With exactly one zillion breweries operating across America, distribution news is always a steady constant in the CBB mailbox. Every week, we get virtual piles of announcements on new alliances, upcoming state expansions and even reductions from breweries growing and shrinking their distribution footprints. Here is some of that wholesaler news. Enjoy! If you have distribution news, send it to [email protected].
Dayton’s Warped Wing Brewing partners with Columbus Distributing to serve greater C-bus
Warped Wing Brewing Co., a Dayton, Ohio based brewery, has signed a partnership agreement with Columbus Distributing to sell their beers and service accounts in the greater Columbus area.
Warped Wing has helped pioneer the resurgence of local craft beer in southern Ohio since 2014 and continues to bring an award-winning, quality focused program to the neighboring Columbus market. The partnership with Columbus Distributing officially begins May 2 and you can expect to see events related to the launch beginning in Columbus around that time.
“Warped Wing is a staple Ohio craft brand, we have been following their success in the industry for many years. We are thrilled to add them to our craft portfolio here at Columbus Distributing and can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together,” said Kelsey Egyhazi, craft manager at Columbus Distributing.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the team at Columbus Distributing,” said Nick Bowman, VP of sales and marketing at Warped Wing. “They have been selling beer and making friends in Columbus for almost 100 years. Their expertise, intimate knowledge of the market and long standing relationships will help us grow to the next level and beyond. Our teams share similar approaches and visions for the business. It’s the perfect partnership.”
Warped Wing Brewing Co. is a Dayton craft brewery inspired by Ohio’s rich history of innovation and invention. We are committed to carrying that spirit forward by brewing new proprietary beer styles along with original “warped” interpretations.
NA beer maker Surreal Brewing expands into Walmarts across southern California
Surreal Brewing Co. recently announced its expansion into Walmart stores across southern California. With roll out set to begin mid-April 2022, So-Cal customers will soon be able to purchase two brews from Surreal Brewing’s core lineup: Juicy Mavs Hazy IPA and Natural Bridges Kolsch Style.
According to Founder Tammer Zein-El-Abedein, former tech exec and Googler: “As an independent brewery, bringing new true-to-craft brews to wider markets is among our important goals. From the start, Surreal Brewery has pushed the boundaries of the non-alcoholic craft beer industry into the mainstream – not by blending into what others are doing but in showing that what we deliver is something truly special. And being made available at major stores allows our customers better access to the market’s first zero sugar, ultra healthy NA craft brews.”
Known as an innovative and pioneering non-alcoholic craft beer brand, Surreal Brewing’s core lineup of all-natural, non-GMO, NA craft beers offer health-forward options that are low-calorie, low-carb, and contain zero-sugar, including two two-gluten reduced options. Awarded 2019 World’s Best Low & Non alcoholic Pale Beer, Natural Bridges Kolsch Style NA (Calories – 17, Sugar – 0g, Carbs – 2.8g, Gluten Reduced) has a delicate malty character with a hint of honeydew melon and a crisp, refreshing finish. Winning Silver at the 2020 World Beer Awards, the Juicy Mavs Hazy IPA bursts with tropical fruit and citrus character, accentuated by fruity yeast esters and a subtle, clean malt finish.
Founder Donna Hockey, who has a masters in public policy from Harvard and previously worked with international non-profit and government organizations says“At Surreal, everything starts with the customer in mind. We know first hand what it’s like to be at a social occasion and crave a great adult tasting beverage. That’s why we Dared to Be Different and created healthy, delicious craft beer without alcohol and without sugar! We’re stoked to expand and reach more consumers through Walmart stores!”
Surreal Brewing is currently in talks with other potential retailers in key markets across the United States. The brand’s core brews: Chandelier Red IPA, Juicy Mavs Hazy IPA, 17 Mile Porter, and Natural Bridges Kolsch Style are available year-round on the brands website and multiple retailers including BevMo, Whole Foods, Hy-Vee Stores and Total Wine Nationwide.
Surreal Brewing also announced the return of its seasonal Milkshake IPA, part of the company’s Dessert Series. Available exclusively online, the limited release brew ignites the senses with notes of orange and other citrus complemented by vanilla and just a hint of sweetness.
Dry Dock expands distro to Kansas with Worldwide Beverage Group
For the first time in its 16-year history, Dry Dock Brewing Co. (Aurora, Colo.) is selling its highly acclaimed craft beers in an out-of-state market. A selection of the brewery’s beers is now available at retailers, restaurants and bars in Kansas.
“We’ve considered adding a new state for a couple of years,” said Dry Dock Co-owner Michelle Reding, “but it had to be a good fit with the right distributor and the right beer lovers in that state. We’ve found that in Kansas.”
The beers are distributed in Kansas by Worldwide Beverage Group.
“This came about,” said Worldwide President Chad Rolofson, “from Kansas beer drinkers, retailers and people on our staff who have traveled to Colorado, loved Dry Dock’s beers, and asked us to carry them.”
“Colorado,” Dry Dock Co-owner Kevin DeLange said, “is a popular vacation spot for people in Kansas. For years they’ve visited our tasting rooms and taken beer home with them, and we’ve heard about them stocking up at our Colorado accounts. Now we’re bringing the beer to them.”
A Kansas connection with Ryan Call, Dry Dock’s sales director, played a key role in the brewery’s move into the Jayhawk state. Call is a Kansas native and entered the beer industry while attending the University of Kansas. “In college,” Call said, “I worked in liquor stores, worked for distributors, and moved up to running the largest beer delivery route in the state.”
He went on to oversee Kansas sales for Colorado’s Left Hand Brewing and became the brewery’s national accounts manager. He joined Dry Dock in 2021 and dreamed of bringing the brewery’s beers to his old beer-selling ground. “Our move into Kansas is very surreal and exciting for me,” he notes. “I’m captaining Dry Dock’s maiden voyage outside of Colorado right in my home state, where I got my start in craft beer.”
Dry Dock will offer these beers in Kansas in kegs and sixpacks of 12-oz cans:
Apricot Blonde: Dry Dock’s flagship beer, a refreshing American blonde ale brewed with apricot puree that features fresh apricot flavor and aroma. Winner of three Great American Beer Festival medals and one World Beer Cup medal. 5.1% ABV, 17 IBUs.
Sour Apricot: The flagship’s kettle-sour sister beer, it delivers fresh apricot flavor and a refreshing tartness and acidity thanks to addition of Lactobacillus Brevis. 5.1% ABV, 17 IBUs.
Drift Awhile IPA: An assertive and deftly balanced double dry hopped West Coast IPA. Notes of tangerine, peach, grapefruit and honey in a golden beer of 7% ABV and 70 well-hidden IBUs.
Amber: An acclaimed and malty English-style ale brewed with Maris Otter malts, UK hops and an English ale yeast. Winner of two GABF medals and one WBC honor. 5.5% ABV, 49 IBUs.
Blueberry Smoothie: Made with blueberry puree, vanilla and lactose, a velvet-bodied and semi-sweet beer that calls to mind a blueberry treat from an ice cream shop. 5.2% ABV, 22 IBUs.
Dry Dock is also sending its Fruit Booty mixed 12-pack to Kansas. The box contains three cans each of Apricot Blonde, Sour Apricot, Blackberry Blonde and Pineapple Mango Blonde.
Aurora’s first brewery, Dry Dock Brewing was established in 2005 by Kevin DeLange and Michelle Reding. It was the first manufacturing brewery in Colorado to open with the now ubiquitous tasting-room-only focus, and sold all of its beers onsite when it opened. The brewery grew out of the pair’s long-running homebrew supply store, The Brew Hut, and it originally featured a 7-bbl system and a tiny 900 square foot tasting room.
Today Dry Dock is Colorado’s 10th largest craft brewery and its two Aurora breweries (each with expansive tasting rooms) include a production brewery with a 40-bbl brewhouse and an annual capacity of 43,000 bbls.
Since its founding, Dry Dock Brewing has won more awards in the Great American Beer Festival (26) and World Beer Cup (8) than any other small and independent craft brewery in Colorado.
“We’re very selective about who we bring in,” said Rolofson. “But Dry Dock has been on our radar for many years because they make great products and we admire how they operate. When they told us they wanted to come to Kansas, we were ready to bring them in.”
Learn more about Dry Dock and its beers at www.drydockbrewing.com.
Chicago’s Cruz Blanca Brewery expands distribution to Wisconsin
Cruz Blanca Brewery announced it was expanding distribution into the Wisconsin market beginning in April through Brew City Distribution. Cruz is the first craft brewery in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to brewing craft cervezas. Wisconsin is the second state for Cruz Blanca’s U.S. distribution.
Cruz Blanca’s mission is to shake up the Mexican beer segment with a modern approach to brewing cervezas that capture Mexico’s obsession with refreshment and flavor. Its line of classic lagers and tropical ales includes Mexico Calling Lager Especial, Vamos Vienna Lager, Palm Shade Hazy Tropical IPA, and La Floridita Sparkling Rosé Ale with hibiscus and passionfruit.
“Mainstream Mexican imports continue to outperform the U.S. beer category and Cruz Blanca delivers the first craft cerveza brand to capitalize on this consumer trend to propel the Mexican cerveza segment forward,” said Josh Allard, Director of Sales for Cruz Blanca, ”In 2021, Mexico Calling Lager grew 60%. In 2022, Cruz Blanca is projected to more than double in volume in Illinois. We are excited to build on this momentum in Wisconsin.”
Cruz Blanca Brewery opened its doors in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood in 2016 and launched distribution through Windy City in 2019. “Wisconsin was a natural next step for Cruz Blanca because it’s where we love to spend our time,” says founder and CEO, Manuel Valdes. “We love the beer and restaurant scene in Milwaukee and Madison and are thrilled to become part of the community.”
To introduce Cruz Blanca to the Wisconsin market, Cruz will celebrate with launch parties. Please refer to Cruz Blanca’s social media pages for more information.
Good Dogg Beverage begins to sell across New England states, opens regional office
Good Dogg Beverage, a purpose-driven company that launched its premium hard seltzer in the fall of 2021, announced that it has secured agreements with distributors covering three New England states and is opening a regional office in Cranston, Rhode Island.
The expanding list of companies that will distribute Good Dogg Beverage’s products starting in May of 2022 includes Quality Beverage, an independently-owned Massachusetts beer wholesaler, East Coast Beverage of Rhode Island, Craft Beer Guild of Connecticut (part of the Sheehan Family), and Berkshire Brewing Co., a full-service distribution company throughout Massachusetts.
The expansion of Good Dogg Beverage across New England signals early excitement for the growing premium hard seltzer brand whose Leverage the Beverage program gives profits from every sale to provide kids with rare diseases affordable access to service dogs. They also network with animal shelters to help rescue dogs in the regions they serve.
Good Dogg Beverage is partnering with Liquid Opportunities to manage the national distribution of the line of fruit-forward seltzers that premiered with its commercial launch in September of 2021 (in distribution partnership with Quality Beverage) at Teddy Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Franklin, Massachusetts, the birthplace of the idea for Good Dogg.
John Guhring of Liquid Opportunities said Good Dogg Beverage’s early momentum with alcohol distributors and retailers outpaces what he typically sees in the competitive, hard seltzer category. He attributes the success to the heartfelt story behind the brand and the positive emotions and strong connection the Leverage the Beverage mission creates.
“A growing number of consumers in every category are looking for products that enhance their lives while making things better for someone else,” said Guhring. “Good Dogg Beverage lets people be part of an inspiring, heartwarming story while enjoying a quality, premium hard seltzer experience. It’s different and exciting, and people are feeling that.”
Good Dogg Beverage’s new regional office in Cranston, Rhode Island, will open in May to help foster strong connections with the company’s local business and charity partners in New England. Good Dogg Beverage’s CEO and Founder, Tony Venturoso, spent most of his life in Boston and is committed to serving the area he said embodies the spirit of the Good Dogg brand.
“Where I grew up, there were always good people around who were willing to lend a hand wherever they could,” said Venturoso. “It wasn’t something we talked about; it is a way of being and showing up for each other that runs deep in this part of the country and in the culture and purpose of Good Dogg.”
Good Dogg Beverage Premium Hard Seltzers will be available on store shelves in late spring of 2022.
Epic Brewing expands direct-to-consumer selection in Ohio
Epic Brewing Co. started shipping beer directly to Ohio customers in March and has already begun expanding its service. The selection for Buckeyes to choose from just increased by 17 to a total of 57 unique beers. Some of these new additions include vintage Big Bad Baptists, oak aged sour ales, limited release beers, and several gluten-free options. It’s practically like walking right into their bottle shop. Use the code OHISEPIC for 10 percent off your first order until May 31. Start your order on epicbrewing.com/ship-beer.
New additions include:
- Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout Variants
- Double Chocolate Double Peanut Butter Cup — Vintage 2020
- Chocolate Raspberry — Vintage 2020
- Pecan Pie — Vintage 2020
- Hazelnut Vanilla Latte — Vintage 2019
- Oak-Aged Sour Ales
- Oak and Orchard Pie n Beer Day
Oak and Orchard SyrahSOLD OUT
- Limited Release Beers
- Yelling At Clouds COLD IPA
- Flower Power Sour
- IPA
- Tropical Tart n Juicy Sour IPA
- Space Debris IPA
- Gluten-Free
- Glutenator
- Hard Coconut Water
- Cranberry Ginger Hard Water
Upcoming additions include:
- Big Bad Baptist Reserve — expected in May
- Dos Locos Mexican-style Imperial Lager — expected in May
- Horchata Cream Ale — expected in May
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