Hello and welcome back to Fingers, an independent newsletter that is not about last night’s presidential debate. I didn’t watch (went to a ballgame instead, go Richmond Flying Squirrels), but I hear America’s Regrettable Grandpas did great!
Anyway, on to more important matters. Writing for the The Atlantic, Amanda Mull somewhat famously christened 2019 “the summer of White Claw.” Five years on, and Claw is still law to some extent, but it’s no longer novel, just one among many svelte 12-ouncers at the pool party. I don’t think any one beverage-alcohol brand has since harnessed that pre-pandemic omnipotence in the national zeitgeist, with the possible exception of High Noon during the Hot Vax Summer of 2021.
The lingering disruption of the pandemic probably has something to do with that; ditto, the alco-pop redemption arc, the soft-to-hard crossover-palooza, the accelerating fracture of Web 2.0’s platform-based monoculture, and lots of other factors. But just because it’s been awhile since the American drinking public has seen a had a vibe-shifting seasonal breakout doesn’t mean it can’t happen again. What will be the drink of summer 2024?
I’m stacking my chips behind Finnish Long Drink (now with 100% more Jay-Z!) and/or Surfside vodka iced tea. How about you? What are you seeing in folks’ hands at the beach/campsite/boat launch? Do you think mainstream drinkers are ready to move on from Aperol into more interesting spritzes? Do you have a dark-horse pick, and why is it Nemo’s Nutcrackers? Meet me in the comments, let’s discuss at length and with vigor.
No take on which ready-to-drink beverage will win the summer selling season? No worries, there’s so much other booze-related bullshit to belabor, includingsuchas:
Plus whatever else is on your mind. Let’s do some discourse, Fingers Fam! Commenting privileges are on for both free and paid subscribers, don’t be shy:
I can’t guarantee I’m right about Long Drink, but I can guarantee you that pondering its potential for a summer hot streak will be more fun than doom-scrolling post-debate coverage. Don’t do that, do this instead. It’s your Fingers Friday Thread!
Even before I read your guesses my mind went to Long Drink. It's probably because I'm a golfer, but I feel like I'm seeing their marketing and brand ambassadors everywhere...
The answer will not be a beer and it most certainly won't be *this* beer, but I have been truly astonished by the amount of Yuengling Flight in my vicinity this summer. Even more so when I learned that it debuted four damn years ago.
Whoa. Really? REALLY? That honestly blows my mind as well, I didn't know a soul drank that. I don't think I've ever seen one "in the wild" (i.e., organically ordered/purchased by a paying customer.) Do you live *in* Pottsville PA?
No, despite your hatred of the market and those who are successful in it (like Renner), he isn't the one in the wrong at Sweet Grass Vodka. Jarrod Swanger is the slimy grifter and much like those employees Renner didn't get what HE was supposed to be paid.
Oh yeah, I don't think our man Jeremy is in the wrong. I didn't say he was! However, when somebody with lots of money makes *even more money* lending credibility to something something shady, I think there's a moral case for them returning their earnings to those harmed by it. You may not, which is your prerogative! But if I were working there, and Sweet Grass missed one of my paychecks, I might have thought to myself "Well Jeremy Renner is involved, surely this thing is real and not just a house of cards, right?" And if I were Jeremy Renner (who by all accounts does not need the "several hundreds of thousand dollars" in endorsement fees that Sweet Grass allegedly paid him), I might want to do a good turn to people less fortunate than me.
I don’t know what brand is behind it, but cocktail Instagram people were pushing the Batanga hard in the spring/early summer, at least in my feed. Would be cool to see it take off, though I guess that really just means the drink of the summer is Coca-Cola.
Buffalo! So about as far as you are. Coolers here are usually filled with Bud Light or Blue Light (and you must pick a side), but increasingly the larger parties I've been to are also floating Flights.
Largely old whites. I think there's a little spillover from the AB nonsense into knock-off Mich Ultra. But certainly some indiscriminate young drinkers too who like the low-cal angle.
Yeah word, I'd buy that about Mich Ultra abandoners. The younger drinkers too, to some extent. I saw some Corona Premier in a cooler the other day. You seen that shit? 90 calories. Tastes terrible. But it's not Mich Ultra!
Summer 2024: Hard Milk LAGER.
IT'S TIME, THE PEOPLE CRY OUT WITH ONE VOICE
Lagering the milk is the key. That's what's been missing.
More and more people are saying this
Even before I read your guesses my mind went to Long Drink. It's probably because I'm a golfer, but I feel like I'm seeing their marketing and brand ambassadors everywhere...
Yeah it's poised, for sure
The answer will not be a beer and it most certainly won't be *this* beer, but I have been truly astonished by the amount of Yuengling Flight in my vicinity this summer. Even more so when I learned that it debuted four damn years ago.
Whoa. Really? REALLY? That honestly blows my mind as well, I didn't know a soul drank that. I don't think I've ever seen one "in the wild" (i.e., organically ordered/purchased by a paying customer.) Do you live *in* Pottsville PA?
Seconding flights here in Central FL. They've become a stock drink at parties here.
Interesting. Yuengling has that Tampa facility now so maybe its distros have been more bought in in that market...
No, despite your hatred of the market and those who are successful in it (like Renner), he isn't the one in the wrong at Sweet Grass Vodka. Jarrod Swanger is the slimy grifter and much like those employees Renner didn't get what HE was supposed to be paid.
Oh yeah, I don't think our man Jeremy is in the wrong. I didn't say he was! However, when somebody with lots of money makes *even more money* lending credibility to something something shady, I think there's a moral case for them returning their earnings to those harmed by it. You may not, which is your prerogative! But if I were working there, and Sweet Grass missed one of my paychecks, I might have thought to myself "Well Jeremy Renner is involved, surely this thing is real and not just a house of cards, right?" And if I were Jeremy Renner (who by all accounts does not need the "several hundreds of thousand dollars" in endorsement fees that Sweet Grass allegedly paid him), I might want to do a good turn to people less fortunate than me.
(Despite my hatred of the market and those who are successful in it, of course)
I don’t know what brand is behind it, but cocktail Instagram people were pushing the Batanga hard in the spring/early summer, at least in my feed. Would be cool to see it take off, though I guess that really just means the drink of the summer is Coca-Cola.
Oh shit, Batanga gang stand UP! This episode of Cocktail College from my VinePair colleague was pretty good iirc: https://vinepair.com/cocktail-college/the-batanga/
Buffalo! So about as far as you are. Coolers here are usually filled with Bud Light or Blue Light (and you must pick a side), but increasingly the larger parties I've been to are also floating Flights.
Wow. Who's the typical drinker? Are they capturing the coveted male heavy user?
Largely old whites. I think there's a little spillover from the AB nonsense into knock-off Mich Ultra. But certainly some indiscriminate young drinkers too who like the low-cal angle.
Yeah word, I'd buy that about Mich Ultra abandoners. The younger drinkers too, to some extent. I saw some Corona Premier in a cooler the other day. You seen that shit? 90 calories. Tastes terrible. But it's not Mich Ultra!
Saw and emphatically passed. Reminds me of Bud Select. I'm good.
Remember Black Crown lmao
Ha! I do but I was in STL for the 55-cal experiment and left before Black Crown so I never let that into my temple