Great Raft & Independence Bowl Team for New Brew

Shreveport’s Independence Bowl is turning 50 this year, and one of the city’s best-known sporting traditions is getting something it has never had before: its own locally brewed beer.

Great Raft Brewing has teamed up with the Independence Bowl Foundation to create Bowl Day Brew, an “Independence Pale Lager” that begins flowing today.
The collaboration brings together two very Shreveport things, college football and local craft beer, while also raising money for a community program connected to the bowl.

Bowl Day Brew Starts Flowing Today

Bowl Day Brew will debut on tap at the Great Raft Brewing tap room in Shreveport today. For every pint sold at the tap room, $1 will be donated to the Independence Bowl’s 1st & Give philanthropic program.

“We are thrilled to brew this special beer to honor 50 years of Independence Bowl success in Shreveport,” Great Raft Brewing co-founder Andrew Nations said. “Our team at Great Raft is incredibly proud to celebrate with a locally brewed beer for our community and football fans alike.”
The beer is being distributed by Eagle Distributing and will also begin appearing at local restaurants, bars and retail stores.

Allstate BCS National Championship Game - LSU v Alabama

First Cans Arrive With Tyrann Mathieu

The first cans of Bowl Day Brew will be available Monday, August 17, during the Independence Bowl Kickoff Dinner at the Shreveport Convention Center.
This year’s featured guest is former LSU star and longtime NFL safety Tyrann Mathieu, adding another Louisiana connection to the Independence Bowl’s anniversary celebration.
Individual tickets for the dinner are $75, with tables of eight available for $600.

Independence Bowl Celebrates 50 Years in Shreveport

The Independence Bowl was established in 1976, making the Shreveport game one of college football’s longest-running bowl traditions. Its 50th anniversary game is scheduled for Tuesday, December 22, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
Matt Shanklin, the bowl’s director of partnership development, said Bowl Day Brew provides another way for local residents to participate in the anniversary beyond simply attending the game.
For Shreveport football fans, that means the countdown to Bowl Day can officially begin with a cold one brewed just a few miles from the stadium.