Rock Band Beer
Martin House Brewery mixes up some suds with Toadies for Rubberneck Red
Fort Worth rock band the Toadies plans to reissue their seminal 1994 album Rubberneck in a way that is sure to please beer drinkers: with a new signature limited-edition craft beer.
Called Rubberneck Red, the beer is made by Fort Worth brewery Martin House, which will release it on March 15, timed to preview the upcoming reissue of the album.
The beer boasts an easy-drinking 5 percent ABV, and it will be available in cans and on tap at a few local bars. And lest you think this is just a beer with a celebrity endorsement, then think twice, says Martin House spokesman David Wedemeier.
"People love the Toadies, so their stamp means it's probably going to be kick ass," says Martin House spokesman David Wedemeier.
"This is a real legitimate collaboration," he says. "This was them coming into brewery a few times and us developing the kind of beer they wanted. We started with the Imperial Texan, our double red, which they all liked. But that's a 9 percent ABV beer. They said, 'Can we do something along those lines, but not such a high alcohol percentage?'
"[Brewer] Cody Martin did a few iterations on the Imperial Texan and dialed that down to 5 percent," Wedemeier says.
Release of the Rubberneck Red is going to be state-wide.
"Up until now, we've always gone grass roots and been present when the beer is poured," Wedemeier says. "That's not possible for us if we want to release this simultaneously in Houston or Austin or San Antonio.
"But the Toadies have been around for more than 20 years," he says. "Having the name Toadies on it is enough for people to want to try it. People know the Toadies and love the Toadies, so their stamp means it's probably going to be kick ass. And it might introduce craft beer to people who haven't discovered that yet."
The Toadies, who've launched a national spring tour to commemorate the re-release of their most successful album, posted the label of the beer on a Jigsaw puzzle. It's a cute little spin-off of the album cover, first painted by artist Dan Lightner.
The only limitation regarding the beer will be Martin House's ability to produce enough. "We're at 120 barrels, so we'll be at full capacity," Wedemeier says. "This is probably as much as our little brewery can handle."
And it'll only be available through the spring.
"It's about celebrating the re-release of Rubberneck as an album; it's going to be limited supply," Wedemeier says. "We bought a certain number of cans. As soon as those are gone, the beer is gone."
Patrons can buy a bottle of Briggs whiskey or bourbon on-site to take home. Photo by Hayden Walker 
The distillery was designed by Texas-based M. Elliott Studio with contemporary furniture that visitors can rearrange as they see fit for their gatherings.Photo by Hayden Walker
