YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — On June 2, customers will be able to purchase the latest addition to Penguin City Brewing Co.’s lineup of year-round products.
Penguin City Light, or “Penguin Light,” is a “flavorful, easy-drinking light beer,” that complements the company’s flagship Penguin City Beer, according to a press release. Co-owner Richard Bernacki says he always felt the area needed a local light beer.
“My goal with Penguin Light is to be able to knock one (or two) back with the great beer drinkers of the Valley and honestly say that it’s my favorite American Light Beer,” he says.
The company will start with a 30 BBL (barrels) and will put it into its regular production cycle, says co-owner Aspasia Lyras-Bernacki. It will be available in kegs and cans.
“We knew a light beer would eventually be part of our core lineup when we created the company. The question was, when? The right time is now,” Lyras-Bernacki says. “We’ve made some mistakes in the last two years but also learned many tough lessons. With this knowledge and experience we are ready to start building our line of beers and really push more heavily into our market and beyond the area. We want this to be Youngstown’s and the Valley’s go-to light beer.”
The can design was an important part of the process, says the company’s brand manager, Michael Pontikos. It incorporates the same elements from the flagship beer but gives Penguin Light “its own personality,” he says.
“We cleaned up a few things on the label so that when we expand our line, everything will be consistent,” Pontikos says.
The closure of bars and restaurants in March had an impact on Penguin City. Production decreased from an average 100 BBLs monthly to 28 in April. Penguin City had to lay off most of its workers and currently operates with four full-time employees and two volunteer workers. The company hopes it can bring everyone back by the end of June and ramp up production with Penguin Light in the lineup.
“We started home delivery to help bring in some sales,” the company states. “It’s been an incredibly stressful and frustrating time for us, but we are tough like our city and we are not going to let this bring us down.”