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].
Wyoming’s Roadhouse Brewing joins forces with Colorado’s largest craft distributor
Jackson Hole’s Roadhouse Brewing Co., a Best for the World B Corp brewery, just announced its partnership with Breakthru Beverage Group, the largest craft distributor in Colorado and a leading North American beverage wholesaler. The new partnership will help expand its distribution further in the Centennial State, tripling its on-and-off premise locations in Colorado and beyond, including national off-premise retailers, airports and entertainment venues.
Previously, Roadhouse distributed in the region through Colorado Craft, who helped build the Roadhouse business, create awareness and new fans in the mountain west, and draw recognition from this national wholesaler. With Breakthru as an existing partner of Melvin Brewing — which Roadhouse acquired in December 2022 to form Pure Madness Brewery Group — both Roadhouse and Melvin brews will now be distributed under the same network, furthering the reach of the two Wyoming favorites.
Roadhouse and Pure Madness Cofounder Colby Cox noted: “I am really pumped for Roadhouse to join forces with Melvin to bring some Pure Madness to Breakthru in Colorado. I think the strength of both brands and the quality of our products are well matched for the Breakthru team and the power of their reach.”
Just in time for summer hosting, Roadhouse’s adventure-style brews will now be available at more Colorado locations, including the following highlights:
- The Walrus Hazy IPA (8.3% abv): a strong citrusy IPA with hints of peach and tangerine.
- The Phlow Sunshine IPA (5.0% abv): a seasonal favorite brewed with Vista, Sabro, and Idaho Gem for a refreshingly light and highly drinkable summer brew.
- Wilson Mountain-Style IPA (7.5% abv): Intensely aromatic, this bitter-less mountain-style IPA offers notes of peach and ripe stone fruit with a round and refreshing finish.
- Highwayman Pilsner (4.0% abv): a light and crisp pilsner to enjoy with friends and family
Looking ahead, Roadhouse is excited to add six states to its roster: Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Nevada, Virginia and Florida. Stay tuned for more updates on Roadhouse’s expansion in 2023. To locate Roadhouse beer, visit the Roadhouse Beer Finder.
California’s Anderson Valley Brewing expands to include Alameda and Contra Costa County territories
Anderson Valley Brewing Co. (AVBC) just announced it will be expanding its northern California East Bay distribution to include both the Alameda and East Bay territories. Fresh on the heels of Breakthru Beverage Group’s acquisition of Wine Warehouse, AVBC is utilizing its newly revived representation with Breakthru to expand distribution in the East Bay — one of the brewery’s best markets in California.
“The East Bay has been a longtime top performing northern California market for us,” said Anderson Valley Brewing President and CEO Kevin McGee. “Since acquiring Wine Warehouse, Breakthru has quickly invested in their new California representation. It’s been an impressive transition, and we are looking forward to the continued opportunities they bring our way, starting with expanded availability into Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.”
Breakthru Beverage Group will represent AVBC’s entire portfolio of brands, including its iconic Boont Amber Ale, its Bourbon Barrel Series beers, its fruited Gose series, The Pilsner, and the brand new Coastal Ale making AVBC’s beers readily accessible in top on-premise and off-premise accounts.
Founded in 1987, Anderson Valley Brewing brews hand-crafted, authentic beers with balance, complexity and an unwavering commitment to sustainably producing world-class beer. As the world’s first solar powered brewery, AVBC leads the craft beer industry as pioneers in responsible brewing and innovators in environmental sustainability practices. Anderson Valley beer is available in 40 states and at its taproom in Boonville, California. Learn more at AVBC.com.
New York’s Captain Lawrence Brewing announces expansion into Kentucky
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. recently announced its expansion into the Kentucky market. The brewery’s beer selection showcases a range of IPA options that will surely delight the taste buds of both seasoned and adventurous beer lovers in the Bluegrass State with an innovative offering from its Liquid Exotics brand too.
Among the first of Captain Lawrence’s offerings to be made available in Kentucky is Jam Juice — a hazy imperial IPA. With its rich fruity flavors and velvety smoothness, Jam Juice showcases the brewery’s drive to pushing the boundaries of flavor and balance. Another standout in its portfolio is Pacific Dawn, a classic West Coast DIPA. Characterized by its piney hop notes and robust flavor profile, Pacific Dawn offers an exhilarating sensory experience that is sure the satisfy fans of the West Coast IPA style. For fans of hazy Northeast IPAs, Captain Lawrence presents Citra Dreams. Citra Dreams, is a hazy NEIPA exquisitely dry-hopped with copious amounts of Citra hops, resulting in an irresistible symphony of vibrant citrus flavors and tantalizing aromas.
Additionally, Captain Lawrence brings with them to Kentucky its Liquid Exotic’s Rum Punch — a hard seltzer infused with pineapple, orange, lime, and pomegranate juice. This refreshing and tropical twist is the perfect choice for those seeking a unique and invigorating adult beverage option, at a robust 10% ABV.
Captain Lawrence’s expansion into Kentucky marks an exciting milestone for the brewery, as it continues to share its craft beers with new communities. By partnering with US Beverage, a trusted distributor known for its commitment to quality, Captain Lawrence can ensure that its beers reach the shelves of retailers across the state.
“We are incredibly excited to bring Captain Lawrence’s craft beer to the Bluegrass state,” said Scott Vaccaro, founder of Captain Lawrence. “We look forward to introducing our finest brews to the state’s discerning drinkers. We’re excited to share our passion for brewing innovative and high-quality beers with craft beer fans in Kentucky, we hope you’ll give us a try.”
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. is located north of New York City, in Westchester County, New York, where it has grown to be one of the area’s largest craft brewers. Founded in 2006 by Scott Vaccaro, a UC Davis Fermentation Science graduate and longtime homebrewer, Captain Lawrence brews a wide range of beer styles, producing as many up to 50 unique brands in a year. Shortly after opening, the brewery gained widespread notoriety for their sour and barrel-aged beers, winning its first of eight GABF medals in 2007. Today, in addition to its award-winning sour beers, Captain Lawrence is widely known for brewing extremely fresh IPAs, highly drinkable lagers, and a variety of specialty craft beers. In addition to its production facility in Elmsford, the brewery operates a Beer Hall and Beer Garden in Elmsford and satellite tap room and beer garden in Mt. Kisco, New York.
Hedlum non-alcoholic brews launch in New York tri-state area via Clare Rose
Hedlum, a new line of IPA-style non-alcoholic craft brews, will launch on the East Coast this summer. The brand’s first two “brewed to be wild” varieties, both in 12-oz cans with 70 calories each, include Hedlum IPA-style Juicy Boom and Hedlum IPA-style Wild Haze American. Both drinks will be priced competitively, with a target retail price of $11.99-14.99 for a six-pack.
Hedlum is cofounded by beverage sales executive Timothy Dwyer, who has held senior roles at Flow Water, Inc. and Vita Coco coconut water. Dwyer has also worked at PepsiCo and Red Bull. Dwyer’s business partner is Michael Scissons, an entrepreneur, the founder of Careerlist, and a former Anheuser-Busch InBev executive, and ZX Ventures board member.
“I love building categories as much as brands,” said Dwyer, who most recently was chief revenue officer for publicly-traded Flow Water Inc. “I’ve been fascinated with the rise of non-alc beer and am eager to help build this category and build Hedlum, on-premise and shortly, in stores. We have our early team in place and the adventure begins this summer.”
Hedlum’s first distributor is Clare Rose Inc., which represents non-alcoholic brands as well as iconic beer brands like Stella Artois, Heineken, Michelob Ultra, and Budweiser. For the Hedlum market debut, the brand and distributor are focusing on Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The brand’s go-to-market strategy is focused on the tri-state through the remainder of 2023.
The appeal of Hedlum is its delicious taste. Crack open an ice cold can and the nose says IPA with the head and mouth feel of a craft beer. Hedlum successfully and deliciously replicates the iconic beer experience, but with under 0.5% alcohol.
“I love social drinking,” said Dwyer. “But like many people I’m exploring other options besides the tried and true, but inspired by the tried and true. Hedlum is crafted to taste and feel like a classic IPA, is fantastic by itself or even better with a grilled hamburger and fries.” Dwyer also noted that Hedlum is great for session drinking. “We are proud of our first formulations and look forward to innovating further after these first two varieties find their audience.”
North Carolina’s Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing joins Bevana
Fiddlin’ Fish Brewery, one of central North Carolina’s most popular breweries, has signed on as an affiliate with Bevana Partners. The beverage platform, which has garnered national press for its focus on creative solutions for helping breweries to access the market, will make the company’s beers available for the first time across the country for home delivery. Just click here.
Founded in 2017 by outdoorsmen David Ashe and Stuart Barnhart, Fiddlin’ Fish has grown into an anchor of the Piedmont Triad’s beer scene, and its beers now see distribution across the state’s major metropolitan areas. Until now, however, the brewery’s ability to share its passion with customers across the country has been limited by the barriers of distribution and the challenges of e-commerce fulfillment. Through its affiliation with Bevana Partners, Fiddlin’ Fish will gain access to customers and markets that they never before could reach.
“We are excited to start our partnership with Bevana so we can share our love of beer with more people than ever before,” said Stuart Barnhart, cofounder of Fiddlin’ Fish. “Part of what drew us to craft beer in the first place was traveling around the country and trying different breweries’ unique takes on beer styles. Now, with this partnership, we are able to share the beers we are so proud of with people from across the country even if they don’t have the opportunity to visit us here in North Carolina.”
With popular beers such as That Fish Cray New England IPA and Major Winston’s Wheat, Fiddlin’ Fish has continued to deliver quality beer from across the spectrum of styles. Now the company will be able to do so more literally, with customers in 42 states able to have its new releases and old favorites alike delivered directly to their front doors, alongside dozens of other beers from top breweries across the country.
“Great beer shouldn’t be hard to find,” explained Aaron MJ Gore, Bevana Partners’ business development officer. “But so often, being able to enjoy the same fantastic beers that you’ve read about online, or discover a new favorite everyday staple, has been virtually impossible. We want to help people discover Fiddlin’ Fish, and other amazing breweries from across the world, without having to hop on a plane to do so.”
Craft beer enthusiasts can find Fiddlin’ Fish’s beers online through the Bevana Partners storefront, or at their taproom in Winston-Salem.
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