Cape May Brewing Company Announces Collaboration with Instagram Influencer The Qualified Captain
Cape May, NJ — Cape May Brewing Company is thrilled to announce a collaboration with The Qualified Captain, an Instagram influencer and clothing brand in North Carolina. A new crisp and refreshing Helles lager called Boat Ramp Champ, this brew will be available in Cape May Brewing Company’s Tasting Room beginning Friday, April 2nd, with distribution throughout New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania beginning the following Monday, April 5th, and Delaware distribution to follow at a later date.
“We’ve all been big fans of The Qualified Captain’s hilarious posts and all of their great merch,” says Cape May Brewing Company CEO Ryan Krill. “And, with their focus on all things maritime, our brands complement each other well. As a boatsman myself, while I love the brand, I hope that I never end up on their Insta.”
Originally from South Jersey, the founders of The Qualified Captain, brother-and-sister team Aaron and Lauren Stasiak, grew up in Shamong Township in Burlington County before eventually settling in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Together, they founded The Qualified Captain in 2016, gaining followers by posting pictures and videos of some of the most outrageous and hilarious mistakes that occur on the high seas.
“The Qualified Captain began as a page to make fun of people who just don’t have a clue about the water,” Aaron Stasiak says. “Now, the goal is to help people learn from other’s mistakes. When we started, I didn’t really know where it was going, but now I know that we can do more than just poke fun. It keeps people on their toes, and, ultimately, raises awareness about safety on the water.”
The name of the beer, Boat Ramp Champ, is inspired by some of the most boneheaded folks one might encounter on the water.
“A Boat Ramp Champ is a person who unsuccessfully tries to back their boat into the water or pull their boat from the water,” explains Lauren Stasiak. “An audience is always there to cheer the Boat Ramp Champ on, even when everything seems to be going wrong.”
When Cape May Brewing Company approached The Qualified Captain about the possibility of collaborating, both Lauren and Aaron were excited about the possibilities.
“I was so excited because I’ve been wanting to do this for a while,” says Aaron Stasiak. “Then, to see that it was a brand from New Jersey, where our roots are from, I thought it was awesome. I did some research on Cape May Brewing Company — when I was living in New Jersey, I wasn’t even 21 yet –, but I did my research and found that everybody loves Cape May. I’m really stoked. I’ve been wanting to do this, and I think I’ve found the perfect partner with Cape May Brewing Company.”
Lauren, on the other hand, was already a fan, having spent her undergraduate years in Philadelphia.
“I’ve been a huge fan of CMBC and was beyond thrilled of the idea of doing a collaboration,” she says. “As soon as Aaron told me that Cape May reached out I immediately said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
The collaboration was initiated by Cape May Brewing Company’s Social Media and Design Alchemist Courtney Rosenberg, who’s been a fan of The Qualified Captain for several years.
“Collaborating with Lauren and Aaron from The Qualified Captain was an amazing experience,” she says. “From the start, they were hands-on with collaborating with our team on this release: from the label to the name to the beer inside the can.”
The two teams decided on a pale Helles lager: crisp, clean, refreshing, and light — the perfect beverage to complement your fresh catch.
“I like a lighter beer,” Aaron Stasiak says. “I’ve always enjoyed Helles lagers — my dad was kind of that way. I feel like on a hot day, after you’ve been on the boat all day fishing, you come home, and you’re filleting a bunch of fish on the fish table, and you’ve got a nice, crisp, cold beer to sip on, it’s hydrating. That’s my style for the summer.”
Lauren Stasiak had much the same thought.
“We wanted to create a lighter beer for those hot days out on the water,” she says. “After a long day of being a Boat Ramp Champ, a crisp and refreshing beer is exactly what you need.”
Brian Hink, Cape May Brewing Company’s Special Projects and Production Planning Manager, helped design the recipe for Boat Ramp Champ.
“It’s the most perfectly basic, approachable, simple, easy-drinking beer we’ve done in a very, very long time, and I couldn’t be happier with that!” Hink says. “A proper Helles is the kind of beer that you can thoughtlessly slug back by the liter glass, but also has enough subtle complexity where you can pick apart the gentle noble hop spiciness and the soft-crackery finish of the finest European lager malt.”
The label steps away from Cape May’s usual branding to picture a scene worthy of the name Boat Ramp Champ.
“On the label, you’ll spot Cape May Brewing Company’s founders Ryan and Bob, as well as Aaron and Lauren, a local boat ramp located behind Cape May’s Lucky Bones Back Water Grille called Spicer’s Creek Boat Access, a beautiful Cape May sunset, and several other easter eggs true to both brands,” Rosenberg reports. “Overall, the design is memorable and compelling, and we cannot wait to see it on shelves.”
Fans won’t have to wait long to find Boat Ramp Champ on shelves throughout New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Distribution throughout New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania will commence on April 5th, with Delaware to follow at a later date.
For more information on The Qualified Captain, see their website at www.thequalifiedcaptain.com and their Instagram page at www.instagram.com/thequalifiedcaptain.
For more information on Cape May Brewing Company, see their website at www.capemaybrewery.com or call (609) 849-9933.
