Brantley Gilbert has been open about his reasons for giving up alcohol. As he often says during his concerts, he’s allergic: He breaks out in handcuffs.
The “Kick It In the Sticks” singer realized he had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol back in 2011, when a health scare and resulting hospital stay led him to decide to give up drinking.
So it may sound a little strange for Brantley to become a partner in a beer company – but as it turns out he’s doing it exactly for people like him.
Real American Beer announced today that not only has Brantley joined as an equity partner, but he’s also launching the company’s first non-alcoholic beer – RAB ZERO.
If you’re not familiar with Real American Beer, the brand was founded by Hulk Hogan and offers a 99 calorie, 4.2% ABV full-flavor American lager in addition to the newest RAB ZERO. And Brantley is the perfect partner, as a longtime friend of Hogan who was asked by the wrestler to write the theme song for Hogan’s Real American Freestyle wrestling league.
According to Brantley, the company’s first non-alcoholic offering, which promises “real beer energy” in a 29 calorie beer, is meant to enable people like him who don’t drink to still be a part of the experience:
“This is for people who want to show up, be part of the moment, and enjoy the same experiences with friends and family while staying true to their lifestyle. Real American Beer ZERO allows everyone to be included, while keeping the taste and culture people love about beer.”
And CEO Terri Francis emphasized that Brantley isn’t just coming in to endorse the brand: He’s been hands-on in making sure that it’s something he would want to drink himself.
“Bringing Brantley into Real American Beer is a defining moment for our brand. He’s not an endorser, he’s been deeply involved in shaping Real American Beer ZERO from the ground up, and his perspective has helped guide how we think about culture, quality, and the positioning of ZERO. This launch represents a new chapter for Real American Beer as we expand our portfolio and bring more people into the moments that connect us.”
The announcement also comes as the company also unveils a new partnership with the USO, with Real American Beer announcing that they they will be donating $1 per case of RAB ZERO to the organization that supports our active duty servicemembers.
In addition to Brantley, RAB also recently announced a partnership with MMA fighter Colby Covington, who was attracted to the brand’s American values and quality beer:
“Real American Beer was already my go-to before this partnership, so teaming up made sense. I’m proud to align with a brand that stands for strength, American pride, and hard-earned good times. I’ve seen firsthand what Real American Beer is building through RAF. This brand has a fighter mentality, and that matches how I approach my life and career.”
Of course we’ve all seen the studies that show Americans are drinking far less these days, with many like Brantley choosing to give up alcohol altogether. So it only makes sense to bring in an artist who’s sober himself to launch a new non-alcoholic beer for people who don’t want to drink, but still want the full-flavor beer without the hangover.
