New Belgium Brewing
American craft brewery known for Fat Tire Amber Ale. American beer brand.
Last updated October 17, 2026
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Overview
New Belgium Brewing is a prominent American craft brewery founded in 1991, known for Fat Tire Amber Ale and other innovative beers, later acquired by Kirin Holdings.
History
New Belgium Brewing Company began in 1991 in Fort Collins, Colorado, when Kim Jordan and Jeff Lebesch established a brewery shaped by craft brewing, Belgian beer traditions, cycling, and environmental values. The name and the concept behind Fat Tire were connected to Lebesch's bicycle trip through Belgium, during which he traveled between breweries and encountered techniques and styles that influenced the company's early direction. Fat Tire eventually became the brewery's defining product and helped it move beyond local recognition. The company built a distinctive identity around its brewery setting and visual presentation. Its Fort Collins facility is adjacent to a public bicycle path along the Cache La Poudre River, and the brewery promoted Fat Tire locally through the placement of colorful vintage bicycles outside the site. Watercolorist Anne Fitch designed much of the early label artwork, and her work appeared across the portfolio for approximately 19 years. In 2006, New Belgium revised its corporate logo so consumers would more readily connect the brewery with Fat Tire and other products such as Sunshine Wheat; the revised mark drew on the bicycle imagery associated with the flagship beer. In 2010, the company introduced an Explore Series with a different label direction for its four beers. New Belgium's growth was accompanied by an unusually visible sustainability program. In 1999 it became the first wind-powered brewery in the United States. The company also became associated with employee ownership and social responsibility, although the later acquisition by Lion changed its ownership structure. Before 2002, distribution reached only 16 states. By 2015, New Belgium was described as the fourth-largest American craft brewer and the eighth-largest brewer overall in the United States. In August 2017, its beers were available in every U.S. state, and by February 2018 the company reported distribution in Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, and Norway. Geographic production expanded in parallel. New Belgium began work on a brewery in Asheville, North Carolina, in May 2014. The 133,000-square-foot facility in Asheville's River Arts District became fully operational in May 2016 and was designed for capacity of up to approximately half a million barrels. A Denver, Colorado, brewery followed in 2018. For the Canadian market, New Belgium has worked with Toronto-based Steam Whistle Brewing, which produces selected beers including Fat Tire and Voodoo Ranger IPA. The portfolio broadened substantially after the original Fat Tire era. The Voodoo Ranger and Day Blazer lines debuted in 2016, with Voodoo Ranger becoming a major platform for IPA releases. Other regular and seasonal products included Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza and La Folie Sour Brown Ale. In January 2023, New Belgium made a significant change to Fat Tire by replacing its traditional amber-ale character with a lighter, crisper formulation. The same year, it acquired a production brewery in Daleville, Virginia, from Constellation Brands, with plans to focus there on Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA and Fruit Force IPA. Ownership and leadership also changed. Lion acquired New Belgium in 2019 as part of the Kirin beverage group. Steve Fechheimer, who had served as chief executive for six years, stepped down on June 13, 2023. CFO Danielle McLarnon was appointed interim CEO while the company searched for a permanent successor. New Belgium continued to emphasize environmental improvements, integrating an industrial heat pump in September 2023 with the stated goal of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and its broader carbon footprint. In March 2024, it collaborated with Tombstone pizza on I(Pizza)A for National Beer Day. In July 2024, Kirin announced that production of certain beers previously made by Anheuser-Busch would move to New Belgium beginning in 2025.
- 2024
I(Pizza)A collaboration released
[1]New Belgium and Tombstone developed a collaborative beer for National Beer Day.
- 2023
Fat Tire reformulated
[1]The flagship beer changed from an amber ale to a lighter and crisper style.
- 2023
Daleville brewery acquired
[1]New Belgium acquired a production brewery in Daleville, Virginia, from Constellation Brands.
- 2023
Industrial heat pump installed
[1]The company integrated an industrial heat pump as part of efforts to lower emissions and its carbon footprint.
- 2019
Acquisition by Lion
[1]Lion acquired New Belgium Brewing Company.
- 2018
Denver brewery added
[1]New Belgium expanded its production footprint with a brewery in Denver, Colorado.
- 2017
Distribution reaches all 50 states
[1]New Belgium beers became available in every U.S. state.
- 2016
Asheville brewery becomes operational
[1]The company's Asheville, North Carolina, brewery became fully operational.
- 2016
Voodoo Ranger and Day Blazer debut
[1]New Belgium added the Voodoo Ranger and Day Blazer lines to its portfolio.
- 2015
Major U.S. craft-brewer ranking
[1]New Belgium was described as the fourth-largest craft brewer and eighth-largest brewer overall in the United States.
Products and positioning
Nationally distributed American craft brewing with recognizable flagship beers, experimental IPA releases, cycling associations, and a strong sustainability and social-responsibility profile.
Amber ale and flagship beer · 1991
Fat Tire
Fat Tire is New Belgium's foundational flagship, inspired by Jeff Lebesch's bicycle trip through Belgium and associated with the brewery's early growth. It was long identified with an amber-ale profile and became one of the most recognizable American craft beers. In January 2023, New Belgium changed the recipe to produce a lighter-colored, crisper beer, marking a substantial repositioning of the brand's original signature product.
India pale ale family · 2016
Voodoo Ranger
Voodoo Ranger is New Belgium's major IPA platform and includes multiple year-round, seasonal, and high-strength releases. The line helped broaden the brewery beyond Fat Tire and is associated with hop-forward flavor profiles, frequent experimentation, and products such as Voodoo Ranger IPA, Juice Force IPA, and Fruit Force IPA.
Fruit and specialty cerveza
Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza
Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza is a specialty beer positioned around the refreshing, fruit-oriented character of agua fresca. It represents New Belgium's move into approachable flavored and hybrid-style offerings alongside its traditional ales and hop-focused beers.
Sour brown ale
La Folie Sour Brown Ale
La Folie is New Belgium's sour brown ale and one of the brewery's established specialty products. Its inclusion in the regular portfolio reflects the company's interest in Belgian-influenced and intentionally tart beer styles in addition to mainstream ales and IPAs.
Wheat beer
Sunshine Wheat
Sunshine Wheat is a wheat-beer offering that helped demonstrate the breadth of New Belgium's portfolio beyond Fat Tire. It was also cited by the company in discussions about improving consumer recognition of the New Belgium brewery name.
Session-style beer line · 2016
Day Blazer
Day Blazer is a line introduced during New Belgium's 2016 portfolio expansion. It was designed as an approachable, everyday-drinking option within the brewery's broader range of contemporary craft beers.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024I(Pizza)A collaboration with Tombstone
United States
New Belgium collaborated with Tombstone pizza on a beer called I(Pizza)A for National Beer Day. The collaboration created a limited promotional product linking beer with a familiar pizza occasion.
Outcome. The collaboration created a limited promotional product linking beer with a familiar pizza occasion.
- 2010Explore Series
United States
New Belgium introduced a four-beer Explore Series using a different label-design system from much of its earlier portfolio. The series gave the brewery a platform for presenting experimental or less familiar beers with differentiated packaging.
Outcome. The series gave the brewery a platform for presenting experimental or less familiar beers with differentiated packaging.
- Fat Tire vintage bicycle promotion
United States
New Belgium promoted Fat Tire through colorful vintage bicycles placed outside its Fort Collins brewery, turning the product's cycling origin story into a visible local brand asset. The campaign reinforced the association between Fat Tire, cycling, outdoor recreation, and the brewery's Fort Collins home.
Outcome. The campaign reinforced the association between Fat Tire, cycling, outdoor recreation, and the brewery's Fort Collins home.
Brand decisions
2024
Shift selected production from Anheuser-BuschStrategyBackground
Kirin announced a change in where certain beer products would be manufactured.
Action taken
Production of certain beers previously made by Anheuser-Busch was scheduled to move to New Belgium beginning in 2025.
Aftermath
The decision was expected to increase New Belgium's role within Kirin's production network, although detailed volume and financial effects were not provided.
2023
Reformulate Fat TireGeneration changeBackground
Fat Tire had long been identified with an amber-ale style and was the company's best-known legacy product.
Action taken
New Belgium changed the recipe and shifted the beer toward a lighter-colored, crisper profile.
Aftermath
The change represented a major evolution of the flagship product's taste and visual positioning.
2023
Acquire Daleville production breweryM&ABackground
The company required additional production capacity for fast-growing Voodoo Ranger offerings.
Action taken
New Belgium acquired a production brewery in Daleville, Virginia, from Constellation Brands.
Aftermath
The facility was intended to focus on Voodoo Ranger Juice Force IPA and Fruit Force IPA.
2023
Invest in industrial heat-pump technologyStrategyBackground
New Belgium continued its long-running emphasis on lower-impact brewing and emissions reduction.
Action taken
The company integrated an industrial heat pump into its operations.
Aftermath
The system was projected to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and the brewery's overall carbon footprint.
2019
Accept acquisition by LionM&ABackground
New Belgium had grown into a large nationally distributed craft brewery while retaining an employee-ownership identity.
Action taken
The company was acquired by Lion, the Australian subsidiary of Japan's Kirin beverage group.
Aftermath
New Belgium became part of a larger international beverage organization while continuing to operate as a brewery brand.
Recent events
Reported
Lion agrees to acquire Bell’s Brewery[3]
Bell’s finalized a sale agreement to join forces with New Belgium Brewing, which is owned by Lion. The transaction was still awaiting regulatory consents and was expected to close in the coming months.
Reported
Chaco and New Belgium launch anniversary sandal collection[4]
Chaco Footwear and New Belgium Brewing Company announced the launch of a limited-edition sandal collection created for New Belgium’s 30th anniversary. The collection is available online.
Reported
Riverbend Malt House partners with New Belgium Brewing on Old Tuffy[5]
Riverbend Malt House partnered with New Belgium Brewing on Old Tuffy Premium Lager, which now includes Riverbend’s Southern Select malt.
Reported
New Belgium launches IsMyBeerSustainable.com[6]
New Belgium Brewing launched IsMyBeerSustainable.com, a website for consumers to check whether popular beers are certified carbon neutral.
Reported
Riverbend and brewery partners release Stay True/Stay Weird IPA[7]
Riverbend Malt House announced the release of the newly created “Stay True/Stay Weird” collaboration IPA, which was scheduled to be available on June 4, 2020. The beer was brewed and packaged at Archetype Brewing Company, with several participating breweries named as sales locations.
Reported
Riverbend announces Stay Home/Stay Asheville IPA release[8]
Riverbend Malt House announced that the collaborative “Stay Home/Stay Asheville” IPA would be released on April 25, 2020. The beer was brewed and packaged at Bhramari Brewing Company, and proceeds were to be donated to New Belgium’s Bar and Restaurant Relief Fund.
Reported
Lion announces acquisition of New Belgium Brewing[9]
Lion’s craft beverage division announced that it had acquired Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing for an undisclosed sum. The purchase was expected to close by the end of 2019, pending regulatory approval.
Reported
Lion Little World Beverages agrees to acquire New Belgium Brewing[10]
Lion Little World Beverages announced a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of New Belgium Brewing Company in an all-cash transaction. The deal was pending government regulatory approval and a vote by co-owners in New Belgium’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
Reported
Original Grain launches New Belgium barrel-wood watch collection[11]
Original Grain announced and made available a limited-quantity watch collection made with reclaimed wood from New Belgium Brewing’s retired foeder barrels. The collection comprises 500 watches and is sold through Original Grain’s website.
Reported
Original Grain and New Belgium collaborate on watch collection[11]
Original Grain and New Belgium Brewing Company collaborated on a watch collection made using reclaimed wood from New Belgium beer barrels and featuring New Belgium branding.
Sources15 sources
- 1New Belgium Brewing Companyen.wikipedia.org
- 2New Belgium Brewing Company official websitenewbelgium.com
- 3Lion达成收购Bell’s Brewery的协议beveragedaily.com
- 4Chaco与New Belgium推出周年纪念凉鞋系列brewbound.com
- 5Riverbend Malt House与New Belgium Brewing合作推出Old Tuffybrewbound.com
- 6New Belgium 推出 IsMyBeerSustainable.com 网站brewbound.com
- 7Riverbend与合作酒厂推出Stay True/Stay Weird IPAbrewbound.com
- 8Riverbend 宣布推出 Stay Home/Stay Asheville IPAbrewbound.com
- 9Lion宣布收购New Belgium Brewingthedrinksbusiness.com
- 10Lion Little World Beverages 达成收购 New Belgium Brewing 的协议brewbound.com
- 11Original Grain推出New Belgium酒桶木材手表系列prnewswire.com
- 12Lion acquires New Belgium Brewing: gaining 'immediate scale' in the US craft marketbeveragedaily.com
- 13New Belgium Brewing Partners with Chaco Footwear to Celebrate 30 Yearsbrewbound.com
- 14New Belgium Brewing to be acquired by Australian beverage giantblueridgenow.com
- 15New Belgium Brewing to be acquired by Australian beverage giant Lion for undisclosed sumcitizen-times.com
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