Testudo Lager Topped Sales at Maryland Athletic Venues
The 5.0% ABV Helles-style lager generated nearly $240,000 in revenue across campus venues.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Beer
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University of Maryland fans purchased 21,823 units of Testudo Lager at athletic venues between July 1, 2025, and June 1, 2026. This performance made it the highest-selling beer at the school's facilities during that period.
Why it matters
The partnership between Union Craft Brewing and Maryland Athletics was designed to provide students with valuable internship and learning opportunities. This collaboration offered a unique collegiate branding experience through the craft beer market.
Testudo Lager is a 5.0% ABV Helles-style lager that retails for $11 per unit. The brand recorded $13,014 in six-pack sales and total venue revenue of $238,960.
The players
Union Craft Brewing
This Baltimore-based company is a brewery that became employee-owned in 2021 and partnered with the University of Maryland.
Maryland Athletics
This department oversees sports programs at the University of Maryland and managed the beer sales partnership.
The details
Union Craft Brewing partnered with the university to launch the product in 2024, selling it across four distinct athletic venues in College Park. The brand maintained strong performance despite a broader national downturn that saw total U.S. beer sales fall by 5.7% from 2024 to 2025.
Timeline
Union Craft Brewing became employee-owned in 2021.
Union Craft Brewing launched Testudo Lager in 2024.
National craft brewery counts and sales declined between 2024 and 2025.
Maryland athletic venue beer sales occurred from July 1, 2025, to June 1, 2026.
Culture Shift
The success of this collegiate-branded lager contrasts with a wider market contraction, as the industry faces the 2.9 percent decline in U.S. craft breweries between 2024 and 2025. This performance marks a departure from the broader national trend of cooling craft beer sales.
Fans attending games in College Park can purchase the lager for $11 per unit at designated campus athletic venues. This availability offers a specific local product choice for those supporting University of Maryland athletic programs.
The takeaway
Collaborations between regional breweries and academic institutions can successfully drive engagement even when national market trends are negative. Consumers interested in supporting local brands may find these university partnerships provide a unique alternative to national labels.
Further reading
Explore the evolving trends in the Beer industry and their impact on regional markets.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Inc..
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