Building Craft Beer Brands That Last: How Agency Squid Helped Launch Luce Line Brewing During the Most Uncertain of Times
Launching a craft beer brand is never easy. Launching one during a global pandemic, in a saturated market, in a suburb that had never had a brewery before? That’s a different kind of challenge.
But that’s exactly what Luce Line Brewing Co. set out to do—with the help of Agency Squid, a creative and strategic partner specializing in beverage brand development, cultural positioning, and omnichannel execution.
Today, Luce Line Brew Co. is not only thriving in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis—it’s becoming a pillar of its local community and a beloved stop for cyclists along one of the busiest bike trails in Minnesota. This is the story of how we helped them get there—and what it teaches about how to build craft beer brands in today’s evolving consumer landscape.
The Craft Beer Category is Maturing—But Opportunity Remains
With over 9,500 craft breweries in the U.S. and slowing category growth, differentiation is more critical than ever. According to the Brewers Association, overall beer consumption declined in 2023, while smaller and emerging breweries continued to face challenges related to cost, competition, and changing consumer preferences.
At the same time, consumer demand for hyper-local experiences, sessionable formats, and clean-label options (like craft hard seltzers) has opened up new opportunities—especially for breweries that can authentically connect with their communities.
That’s where Luce Line Brewing saw potential.
The Challenge: Launching a Craft Brand During a Pandemic
Located in a transitioning suburb just outside Minneapolis, Luce Line Brew Co. wanted to become more than a brewery—it aimed to be a community hub for residents and a destination for cyclists riding the Luce Line State Trail. The team knew they needed to attract two distinct audiences:
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Local community members looking for connection, culture, and quality
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Itinerant biking enthusiasts craving refreshment and rest along the trail
And they needed to do it in the middle of the pandemic, with limited on-premise access and no established brand equity.
That’s when Agency Squid was brought in to build the Luce Line brand from the ground up.
The Solution: Rooted in Community, Inspired by Culture
1. Defining the Brand’s Purpose and Positioning
Our work began with foundational brand strategy, collaborating with Luce Line’s founders to uncover their unique story and value proposition. We conducted competitive analysis and cultural research into Minnesota’s biking and beer scenes, helping to identify emotional and functional white space in the category.
The result was a differentiated positioning platform:
“Crafted for the Trail Ahead.”
This line not only nodded to the biking community, but also spoke to the brewery’s broader mission of forging connections, moving forward, and creating something meaningful for the local audience.
2. Building an Adaptive, Inclusive Brand Identity
With two different target audiences—local residents and trail-riding visitors—we created a brand identity system flexible enough to scale, while rooted enough to resonate.
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Visual Style: Inspired by cycling iconography (badges, gears, spokes) combined with an “everyday” Midwest color palette that evoked warmth, community, and approachability.
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Naming System: Each beer and hard seltzer was named after regional trails, anchoring the brand in a sense of place and movement while reinforcing its cycling connection.
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Packaging Design: We built a cost-effective crowler and taproom-friendly packaging system, allowing Luce Line to scale up to cans and retail distribution over time. The design system made it easy for brewery staff to customize new product releases while maintaining consistency across formats.
3. Telling the Story Across Digital and Physical Touchpoints
Though Luce Line launched with limited physical access, digital-first storytelling helped build brand awareness and anticipation within the local community.
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Social content highlighted the brewery’s renovation progress and local roots
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Email campaigns introduced new brews and community events
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Local partnerships helped amplify word-of-mouth and drive early visits
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Taproom materials and signage reinforced the brewery’s dual-purpose space: a spot for locals and a haven for bikers
4. Built for Evolution, Not Just Launch
Agency Squid built Luce Line’s brand system to evolve as the business scaled—from on-premise pours to retail distribution, and from neighborhood favorite to statewide recognition.
This included:
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A modular brand architecture for future seasonal or specialty brews
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Messaging frameworks tailored to trade partners and consumers
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A local-first, trail-connected CSR program, where a portion of proceeds supports trail preservation—further connecting the product to purpose
The Results: A Local Brewery with Statewide Momentum
Despite the uncertainty of launching in 2020, Luce Line Brew Co. has become:
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A community anchor in a neighborhood that had never had a brewery
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A popular destination for cyclists, hikers, and outdoor adventurers
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A brand poised for retail distribution across Minnesota, supported by a consistent, flexible identity system and community-first positioning
With a clear brand voice, built-in purpose, and adaptive design, Luce Line is proving that craft beer brands can thrive—even in saturated, uncertain markets—when they speak to real needs and build cultural relevance from the start.
