How a former CSU basketball player got his face on a beer can

DENVER ( KDVR ) – The summer beer at a Fort Collins brewery is a 5.2% lemon ginger wheat known as “Joe,” but the beer has more than just flavor. It also comes with local ties.

The beer is named after Joe Palmer, a former player of the Colorado State Rams men’s basketball team.

In Palmer’s graduate season at CSU, the guard led the team in rebounding three times while reaching double figures scoring seven times. You may have seen him hitting three-pointers and scoring 11 points against the University of Colorado Buffaloes in November during the Rocky Mountain Showdown .

But when Palmer was first approached for the opportunity to be featured on a beer can, he wasn’t on the court. He was actually on roller skates.

Palmer was blading around town when he received an Instagram message asking if Palmer was the one on skates nearby and if he would be interested in a business opportunity.

Soon enough, Palmer was tasting different beers and helping pick the flavor of what is now known as “Joe” at Hello Brew Co .

Palmer describes the brew as a crushable, summery “Minnesota boat beer” as an ode to his hometown.

“(When) everyone’s on the boat on the lake, that’s kind of what everyone has, so that’s kind of what went into it for me,” said Palmer.

Now, the beer is being sold at Hello Brew with Joe’s name and figure on the can.

The beer was released just after his graduation in May, but even though he graduated, Palmer’s not done with basketball just yet.

“I’m going to keep playing, go overseas to play basketball, and then come on back to Colorado, and eventually have a job in real estate lined up in Berthoud, Colorado,” said Palmer. “So just kind of going to keep delaying putting on a suit and tie for a year or two, and go play overseas, and eventually come back, though.”

While Palmer plans to leave the Centennial State, the goal is to return.

“I love it here, I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to go back, so I hope Colorado people are all right with that,” said Palmer.

The beer premiered on May 11, and while Palmer isn’t a student anymore, you may just see the local celebrity drinking his beer at Hello Brew.

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