I Tried the Kelce Brothers’ Beer—Here’s My Honest Review

At this point, nothing the Kelce brothers do surprises me. Between Super Bowl appearances and wins, hosting an award-winning podcast, and numerous brand deals—not to mention Travis owning a prepared foods line and dating the biggest pop star in the world—I’m constantly in awe that the famous footballing duo can find the time for new business ventures.

Yet, when I heard that Travis and Jason Kelce bought a beer company, my first reaction was, “Of course they did.” 

Travis and Jason Kelce Purchase Garage Beer

In early June, the Kelce brothers became “significant owners and operators” of Garage Beer, a small-batch brewing company out of Columbus, Ohio. The brothers have significant ties to Ohio—they were born and raised in Cleveland and played college football at the University of Cincinnati—and have always looked for ways to give back to those communities. 

Not only are they fans of the state, but the Kelce brothers also enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage. Let us remember Travis’ hilarious drunken rendition of “Friends in Low Places” at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade and a shirtless Jason chugging beers at the Buffalo Bills vs. Chiefs game.

Plus, the brothers hosted their beer-fueled “New Heights” Beer Bowl, a charity event benefiting the Eagles Autism Foundation, just a few weeks ago. So, it’s safe to say an alcohol deal was in the cards for the brothers soon.

“We like beer,” Travis said in a recent episode of “New Heights.”

“We love beer that tastes like beer,” Jason responded.

Even though the brothers recently became Garage Beer co-owners, the NFL has strict rules about players promoting alcohol. Travis’ teammate Patrick Mahomes is currently dealing with the same issue thanks to his deal with Coors Light. Mahomes recently skirted these rules by filming a Coors Light commercial that will be placed in a time capsule until after he’s retired.

While active players aren’t allowed to promote alcohol, there’s technically nothing against the rules with investing in the business. So, for now, we’ll likely see the recently-retired Jason doing much of the Garage Beer promotions with Travis behind the scenes.

What Is Garage Beer?

Garage Beer launched in 2023 and has quickly become one of the fastest-growing beers in the U.S. The brand currently sells two beers: Classic light lager and Lime-flavored beer. Both varietals have 95 calories, three grams of carbs, and a 4% ABV.

As of now, the beer is only sold in Kentucky, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin—but, the brand says it plans to expand into “dozens of new states” this year.

Garage Beer is marketed as a beer that “tastes like beer”—or, as Jason describes it, in football terms, of course, “the tight end of beers.” 

“It’s beer-flavored beer. It’s universal. This thing blocks, it catches, it throws touchdown passes every once in a while, it can line out wide, it can line in tight,” Jason said.

“Name a beer that can do all five of those,” Travis said.

“There isn’t one,” Jason responded.

I recently tried Garage Beer to see if it lives up to the Kelce brothers’ hype—here’s my honest review.

I Tried Garage Beer

Traditionally, I’m more of a wheat beer drinker—think Blue Moon and Allagash White—but, I’ve been known to drink some lighter pilsners when the time is right. However, knowing that I’m not an expert, I took Garage Beer to a family gathering filled with Coors Light, Miller Light, I.C. Light, and Busch Light fans to get everyone’s opinion. 

Garage Beer’s marketing is spot on. This is a beer that tastes like a beer. So, if you’re someone looking for a flavored beer or fancier IPA, it’s not for you. Unlike some light beers, Garage Beer is light-bodied but with the full amount of flavor. It doesn’t taste watered down, but still goes down smooth and doesn’t fill you up—meaning it’s a beer you could drink all day. 

I was surprised to see that many of the other light beer drinkers in my family were choosing Garage Beer over their normal go-to. It seemed to be a winner for people who wanted a bit more flavor from their light beer, but still without the frills. Personally, I want to try the lime-flavored beer to see if it gives me (a more flavor-driven beer drinker) a little something extra. 

The one downside I did find to Garage Beer vs. the big-name competitors is that a 12-pack of Garage Beer is a bit more expensive. So, I don’t see my family members switching forever, but if someone shows up with another six-pack, they certainly won’t be disappointed.