With exactly one zillion breweries operating across America, distribution news is always a steady constant in the CBB mailbox. Every week, we get 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].
NA brand Surreal Brewing expands across Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming
Surreal Brewing Co., the award-winning non-alcoholic craft beer brewery, is deepening its distribution territory for its health centered craft beers across the states of Washington, Idaho and Wyoming. With the support of The Odom Corp. along with Northwest Beverage and Craig Stein Beverage, some of the largest beer, wine, spirits, non-alcoholic, soft drink and snack distributors in the Northwest and Intermountain market areas, the California-based brewer will distribute its core lineup of all-natural, non-GMO, non-alcoholic craft beers including seasonal favorites to craft beer lovers looking to enjoy a non-alcoholic beer without compromising their health goals.
“Surreal Brewing is a pacific northwest company and servicing this area well is very important to us,” said Surreal Brewing Cofounder Donna Hockey. “The PNW has deep roots in craft beer with hundreds of outdoors activities where Surreal Beers are a great fit at retailers and on premise.”
Neilson reports a 20 percent increase in non-alcoholic beer sales over last year at a time when more people than ever before are opting to try NA beverages. This deepening expansion further emphasizes the continued growth Surreal Brewing has achieved. The independent brewery hopes to continue reaching new audiences who share the same health values and passion for the outdoors. Home to exceptional outdoor adventures, the Pacific Northwest offers a multitude of occasions for everyone to enjoy the ultra low calorie beer line Surreal Brewing has to offer.
Surreal Brewing is currently in talks with other potential retailers and distributors in key markets across the US. The brand’s core brews: Juicy Mavs Hazy IPA, Natural Bridges Kolsch Style, Creatives IPA, 17 Mile Porter, and Chandelier Red IPA, are zero sugar and available year-round on the brands website www.surrealbrewing.com and through multiple retailers including BevMo, Whole Foods, Walmart — CA, Hy-Vee Stores and Total Wine Nationwide. Seasonal brews such as the Milkshake IPA and Pastry Porter are available on the company’s website and in select markets.
RationAle Brewing expands into Nevada with Breakthru Beverage
RationAle Brewing, the San Diego-born, Sonoma-brewed non-alcoholic craft beer brand, recently announced plans to build upon its successful partnership with Breakthru Beverage Group, a leading North American distributor of the world’s top beer brands, and move across state lines into Nevada, for increased on-premise and in-store distribution. In Summer 2022, RationAle partnered with Breakthru to bring its Brews without the Booze to Colorado and plans to leverage the relationship to continue to crush society’s drinking rules, one state at a time.
Breakthru Beverage Nevada is a statewide leader in the distribution of fine wine, spirits and beer. The northern Las Vegas facility features Breakthru’s flagship Alchemy room, complete with a 30-ft-long bar top with three full cocktail training stations, state-of-the-art bar equipment and a one-of-a-kind draft training system.
“Expanding into Nevada is particularly noteworthy for RationAle, given it’s home to Sin City, a destination internationally revered as a hub for alcohol and overindulgence,” shared Jamie Fay, founder and CEO of RationAle Brewing. “As a non-alcoholic beer brand that maintains the quality and taste of craft beer, we’re excited to provide locals and tourists alike with more options to crush their favorite brews within the settings they have chosen to moderate their boozing.”
Launched in late 2021, RationAle has added variety, flavor and innovation to the fast-growing U.S. non-alcohol beer category, providing brew-loving consumers with delicious options to enjoy craft beer in moderation. All of RationAle’s completely-crushable, non-alcoholic craft brews are served in 12-oz cans, made with high-quality ingredients and in small batches, maintaining the bold, refreshing taste of traditional craft beer.
“We here at Breakthru Beverage in Nevada have been looking for a solid non-alcoholic craft beer to add to our portfolio for a while. We finally found it with RationAle Brewing,” shared Deacon Nauslar, vice president of beer at Breakthru Beverage Nevada. “Currently, RationAle is small but with a lot of runway ahead of it, and we couldn’t be more proud to be its distributor in the great state of Nevada. Here’s to RationAle Brewery in 2023 and beyond.”
As Breakthru continues to make targeted investments, this expansion aligns with Breakthru’s broader beer strategy and the category’s position within the company’s total beverage alcohol portfolio.
RationAle’s expansion into Nevada follows its Oregon growth, partnering with Bigfoot Beverages and Maletis Beverage, and its partnership with Karl Strauss Brewing Co., to strengthen distribution throughout southern California with its full lineup, including: Citrus Hazy IPA, West Coast IPA, Mexican Lager and New England IPA.
To learn more and shop for RationAle Brewing, visit http://www.rationalebrewing.com.
Cape Beverage partners with Vault Brewing for New Jersey distribution
Cape Beverage Distributing recently announced the addition of Yardley, Pa.-based Vault Brewing Co. to its distribution portfolio. Cape Beverage began distributing a number of different brands from Vault Brewing across most New Jersey retailers on December 1.
“We are extremely excited to add Vault Brewing and their 10 years of experience to our portfolio at Cape Beverage,” said Cape Beverage Brand Manager Chris Verderame. “Vault produces some of the best beers in the industry.”
Vault Brewing celebrated its 10-year anniversary this past October, and the brewery has long been a staple brewpub in the region, known for not only its brews, but also its food and live entertainment. The brewery’s name pays homage to Yardley National Bank, which historically occupied the building the brewpub now resides in. What once was bank vaults of cash now proudly holds space for stainless steel beer tanks, which produce a range of different styles.
“Vault Brewing Co. is incredibly excited to be partnering with Cape Beverage,” said Vault Brewing Co. Director of Operations Eric Leypoldt. “While we’ve had a presence in Central Jersey for a while now, this new partnership will allow us to expand to the north and south. Our brewery is situated only feet from the Delaware River, so we have tons of customers from New Jersey in our brewpub every week. Having representation throughout the entire state just makes so much sense for us.”
Cape Beverage looks forward to bringing yet another stellar craft beer brand to more New Jersey consumers. The full list of brands to be distributed include:
- Teller Pilsner, a 4.9% ABV bold and unfiltered American Pilsner brewed simply with Pilsner malt, Saaz family hops, lager yeast, and local Yardley water for a straightforward and direct brew.
- Of Hops and Clouds, a 5.5% ABV New England-style Pale Ale brewed with the all-star combination of Mosaic, Citra, and Amarillo hops with notes of pineapple and clementine up front as well as guava, mango, and lingering apricot.
- Five Cees, a 6.4% ABV IPA hopped with Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Columbus, and Citra with aromas of citrus and tropical fruit as well as notes of tangerine creamsicle and fresh cut grass.
- Dead Cat Bounce, an 8.0% ABV Imperial IPA hopped with Citra and Idaho Gem, exhibiting luscious and sweet notes of juicy papaya and orange marmalade with a vivid and crisp piney finish.
- Bear Hug, a 6.0% ABV Oatmeal Stout that is silky smooth with subtle nutty and roasted notes combined with semi-sweet baker’s chocolate.
- Public Offering, a 6.5% ABV New England IPA hopped with Strata, Sultana, and Mosaic with aromas of tropical fruits and a hint of dankness.
- Beginning Thursday, December 1st, these Vault Brewing products will be distributed throughout most counties in New Jersey.
Founded in 2019, Cape Beverage delivers experience, dedication, knowledge, and brand focus to all 21 counties in New Jersey. Built on nine years of Cape May Brewing’s successful self-distribution, Cape Beverage’s team of committed and enthusiastic sales representatives are constantly in the field, ensuring quality, friendly service to each retailer. Each bar, restaurant and retail store is supported and engaged with a successful sampling program led by a dedicated sales representative and run by a team of knowledgeable, outgoing, and locally-based brand ambassadors throughout New Jersey.
Crafted Exports and Man in the Moon partner for Vermont craft beer showcase in Stockholm
Crafted Exports is a premier international distributor of craft beers and spirits that specializes in using innovative, quality-control delivery processes to deliver the freshest products to markets across the world. Recently Crafted Exports announced it was partnering with Man in the Moon (a popular gastropub with one of Stockholm’s largest selections of beer) to bring the best Vermont has to offer to Sweden.
For all of January 2023, the following breweries will be showcased at Man in the Moon!
- Long Trail Brewing Co.
- Otter Creek Brewing
- The Shed Brewery
- Burlington Beer Co.
- Foley Brothers Brewing
- Zero Gravity Brewery
- 14th Star Brewing Co.
- Whetstone Beer Co.
Maura McCue, supplier nanager of Crafted Exports, commented: “We are excited to once again partner with Man in the Moon to showcase the best in beer from a new U.S. state. This year we’ve chosen Vermont and 8 outstanding breweries and are delighted to share with Sweden some of the best beer the state has to offer.”
Commenting on the partnership, Daniel Rhawi, owner of Man in the Moon, said: “We are thrilled to organize the eighth consecutive American Beer Fest at Man in the Moon. After doing California, Hawaii, Ohio, New York, Florida, Illinois and Massachusetts, it’s time for the fantastic beer state of Vermont in January 2023. We would like to send huge thanks to Crafted Export for great partnership and also to all participant breweries. We really look forward serving some of the best beers Vermont offers to the Swedish beer crowd.”
The brands are also very excited, with several remarking:
“We have been brewing beer in New England for 35 years and sharing the fruits of our labor with Craft beer lovers in Sweden for the past six years. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this event again this year,” said Jon Schwartz, of Long Trail, Otter Creek, and the Shed.
“Our Burlington Beer Company [BBCO] team is excited to partner with Crafted Exports for our debut at Stockholm Beer Week! This is a momentous occasion for our brewery, the first time our beer has set sail overseas. We could not be more thrilled for the opportunity to get our beer into the hands of Sweden’s craft beer drinkers, and we are humbled and honored to represent the craft brew scene of Vermont. At BBCO, we are passionate about exploring new ways to put our stamp on classic beer styles, and we strive to find a balance between going too far and staying rooted in tradition. One might say we thrive at the point where fermentation meets imagination, and we hope you can taste that in our beer. Please be sure to enjoy the diverse lineup we sent, including Future Glow, Wizard, Vaulted Blue, Elaborate Metaphor and our new Amber Lager, Fair Acre,” said Austin Zonnevylle of Burlington.
“Zero Gravity is so excited to get our beers in the hands and glasses of craft beer drinkers in Sweden. Our home and community guide everything that we do, we are honored to represent our beloved state of Vermont abroad. Thanks to all for putting together this great event, and bringing the terroir of the Vermont beer scene to Sweden,” said Emma Shea of Zero Gravity.
“We at 14th Star Brewery are honored by the opportunity to represent Vermont craft beer in Sweden’s Stockholm Showcase! Fun fact: our brewery’s name 14th Star is a reference to our pride as Vermonters and Vermont being admitted to the United States as the fourteenth state back in 1791. We are a small award-winning craft brewery out of St. Albans Vermont known for producing a wide variety of world-class brews with a mission to give back to local organizations and various charities. We believe a balance of history, innovation, and flavors can be found in every batch of 14th Star beer and hope the Sweden craft beer fans enjoy the diverse selection of brews we have provided. We look forward to continuing to work with Crafted Exports to provide 14th Star beer to our friends across the pond,” said David Rheaume, of 14th Star.
HighBridge Premium signs distribution agreement with MOB in Minnesota
HighBridge Holdings Inc. recently announced the introduction of its hemp derived Delta-9 infused beverages to the State of Minnesota. HighBridge has selected MOB Distribution, a Minnesota based company, for exclusive sales and distribution of the HighBridge products. HighBridge currently produces three faux Beers, two Botanical Seltzers, an Energy Drink and a variety of specialty drinkables including its new line of MockTales.
“What started as a recreational product in cannabis-legal states like California and Arizona, has now been re-formulated with hemp-derived Delta-9, making it legal in a majority of states,” said James Hunter, founder of HighBridge. “A few months ago, Minnesota was not even on our radar, and now we are thrilled to have a presence here.”
He added that adjusting the formulas of the HighBridge products to be compliant with Minnesota regulations, while continuing the HighBridge principles of great taste and product integrity, took a few months. The first of the HighBridge products are scheduled to hit the shelves in a variety of locations throughout Minnesota.
MOB Distribution is owned and operated by two Minnesotans: James Schaefer and Michael Barth. Schaefer, with a degree in engineering, is a longtime metro area businessman and entrepreneur. Barth brings with him nearly 30 years of combined experience in military logistics and sales.
“We saw the opportunity presented by HighBridge and could not be happier to be part of the HighBridge Team,” said Schaefer.
“We will first be introducing the HighBridge faux Beer products, then adding additional products after the first of the year,” stated Barth.
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