Record number of nominees for Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award

The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and the Brewers Association (BA) announced the nominees for the Eighth Annual Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award. The award recognizes an American beer distributor who goes above and beyond in its efforts to actively market, sell and promote craft beer.

The award will be presented jointly Oct. 4, 2014, at the Great American Beer Festival, hosted by the BA in Denver. In addition to the Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award, a Craft Beer Achievement Award (first runner-up) and Craft Beer Distributor Recognition Award (second runner-up) will be presented.

The nominees for this year’s award

• 7G Distributing LLC – Cedar Rapids, IA
• Ace Distributing – York, PA
• AlaBev – Birmingham, AL
• American Eagle Distributing Co. – Loveland, CO
• Andrews Distributing Co. LLC – Dallas, TX
• Arkansas Craft Distributors, LLC – Little Rock, AR
• Ben E. Keith Beverages – Dallas, TX
• Brown Distributing Co. Ltd. – Austin, TX
• Brown Distributing Co. of West Palm Beach – West Palm Beach, FL
• Central States Beverage Co. – Kansas City, MO
• Columbia Distributing, Kent – Kent, WA
• DeCrescente Distributing Co. – Mechanicville, NY
• Eastown Distributors Co. – Highland Park, MI
• Elite Brands of Colorado Inc. – Denver, CO
• Florida Distributing Co. – Orlando, FL
• Gretz Beer Co. – Norristown, PA
• Gulf Distributing Co. of Mobile L.L.C. – Mobile, AL
• Hayden Beverage Co. – Boise, ID
• High Country Beverage Corp. – Loveland, CO
• J.J. Taylor Distributing Co. of MN – Minneapolis, MN
• J.J. Taylor Distributing Florida, Inc. – Tampa, FL
• John P. O’Sullivan Distributing Inc. – Flint, MI
• Kohler Distributing Co. – Hawthorne, NJ
• Lee Beverage of Wisconsin LLC – Oshkosh, WI
• Lee Distributors, LLC – Charleston, SC
• Maletis Beverage – Portland, OR
• Mims Distributing Company, Inc. – Raleigh, NC
• Muller Inc. – Philadelphia, PA
• Mussetter Distributing Inc. – Auburn, CA
• Oak Beverages Inc. – Blauvelt, NY
• The Odom Corp. – Bellevue, WA
• Origlio Beverage – Philadelphia, PA
• Peerless Beverage Co. – Union, NJ
• Powers Distributing Co. Inc. – Orion, MI
• Premium Distributors of Washington, D.C., LLC – Washington, D.C.
• S.R. Perrott Inc. – Ormond Beach, FL
• Shore Point Distributing Co. Inc. – Freehold, NJ
• Town & Country Distributors Inc. – Itasca, IL
• Tri-County Beverage Co. – Warren, MI
• Windy City Distributing LLC – Aurora, IL

“With craft beer’s tremendous growth and independent beer distributors’ excitement for building and growing craft brands, it is no surprise that once again there was a record number of nominees for the Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award,” said NBWA President Craig Purser. “Consumers continue to demonstrate their passion for craft beer and appreciation of the wide variety of flavors beer has to offer. America’s more than 3,300 beer distributors take great pride in serving as the vehicle to market for these brands and working with craft brewers to provide choice and variety to the consumer.”

BA President Charlie Papazian applauded beer distributors for providing a valuable service by giving craft beers a presence in the marketplace. “This award recognizes the creativity, innovation and specialized services independent beer distributors are providing on behalf of independent craft brewers,” Papazian said.

According to mid-year data released by the BA, craft brewers enjoyed continued growth as American craft beer production volume increased 18 percent during the first half of 2014. According to the BA, from January through the end of June 2014, approximately 10.6 million barrels of beer were sold by craft brewers, up from 9 million barrels over the first half of 2013. The BA also reported that, as of June 30, 2014, there were 3,040 breweries operating in the United States, with 99 percent being craft breweries. That number includes 502 new breweries that opened for business since 2013.