Allentown microbrewery launches can sales

On Jan. 18, HiJinx Brewing Co. will be hitting the shelves with its first 200 cases of canned beer.

The microbrewery, which launched at the Allentown Bridgeworks manufacturing incubator in 2014, will be selling its Wicked White and Hop Havoc brews.

While the company has been selling its beer by the keg – mostly through bars – this is its big opportunity to reach the general retail market, said Curt Keck, founder and CEO of HiJinx.

Keck said he believes the availability of cans – to be sold in 12- and six-packs at area distributors, six-pack shops, restaurants, bars and grocery stores – will increase the business threefold.

“This will increase our brand recognition, drive draft sales and expand our distribution footprint,” he said.

While it is a big step for solidifying HiJinx’s business plan, expanding the company’s sales through canned beer won’t be a highly profitable one, at least at first, Keck said.

“Cans and bottles is something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time,” he said.

But with the cost of bottling or canning equipment, or even using a bottling contractor, was cost-prohibitive.

“That all takes away from the bottom line,” Keck said.

Still, he said, it’s an excellent marketing tool for the brand, and he’s eager to see what kind of awareness the sale of cans will bring to HiJinx.

Keck said the beer’s distribution region is Scranton to Philadelphia, but because of the limited amount of beer, he expects the majority of the beer will be sold at stores in the Lehigh Valley core.

And, he noted, while there are only 200 cases of the canned beer going to market this time, he and business partner Chris Becker plan to keep a steady stream of the brew flowing.

They plan to start canning their next batch on Friday.