An innovative Irish craft brewer has found a way to beat US president Donald Trump's tariffs - by partnering with an American company to brew its beer in the US, writes Kate Lynch.

When President Trump unveiled his sweeping tariffs on his self-proclaimed 'Liberation Day' on April 2, it sent shockwaves throughout the international trading world.

Stock markets tumbled as economic uncertainty reached unprecedented levels that eclipsed both the pandemic and the financial crisis.

Fearful of further turbulence, many multinationals hit the pause button on major investment decisions.

The drinks industry was hit with an initial 20% levy on all goods entering the US, though this was temporarily reduced to 10% as part of the ongoing 90-day pause to facilitate negotiations.

However, brewer Bob Coggins, co-founder of The White Hag, spotted a chance to get ahead of other imported beers.

The Ballymote, Co. Sligo brewery is now forging a partnership with an American company which will brew The White Hag beer in the US, allowing it to bypass Trump's tariffs.

Mr Coggins said: "The tariffs have made us think this is a great opportunity.

"Other brands are going to find it tricky to navigate the new tariff environment - those prices start to add up to being more expensive than other brands. For us, it's an opportunity to go toe-to-toe with domestic pricing in the US."

The brewery's new US partner is a major importer that manages around 60 distributors nationwide.

In December, one of The White Hag's brewers was dispatched to the States to produce two pilot batches of beer on US soil.

"It means the pilot brewery understands the recipe and has a direct knowledge of how to replicate it easily," Mr Coggins explained.

Cost, time and logistics were strong motivators for the move, according to the brewery boss.

"Exporting beer results in it costing a lot to send it on the sea, time lag in producing it here for an order, and the timeline attached to sending it. Then, after all, it's an imported beer so it's expensive when you include import taxes."

The result is a transatlantic beer with deep Irish roots and American flair - a US-influenced IPA with "an Irish twist", as Mr Coggins put it.

"We are then able to get a very recognisable style of beer, made to the taste and method of the US market. We're already using US hops [in the beer produced in Sligo] and Irish malt. We already import US hops for our beers in Ireland, so we don't need to import there," he explained.

The brewery boss said that, despite the tariffs, "the resilience of importers to continue to trade with Ireland and the EU has to be admired".

He added: "The beer teams on the ground aren't throwing in the towel, they are innovating."

It is not the first time the Irish brewery has dipped its toes in the US market, but this time it's hoping to leave a lasting footprint.

"We've gone to the States before, 10 years ago, and it was a very challenging environment due to sending kegs from here or hiring kegs and trying get them back.
"Then you have to go support it [in the US], with trade supports, spend time there, and there's no guarantees they'll keep your beer on after all that," Mr Coggins said.

While it is not exclusively targeting Irish-America, Mr Coggins did send a postcard to Irish pubs across the US.

"We wondered how we could reach people in a real, authentic way that feels like Bob in Sligo is actually reaching out to them.

"So we decided to send them a postcard and a picture of the beer with The White Hag story and telling them that we're sending the beer into the US, we'd love to meet you and have our beer pouring in your pub," he said.

And the retro-approach is already bearing fruit.

"I was working late on a Friday evening and I got a call from a guy called Jim Arnolt who runs the Snug Inn in Indianapolis.

"He said, 'I got your postcard and I want to pour your beer'. It turns out he only pours Irish beers and whiskeys in the bar.

"In an era of digital communication, it's interesting that a postcard caught people's attention," Mr Coggins added.

The first big push into the US has resulted in White Hag beer being poured in 10 markets in the US.

And the brewery is now planning to get into the key markets of Boston, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Las Vegas.

"We estimate that we need to be in 20-30 bars per market [city] and then you want to be in 20-30 cities so that's to get up and running. We think it's quite achievable," he said.

The White Hag is also planning to capitalise on the first-ever American National Football League (NFL) game to be played in Ireland, in September, as part of a marketing link-up with its US partners.

Closer to home, The White Hag is again partnering with the annual Night And Day festival, which takes place at Lough Key Forest Park in Co. Roscommon, from June 27-29.

Mr Coggins said of the festival partnership: "While export is important and growing internationally has benefits, the most critical market is our home base, in Sligo and nationally.

"One of the biggest challenges is reaching new customers and targeting them when they are having a great experience and to be part of that experience.

"And Night And Day is probably one of the best examples of that in the country at the moment," he said. 

Photo: Simon Harris at the Night and Day Festival with Bob Gogins, Co-Founder and partner - The White Hag Brewery, Sligo. Pic Sean Dwyer