Hanson, the 1990s boy band that brought us pop staples like“MMMbop” and “Boomerang,” have decided to add brew masters to their list of talents.
The brothers – Isaac, Taylor and Zac – are celebrating the 21st anniversary of their band by creating a pale ale named for their most popular diddy – “Mmmhops.”
“I feel like it’s a symbiotic culture to music,” Zac Hanson, the youngest of the trio, told Grub Street, a New York City-based restaurant blog. “That’s what I feel is kind of full circle about doing a beer—it completes the sensory experience of your band.”
And just like they did in 1997, when they made middle school girls swoon over the long-haired brothers while listening to their music on cassette players, the brothers vow to change how their lager-loving fans will look at beer in the future.
“It has a lot of flavor, it feels good in your mouth, it’s a full-bodied beer,” middle-brother Taylor told Grub Street. “The kind of pale ale that allows the super beer hophead and the more casual beer drinker that isn’t aware of every kind of microbrew to meet in a very comfortable place, and then to open up that world. A gateway drug. This is the beer that will change the way you look at craft beer.”
While there is no word yet on where Hanson fanatics can get their hands on a cold “Mmmhops” beer, the brothers do plan on experiment with other types of brews – including a “super-hoppy IPA” and a pilsner.
“We’re planning to try some different beers in different seasons, limited runs,” Taylor said. “This pale ale doesn’t bit your head off, but we have a super-hoppy IPA recipe we love which is much stronger. We don’t know how much we’ll be able to do in the short term, but in time we’d love to have a lager and a pilsner and try a variety of different things.”
The Oklahoma natives – where there is even an official day named after them – also plan to donate the profits from their beers (and “Mmmhop” T-shirts and pint glasses) to the American Red Cross to help with the relief efforts from April’s deadly tornadoes.
“The tragedy hits close to home, especially since this community was among the first places our band performed together, including schools which were lost in the storm,” Taylor told USA Today back in May. “We are hopeful that the proceeds we can galvanize will play a lasting role in the recovery efforts.”