CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Living on island time has reached a whole new level for students and alumni of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Islanders can now lounge on the beach while cracking open one of their own Islander inspired beers thanks to a partnership between TAMU-CC and two alumni-run breweries.
Lazy Beach Brewing and Café is now offering the Islander Wave and Lorelei Brewing Company now offers the Shaka Blonde. Both breweries, which are owned or managed by Islander alumni, are donating a portion of all proceeds to support the Islander Athletic Fund.
The partnership started as a passion project for Josiah Castro, the associate athletic director and chief revenue officer for Islanders Athletics.
"I always thought that a university-branded beer was a creative way to connect with alumni, fans, and constituents of the university,” Castro said in a release. “As it turns out, we were lucky enough to have two alumni-run breweries in Corpus Christi. Both Lorelei and Lazy Beach are excited to support their alma mater.”
Lazy Beach's owners, Cory ’09 and Jess Mathews ’08, are a husband-and-wife team that met on campus at the Islander university. Trevor Belicek ’15 is the general manager of Lorelei and a former Islander baseball player.
Both breweries have worked with TAMU-CC in the past, and saw this partnership as a perfect opportunity to give back to their alma mater.
“As alumni and business owners, this city and the university are a part of who we are,” said Jess Mathews.
Lazy Beach’s Islander Wave is described as a kölsch style beer known for its light, fruity aroma and taste with a pleasant hoppy bitterness. It has a male mermaid on its packaging that is designed in Belicek’s likeness, complete with an Islanders baseball jersey. The description for Lorelei’s Shaka Blonde is a light, well-rounded easy-drinking beer with hints of lime and sea salt, and it includes orchids on the packaging to represent the leis worn by Islander graduates at commencement.
“Long-term, we would love to see these beers for sale at local stores and restaurants, and down the road, possibly at the American Bank Center or Whataburger Field,” said Jon Palumbo in the release, director of Islanders Athletics. “This collaboration has the potential to bring focus to TAMU-CC and all the great things happening here, not only locally but regionally. Ultimately, any success will help support our Islander student-athletes as they pursue their education.”
To try these Islander inspired beers and to support Islander athletics, visit Lazy Beach Brewing and Café off of Yorktown Boulevard on the Southside, and Lorelei Brewing Company off of NAS Drive in Flour Bluff.
