When the Patriots made it past the Broncos to head to the Super Bowl with quarterback Drake Maye at the helm, Mike Snowdale ’07 celebrated the win by toasting with his new “Love the Drake” beer.
The lager, named for the University of North Carolina upstart turned Pats’ glorified QB—with a bit of a Seinfeld twist (more on that later)—has been flying off the shelves at Stellwagen Beer Company, which Snowdale has owned and operated since 2017.
“No way did we think this would gain so much popularity,” said Snowdale, a business administration major who’s been making the media rounds since word of the Maye-themed beer spread. “It definitely helps that the Stellwagen team and QB are both crushing it.”
We recently caught up with Snowdale, whose latest batch of Love the Drake will go live on Wednesday, February 4.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How did the idea for a Drake Maye-inspired beer first come up, and how quickly did it move from idea to execution? Had you ever done something like this before?
Snowdale: In December 2024, we had a new lager that was nearly ready, but we still didn’t have a name for it. Our Head of Sales, Eddie Letsche, had the idea to combine the Seinfeld reference with Drake Maye since it looked like the Patriots might have something in their rookie starting quarterback.
The process was very quick once we had the idea. Our graphic designer/creative lead came up with the label that was inspired by the QB and the TV show. Sales of the beer weren’t great at first. In fact, people thought we were nuts for releasing the beer right after the (2024) season had ended.
But after the first batch in January of 2025 was gone, we waited until the 2025 football season started to release it again. Sales were solid, but nothing special. It wasn’t until December 2025 that it went viral and really took off. Now we can’t keep it in stock.
Tell me a little bit about the Seinfeld connection with the name. How did that come about?
Snowdale: There is an episode of Seinfeld in which George, Jerry, and Elaine argue over a mutual friend named Drake. He’s getting married, and they got him a big TV. George isn’t a fan of Drake, but Jerry and Elaine love him. At one point, Jerry exclaims to George, “How you not love the Drake?!” We felt the same way about our QB!
How did you land on the beer style, by the way? Does Maye just seem like a lager guy, and were there any concepts that didn’t make the final cut?
Snowdale: Love the Drake is a dry-hopped American lager. We had already had the recipe planned and were still brainstorming names for it when Eddie came up with the Love the Drake idea. We felt that the style fit the name perfectly since it’s a light, crisp, clean, and refreshing brew. Perfect for tailgating or having a few during the game!
Have you heard from Maye yet?
Snowdale: We haven’t heard from Drake (yet). He’s been busy. But once the season is over, hopefully, maybe we’ll get in touch. News about the beer was picked up in North Carolina because his childhood friends and neighbors contacted us to send them t-shirts and beer. The Athletic Director of UNC asked us for a t-shirt, too!
What’s the weirdest/best/most surprising thing to come out of this so far? Has the virality changed traffic to your taproom or online presence in measurable ways?
Snowdale: The best thing to come out of it is the publicity for our small brewery. Seasonally, January and February are our slowest months of the year … by a lot. The timing of the virality couldn’t have been better, as it brought a ton of visitors to our taproom. It’s hard to measure exactly how much it’s increased, but I don’t think double the traffic is a stretch. We’ve also had other professional athletes, current and former, reach out about doing a beer with them! We’ll see if it works out.
From a business perspective, what does a moment like this do for a small or independent brewery?
Snowdale: It’s been great! The exposure has been a big plus and it’s been opening opportunities for us. The beer industry has been stagnant, if not declining, for the last few years. And for small breweries, making great beer isn’t necessarily enough to succeed anymore. We need to continue to forge relationships with our community. In this case, the larger the community, the better!
How did your time at Endicott shape your path to entrepreneurship and running a brewery?
Snowdale: It’s funny, because I took an entrepreneurship class at Endicott, even though I was pretty sure that I wasn’t going to go that route after graduation … and I didn’t. I spent 12 years in the corporate world before turning to entrepreneurship. The experience drafting a business plan from start to finish during that class certainly made the task of creating one for real seem less daunting, even after more than a decade. That class, plus others like marketing and finance, provided a solid foundation that gave me the confidence to start a business.
Are there specific skills or experiences from Endicott that you still draw on as a business owner?
Snowdale: Yes, I still wear many hats at the brewery, including all the bookkeeping and accounting. I was rusty after more than a decade, but I still remember those classes! Not to mention, I met my amazing, supportive wife, Lauren, at Endicott (she was class of ’06), and without her, the brewery wouldn’t have even gotten started.
What will you be snacking on and drinking during the Super Bowl?
Snowdale: We’re going to a neighbor’s house, and they put out quite a spread. Smoked BBQ ribs, wings, all sorts of dips … great football food. Hopefully, we’ll be toasting another win with Love the Drake.
Stellwagen Beer Company is located in Marshfield, Mass., and is open to the public seven days a week. Stellwagen hosts weekly trivia, cornhole leagues, and music on the weekends.