If you see an orange hued 6-pack adorned with a personified orange slice with a wheat mohawk and sunglasses, you’ll know a bottle of Shock Top is in close vicinity. The citrusy Belgian ale is a relative newcomer to the beer scene, hitting shelves officially in 2006.
The popular Belgian white is produced by mega-brand Anheuser-Busch InBev. And while its original offering is its most recognizable, the brand carries a host of other varieties riffing on its citrus profile.
Here are seven things you should know about Shock Top.
It Started as a Seasonal Offering
Anheuser-Busch InBev released Shock Top’s first variety, originally named Spring Heat Spiced Wheat, in 2006 as a limited seasonal offering. Upon its success — the ale took gold in the Belgian white category at the North American Beer Awards — Anheuser-Busch added it to its year-round portfolio.
Its Mascot Has a Name…
That cool, mohawked orange slice gracing every Shock Top can and bottle has a name, and an apt one at that: Wedgehead. It even has its own Twitter account, @Wedgehead.
…And It Even Starred in a Super Bowl Commercial
In a 2016 Super Bowl commercial, an animated Wedgehead exchanged verbal jabs with actor T.J. Miller. Forbes called it “a pithy gift of an ad” in 2016.
The Company Rebranded in 2017
In 2017, for the first time in the brand’s history, Shock Top refreshed its branding, giving it “a dynamic look sporting a fresh new logo, hand-drawn graphics, and a reinvigorated Wedgehead.” An edgy block-letter logo replaced its previous, more traditional serifed font.
It’s Brewed With Citrus
Shock Top’s flagship Belgian white is brewed with orange, lemon, and lime peels, along with two-row barley and imported Hallertau hops blended with Cascade and Willamette hops. Unsurprisingly, many suggest serving your Shock Top with an orange wedge garnish.
Belgian Ale Isn’t Shock Top’s Only Offering
Shock Top boasts other citrusy varieties, including a grapefruit Ruby Fresh flavor, tropical mandarin, lemon shandy, and a low-calorie, low-carb light wheat variety named Shock Top Zest. Less conventionally, it also offers a twisted pretzel wheat flavor.
It Hosted an Adult Summer Camp
In 2016, Shock Top sponsored a number of Camp No Counselors getaways outside New York City, Austin, Miami, and Los Angeles. Camp Shock Top took the quintessential lakefront sleepaway camp as its inspiration, cabins and all, with a boozy twist at every turn (see: slip n’ slide race with flip cup at the bottom).
