Wim Bens is among the latest SMU alumni giving back to Mustang fans.
Since Lakewood Brewery’s founding in 2012, it has produced several brews. However, Bens dedicates one of Lakewood’s latest pilsners to his alma mater.
With Pony Pils, Bens now joins the ranks of Mustang-inspired businesses such as The Barley House, The Green Elephant, and Shug’s Bagels.
“I’ve been wanting to do a Pony beer for years, and I think that craft beer fans are ready to embrace the crispy bois (beer lingo for light and crisp craft lager,” Bens said in a press release.
In an effort to incorporate SMU slogan ‘Pony Up’ legal complications arose, preventing Bens from using the initially intended name ‘Pony Up Pils.’ As a result, the same ‘Pony Pils’ was adopted. Bens considered concepts that would make the beer unique, continually asking what Mustang fans would want to drink and where.
After rounds of testing, Pony Pils developed into a light-body, full-flavor beer with a 4.5% ABV. Designed to be a tailgating beer with a low alcohol content and complementary flavors, Pony Pils caters to Mustang fans.
“If you’re drinking a Pony Pils, you want to feel proud to be a Mustang,” said Bens.
Growing up in Belgium, Bens has had exposure to beer from the time he could reach the bar. While studying at SMU, he discovered the Flying Saucer, a bar that sold beers akin to those he cherished in Belgium. It was around this point that Bens developed a fervor for craft brewing.
After graduating in 2000, Bens began a career with an advertising agency until 2010, when he left his job to pursue the art of beer brewing. He received a position in the American Brewers Guild, where he participated in a twenty-two-week Intensive Brewing Science & Engineering Course. Following his education, he undertook an apprenticeship at Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. before opening his brewery.
Pony Pils is a part of Lakewood’s series of beers, which includes Big D IPA, Goddess IPA, Tangerine Queen, and others. However, the brewery’s initial triumph was The Temptress, a 9% milk stout.
Bens aspires to inspire the next generation of craft brewers by utilizing Pony Pils profits to establish a scholarship. He aims to motivate students to engage in STEM through the Lakewood Brewing Company Future Brewer STEM Scholarship. Bens contends that brewing involves more than just tasting beer; it is a science.
This scholarships initiative offers educational opportunities and fosters productive relationships between SMU, Pony Pils, and the campus.
Ariel Herr, a Press Correspondent at Lakewood Brewing, reported that Pony Pils received a positive reception when introducing sampling in July. The pilsner was scheduled to be available on shelves in time for SMU’s first home game and ended up selling in the stadium as well. Despite being unaffiliated, Herr believes that the brewery’s capacity to connect with SMU facilitates opportunities for brewery education and student engagement.
“Pun intended; Pony Pils has finally got legs. And now we get to expand on the circulated media,” Herr said.
Despite their surprise at Pony Pils’ success, Bens and others at Lakewood Brewery acknowledge that Pony Pils still faces fierce competition from well-established name-brand beers and whiskeys.
In an interview with Brian Brown, the founder of the website Beer in Big D, he pointed out that Texas is a lager beer market, making it highly competitive for lighter beers to stand out. However, Brown noted that Pony Pils has an edge over its counterparts. He explained that with the recent emphasis on supporting small businesses, Pony Pils is able to market directly to consumers.
“It is an opportunity to steal Budweiser and Miller Lite customers, as he produces a beer similar to theirs, with the advantage of being a local brewer and Mustang,” Brown said.
Pony Pils plans to continue its marketing efforts throughout the remaining weeks of the football season. The pilsner will be showcased on campus-adjacent billboards and promoted on the Boulevard. Furthermore, one can find Pony Pils on draft and in six-packs at grocery stores, bars, and various locations where Lakewood’s beer sells near SMU.