community.

Rather than rely solely on big-budget campaigns, Garage Beer leans into regional pride, viral stunts, and everyday events that feel authentic to the brand’s laid-back, light beer ethos.

One perfect example? The now-legendary “Cuyahoga Catch”, when Cleveland fan Andrew Butts launched a can of Garage Beer over 50 yards from the riverbank to a passing freighter—and nailed it. 

The spontaneous moment was caught on video, shared across social media, and quickly picked up by local and national outlets. 

The Garage Beer team even followed up by connecting with the thrower and printing commemorative t-shirts, turning a one-time fluke into a brand-building legend.

Then there’s "Puttapalooza," a page straight from the playbook of over-the-top sports marketing. 

In partnership with media personality Paige Spiranac, Garage Beer invited golf fans to compete for a year’s supply of beer by sinking putts at Chicago’s Coyote Run Golf Course. 

The winner, Johnny Quenan—now affectionately known as Johnny Garage—earned 52 cases of Garage Beer and became an instant hometown hero. 

The event was so successful, it even birthed a new merch line (featuring Wingo’s quote “Johnny’s Got Beer!”) and expanded distribution across Illinois thanks to the buzz.

But Garage Beer doesn’t just chase viral moments. 

The brand regularly taps into local communities through events like Market on Main: The Garage Sale in Cincinnati, where they sponsor pop-up markets that celebrate secondhand shopping, local makers, and laid-back, front-porch culture. 

By supporting events that align with its values—and showing up in unexpected places—Garage Beer keeps its marketing grounded and approachable.

How to Build a Brand That Feels Real—The Garage Beer Way 

At the heart of Garage Beer’s rapid rise is a finely tuned marketing playbook, one that blends authenticity, creativity, and consistency across platforms. 

With Jason and Travis Kelce as co-owners and front-facing ambassadors, the brand has built a promotional strategy that feels more like a lifestyle than a sales pitch. 

Their content doesn’t just sell beer—it tells stories, creates inside jokes, and invites fans to be part of the journey. 

For creators looking to elevate their own brands, Garage Beer offers a masterclass in how to make merch and marketing actually matter.

Here are the Kelce brothers’ top strategies—and how other creators can apply them:

1. Make Your Brand Part of Everyday Content

Whether it’s Garage Beer logos subtly hanging in the background of the New Heights podcast or Jason wearing the latest hoodie on camera, the brothers weave their brand into regular content without shouting about it. It’s personal, not performative.

Takeaway for Creators:

Integrate your merch or product into the content you’re already making—don’t overproduce it. Wear your own gear in videos, show it off in your workspace, or make it part of your routine. Make your brand feel lived-in, not advertised.

2. Create Merch That Feels Like the Brand

Garage Beer’s apparel and accessories don’t look like fan merch—they look like stuff you'd actually wear to a backyard BBQ. With nostalgic fonts, funny slogans, and clever nods to the Kelce brothers’ personalities, it all fits seamlessly into the beer’s down-to-earth identity.

Takeaway for Creators:

Build merch that people would want even if they didn’t know who you were. Focus on lifestyle, comfort, and relatability—design for them, not just you. Use platforms like Fourthwall to easily customize and preview high-quality items.

3. Build a Brand World with Recurring Stories

With events like their Car Wash, Brewmite, and "The Cuyahoga Catch," Garage Beer doesn’t just run campaigns—it creates mini-stories fans want to follow. Each video or event adds to the larger Garage Beer universe.

Takeaway for Creators:

Think long-term. Can you create a recurring character, series, or narrative tied to your brand? Use your merch drops as part of that story, turning one-off products into part of a bigger, more memorable world.

4. Leverage Local Pride and Real-World Events

Garage Beer doesn’t rely on polished national ads—they go where their people are. Events like "Puttapalooza" and Market on Main connect with real fans in real places, while moments like the "Cuyahoga Catch" go viral because they’re unscripted and local.

Takeaway for Creators:

Show up in your community—virtually or IRL. Sponsor a local event, host a live Q&A, or collaborate with other creators who share your roots. When you make your fans feel seen and included, they’ll promote you better than any paid ad ever could.

5. Let Humor and Personality Lead the Way

Garage Beer doesn’t take itself too seriously—and neither do the Kelce brothers. From Jason’s beer-fueled martial arts videos to his viral shirtless stunts, the humor keeps things approachable and shareable.

Takeaway for Creators:

Your audience connects with you more than your product. Lean into humor, personality, and even chaos—especially if that’s who you are. When you’re having fun with your content, your audience will too.

Take Your Brand to New Heights With Fourthwall

Just like the Kelce brothers took Garage Beer from the porch to the national spotlight, Fourthwall gives creators the tools to turn passion into profit and style into substance. 

It’s the platform that powers Garage Beer’s wildly successful merch store, and it can do the same for you.

With Fourthwall, you can build a fully branded storefront in minutes, design and launch custom merch with no upfront costs, and let the platform handle everything behind the scenes, from printing to global fulfillment. 

That means no inventory, no shipping stress, and no customer service headaches—just creative control and direct connection with your audience.

Here’s how Fourthwall helps creators take their brand to the next level:

• All-in-One Storefront: Seamlessly sell physical merch, digital downloads, videos, memberships, and more—all in one place.
• Custom Merch Without the Middleman: Launch high-quality apparel, drinkware, accessories, and more with print-on-demand manufacturing.
• Built-In Marketing Tools: From embeddable video shoutouts to tip jars and upsells, Fourthwall helps you boost revenue while deepening fan engagement.
• Global Fulfillment: Sell to fans anywhere in the world—Fourthwall handles shipping, tracking, and delivery logistics for you.
• No Monthly Fees: Get started for free, and only pay a small percentage when you make a sale—ideal for creators at any stage.
• Seamless Integrations: Sync with YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and more to sell directly through your content.

Whether you’re a YouTuber, musician, athlete, or podcaster, if you’re ready to turn your brand into a business, Fourthwall is your home base.

Garage Beer did it. Now it’s your turn!