Keystone (beer brand)

Keystone beer is a product of the Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado. It was first introduced in Chico, California in September 1989. Keystone can be found in can, keg, and occasionally bottled form. Keystone Light has a 4.13% ABV^[1]; a concentration less than standard American lagers, and roughly equal to other macro "light" brews.

Three varieties of Keystone have been produced, as well as the original:

• Keystone, introduced 1989, found with a gold can, red label, later changed to Keystone Premium
• Keystone Premium, found with a red, white and blue can
• Keystone Light, introduced 1989, found with a blue label
• Keystone Dry, introduced 1991, found with a black can, red label
• Keystone Ice, introduced 1994, "ice brewed ale," found with a black label.
• Keystone Amber Light, introduced 1994, found with a gold can with a diamond "Amber Light" badge
• Keystone V9, Puerto Rico only. ^[2]

The "Light" and "Ice" versions of the beer are far more prevalent and readily available for retail across the United States. Though Keystone Premium exists, it appears much less than its "Light" variety on liquor store shelves. "Dry" and "Amber Light" varieties were discontinued in the late 90s.

Recently, a new variety of Keystone, V9, has been introduced to Puerto Rico by a licensed distributor there, V. Suárez & Co. Inc., of Guaynabo. "With Keystone V9, the target market is more general than in [their] other brands. [They are] aiming for 'any consumer who is looking for value and is price conscious in their consumer habits,' Keystone V9 gives V. Suárez & Co. access to the frugal buyer."^[3] The can is black with a blue "V9" and is labeled as 5.9% alc./vol.

In the province of Ontario (and most of Canada), Keystone Light is available in bottles, cans, and tall cans at 4.0% A.B.V. and featuring a 'near-discount' price. ^[4]

Nutrition information

Marketing

• The current advertising slogan for Keystone is "Always Smooth, Even When You're Not." The official slogan was formerly "All Stones Must Be Thrown," and it was marketed as "bottled beer taste in a can" (due, according to Coors, to their use of specially lined cans). Another slogan used for Keystone Light called it the "Never Bitter Beer," with commercials touting it as a remedy for "Bitter Beer Face."[1]
• A promotion campaign for Keystone that ran in late 2008 involved the "Legend of the Keystolope," and depicted as a keystone can with deer horns.
• The back of the 30-pack box had the following text:

The Keystolope is thought to have originated when a hunting party left behind a single can of Keystone Light somewhere in the Colorado wilderness. The lost can made a new life for itself among the woodland creatures. Much sought after but seldom seen, the Keystolope can be identified by its impressive rack, and would be a prized addition to any trophy room.

• In promotion of Keystone Light, Coors Brewing Company has created a fictitious character named Keith Stone.^[5] Keith Stone has become a popular pop-culture character that appeals to the "average Joe".^[6] Keith Stone has appeared in numerous television spots promoting Keystone Light, wherein he dials a phone with beef jerky.^[7] The advertisements involving Keith Stone have inspired many customers to make spoof advertisements for distribution on the Internet.^[8]
• In 2011, Coors Brewing Company, in promotion of its product Keystone Light, re-engineered its 30-pack cases to allow its purchasers to play a modified game of Cornhole, a popular Lawn game. The brewer rebranded its boxes to promote the game of "Canhole".^[9]

References

External links

• Official Keystone Light Home Page
• Coors Brewing Home Page
• Keystone and other Coors product's nutritional information
• V. Suárez & Co., Inc.