Yes, Coors Light's Newest Beer Really Is Made With Hockey Rink Ice
You might have heard rumors that Coors Light has made a limited batch of beer infused with ice from Tampa Bay's Amalie Arena, where championship hockey team the Tampa Bay Lightning just won the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive time in July. And it turns out, the rumors are true.
"As an official beer partner of the Tampa Bay Lightning, we're proud to celebrate the team's second-straight championship win by giving Bolts fans a literal taste of the action," Marcelo Pascoa, Vice President of Marketing for the Coors Family of Brands, said in a press release.
Those worried about the quality of the ice after a hockey match, have no fear. "We did an official de-ick-ifying," Chris Steele, Marketing Director for Coors Light, explained to ESPN. Effectively, the beer maker melted the ice down, filtered it, re-filtered it, and filtered it again before mixing it into the special Champions Ice Beer. "We filtered out the unhealthy stuff. But the magic and the spirit of the Tampa Bay Lightning are still in it," Steele added.
Beginning July 12, for a limited time, fans can taste the filtered victory at participating bars in the Tampa area — find a list of those participating on Coors Light's website. These locations will also stock a limited supply of crowlers to bring some home with you.
The NHL's second beer stunt this season
While infusing your beer with the victory ice of a championship hockey team is impressive, it might have been an attempt to one up a move by Molson Canadian, part of the Molson Coors family. In June, Brobible reported the North American company had produced a limited line of lager that had passed through the one and only Stanley Cup during the brewing process.
Following strict sanitizing procedures, Molson Canadian's Stanley Cup Batch offered fans the chance to sip on beer that kissed the trophy, according to a press release. "Drinking from the Cup is a special moment for players," Joy Ghosh, Senior Brand Director for the Molson family of brands, enthused. "Yet sharing that feeling with the fans has never been done before, until now. The Stanley Cup Batch takes the passion Canadians have for our game and our beer to the next level." These bottles were only available to Canadians, however, and Coors Light's Champions Ice Beer opens that experience up to US fans.
Whether you drink a beer that touched the rim of the Stanley Cup trophy or one that's made from the ice of the championship rink, that's true hockey spirit.