Natural Light Wants to Help You Enhance Your Lawn

Beer and lawn care can be a perfect pair. 

When the weather is hot, cold beer is even more refreshing -- especially after a long day working outdoors.

The makers of Natural Light are leaning into the partnership in more ways than one.

First came the “Treadmower” for keeping the spirit of outdoor work alive in the winter months. 

Now they are back with a product to green up that grass before you give it a trim this spring. 

Anheuser-Busch introduces ‘Natural Light Lawn Brew’ 

Did you know spent brewers grains (known as SBG) can be used as fertilizer? 

It turns out, they can be added to compost or applied as a soil amendment that will release nutrients plants can use to grow strong over time according to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which is part of the USDA. 

It’s that premise upon which Natural Light Lawn Brew was born. 

“When spring rolls around, you’ll find Natural Light fans doing two things: enjoying a cold beer and working on their lawn. We couldn’t resist the idea of bringing those worlds together, so we transformed lager leftovers into Lawn Brew,” said Krystyn Stowe, a marketing representative from A-B. “Their favorite beer brand is now both in a can and on the fertilizer helping make their yard the greenest in town.” 

According to the company, grains leftover from brewing are combined “with  fertilizer” to create a balanced soil base that is intended to improve structure and supporting stronger, healthier grass over time. 

A 64-ounce bag can be purchased for $14.99 from ShopBeerGear.com, and you can find more information here. 

Will it work? 

A-B did not publish the full list of ingredients or the Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium ratio that is customary for fertilizer products, but from the promotional materials it is fair to assume a bag of Natural Light Lawn Brew contains a mix of barley malt, the remains of cereal grains such as corn and rice along with other processed fertilizers.

The latter would provide an immediate boost to your grass while the SBG breaks down over time into more nutrients the lawn can use throughout the course of the year (like mulch or leftover grass clippings do). 

A study by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program at the University of Maryland found using SBG as a soil amendment was successful in doubling growth compared to control crops, though that was for vegetables rather than grass. 

How to fertilize your lawn 

Natural Light Lawn Brew works just like any other granular lawn treatment. 

Open the bag, pour it into your spreader of choice, then water the product in after spreading. 

It can be broadcast across the lawn or used as a way to fix up brown spots at a rate of 1/2 to 1 cup per 10 square feet, according to A-B. 

Don't forget the Treadmower

This appeal to people who do (or maybe even do not) like yard work is a continuation of a marketing push that began in January with the unveiling of the Treadmower, a custom-built treadmill that was made to recreate the experience of mowing the grass in the winter months. 

That was not something that went on sale, though fans were able to register to win the one that was created for the marketing stunt.