Chili’s is serving beer inspired by former NBA player Dirk Nowitzki. It’s called The Big German. Of course, it is.
According to The Dallas Morning News (via Preston Hollow Advocate), Rollertown Beerworks is teaming up with Chili’s and serving their Dirk-inspired brew in 80-plus locations across Dallas and Fort Worth. But this partnership didn't happen by chance. Rogers and Wade worked at Chili’s as teenagers. “Chili’s waiters are the coolest people in the world,” Roger told The Dallas Morning News. After two years of pitching their product to the restaurant chain, they finally got the deal with them.
“The Big German was Ben’s idea, and we started to think about what a Dirk beer would be like,” Wade told The Dallas Morning News. “I landed on a kolsch because it’s a beer of the people, and Dirk is a man of the people.” Two brewers explain that their kolsch has “minimal hops with a smooth finish” and unlike heavy stout or marzen, kolsch is golden and crisp — just like Dirk.
Although the beer doesn’t invoke the Dunking Deutschman by name, it is Dirk approved.
Dirk Nowitzki played for the Dallas Mavericks from 1999 to 2019. He helped the team win the NBA championship for the first time in 2011. He also won the MVP award in 2007 and Finals MVP award in 2011.
Local radio personalities Ben Rogers and Skin Wade founded the beer brewery Rollertown Beerworks in Celina in 2020. The brewery, one of our favorites, outgrew its original space and are seeking to open a new, larger outfit in collaboration with the city of Frisco.
This isn’t the first time for the Mavericks legend to join the food business: a restaurant called Nowitzki is expected to open in the summer of 2023 at Terminal C of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The restaurant will have different, unique dishes with elements of his German heritage on the menu. Prost!
