Why This Brewery Is Having Reindeer Do Some Of Its Holiday Deliveries
People of Denver and Cascade, Colorado, you have until Dec. 2 to enter Breckenridge Brewery's sweepstakes. The winners will receive a mini-keg of their Christmas Ale delivered via reindeer. "With an unusual holiday season ahead of us and many staying safe at home to celebrate," the brewers explain, "we want to spread some holiday cheer so we've teamed up with Moon Deer Ranch to deliver a one-of-a-kind holiday experience — Reinbeer Deliveries!"
According to the sweepstakes' rules, all entrants must be 21 or older, unaffiliated with the company, and a resident of the appropriate zip codes. All forms must be entered by Dec. 2. And on or about Dec. 3, two prize drawings will occur, one for Denver and one for Cascade. Each drawing will determine five winners who will receive a "Christmas Ale Kit", which includes a Christmas Ale T-shirt, a Christmas Beanie, one Christmas Ale mini keg, and a 12-pack of Christmas Ale. This will be delivered by reindeer whom the website says winners and their household "can feed and pet... and take some amazing photos this holiday season!"
For a further incentive, Food and Wine states that Breckenridge Brewery has promised to donate a meal to Food Bank of the Rockies for each entrant in their sweepstakes. For nothing, you can spread some holiday spirit and perhaps receive some in turn.
This isn't the first reindeer delivery that has been done
In their piece on the Breckenridge Brewery sweepstakes, Food and Wine mention a similar deal they covered in 2015, when Box Stream Brewery used reindeer to ship their beer to pubs. Neither of these booze-focused reindeer deliveries, however, are as fun as when Domino's Japan attempted to train reindeer to deliver pizza.
Covering the story in 2016, NBC wrote of the failure Domino's suffered in the space of a week: "the reindeer continually shook their antlers, refused to stop at delivery spots, and kept dislodging the pizzas from their delivery pouches." In a statement, Domino's Japan simply explained that, "It has been difficult to control the reindeer."
In their action plan, Domino's Japan reportedly described the merits of using reindeer over other more pedestrian forms of transport, like cars, because reindeer did not require a license, could carry heavy loads, and had "no costs" — whatever that meant. Still, undeterred in their reindeer delivery dreams, Domino's Japan dressed up delivery scooters as reindeer.
Breckenridge Brewery is unlikely to run into this issue, however, as Moon Deer Ranch, the people supplying the reindeer, have been in business for a few years, as evidence by this 2018 piece in the Greeley Tribune. All we outsiders can do is smolder at the luck of whoever can have an extra special holiday season.