Off Hours: modernising the Bourbon experience
The founder of Off Hours Bourbon talks about how the brand is reaching the ‘next generation of whiskey consumer’ after partnering with National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise, the Detroit Pistons.
Bourbon brand Off Hours has tapped into the lucrative sports market after signing a multi-year deal to be the official spirits partner of NBA franchise the Detroit Pistons.
From the Pistons’ side, Off Hour’s presence will help elevate the game day experience at the team’s home arena, Little Caesar’s, while the brand will receive the opportunity to build relationships with Pistons fans.
A signature cocktail called Off Hours Maple Berry Press will become part of the game day offering, available exclusively at the concourse bar near the arena’s Chevy entrance. Served in a collectable cup, it sees Off Hours Bourbon balanced with fresh berry flavours, maple syrup, and a sour mix.
As to why sport and basketball were the right move for the brand, Off Hours founder Jake Ireland explains that how people enjoy Bourbon has evolved. “We looked at times when people typically enjoy a drink or spend time with their friends or loved ones, enjoying life. Sports stood out as a time when people are relaxing, spending that quality time with friends or family, and really enjoying their free time, or ‘off hours’ as we like to say.”
Ireland adds: “As our presence and consumer base in Michigan continues to grow and given the success the team is seeing, we thought partnering with the Pistons was a great opportunity.”
The Pistons are currently top of the Eastern Conference in the NBA.
Collaborations are seen as an important avenue for the brand to reach new consumers, and Ireland notes that Off Hours is always looking for more: “We’ve also worked with Buck Mason, La Colombe, WithCo and others to bring interesting offerings, events and experiences to consumers.”
Evolving Bourbon drinker
Off Hours was founded by Ireland in 2020, and its flagship product is a Bourbon. Other spirits in the portfolio include a single barrel release and modern rye, which is made with a blend of 95% rye and 5% malted barley.
Ireland says the rye – the brand’s most recent product – has seen “a lot of momentum”, with American whiskey seeing “significant traction among younger craft-curious younger ‘craft-curious’ drinkers”.
The products are distilled at Bluegrass Distillery in Kentucky.
At the end of 2023, the brand gained a ‘seven-figure’ investment from Algoma Capital, which Ireland said at the time was “an important step that will allow us to continue growing rapidly and reach more consumers in the upcoming years”.
He says the funding has enabled the brand to focus on “continuing to grow through market by market expansion, as well as large partnerships with brands such as Sugarfina and the Detroit Pistons.
“We have expanded our internal sales team and are scaling in all aspects of the business. With the increased demand, we have increased production and are beginning to produce our own new fill barrels, which is a really exciting new phase for us.”
Since the transaction, the market for Bourbon has also changed, and Ireland believes this plays to the brand’s strengths, where it positions itself as a ‘modern Bourbon brand built for the next generation of whiskey drinkers’.
“Bourbon has also become a drink that is no longer relegated to dark leather couches, dimly lit rooms, cigar bars, or a certain persona,” he says. “That’s what our brand is about, making the spirit approachable, cool and for everyone. We have seen a wider range of people enjoying Bourbon, in various ways, and we love that.”
He adds: “We know the typical Bourbon drinker profile is changing and evolving, but also importantly, it’s expanding. Not just younger generations, but more and more women are also experiencing the versatility of Bourbon – both neat and in a cocktail.
“There will always be the traditional way to drink and enjoy Bourbon, such as in a Manhattan, but we are seeing a real expansion of when and how people are enjoying the liquid.
“Recognising that the modern drinker is younger and more diverse, including an increase in female consumers, we focus on approachable flavour profiles like the vanilla, nutmeg and toasted pecan notes in our hero product, as well as cocktails that are approachable, delicious, and work for all.”
For the future, Ireland says the brand has a “hyper-focus” on growth, where premium bars and restaurant listings will serve an important entry point for new consumers.
“By securing key accounts, we are building momentum within the industry and becoming a go-to for modern cocktail programmes,” he adds.
Related news
Bourbon brings more than $10bn to Kentucky
