Canadian craft beer portfolio to make U.S. splash with nine states, more to come

2×4 Brewing & Imports LLC signed deals with distributors in nine states and the District of Columbia to represent Canadian craft beers and ciders imported by 2×4 Brewing & Imports LLC under its Canada’s Select Brews portfolio.

The following states and distributors will sell the beers from Canada’s Select Brews portfolio. These Canadian craft beers and ales are shipping to these new markets now through the end of December to prepare for official January market launches with distributor sales staff.

Alabama – United-Johnson Brothers

Georgia – Quality Wines & Spirits

Illinois – Stoller Wholesale Wine & Spirits

North Carolina – Fine Wine Trading Company

Maryland – Hop & Wine Beverage

Maine – Pine State Trading Company

Virginia – Hop & Wine Beverage

Tennessee – Lipman Brothers

Vermont – Capital Candy Co/ Granite City Beverage

District of Columbia – Hop & Wine Beverage

The Canada’s Select Brews family of craft beers, ales and ciders will be offered to retailers and restaurateurs as a package of high-quality, hand-crafted and unique products from Canada. The portfolio currently consists of two British Columbia Craft Breweries, Howe Sound Brewing from Squamish, BC and Parallel 49 Brewing Company from Vancouver.

2×4 is in contract negotiations with one more additional BC brewery and six more breweries from the Ontario and New Brunswick provinces. Signing announcements for new member breweries to the portfolio will be made in the coming weeks.

According to Fore, the goal of Canada’s Select Brews™ is to promote and create Canada’s finest craft beers to the US market and introduce a new “Import Craft Category.”

These new states will add to the statewide California distribution signed last month with Young’s Market Co. Additional distributor agreements in review for Arizona, Florida and New York will be finalized and announced by the end of January 2014.

2×4 is operated by U.S. craft brewing veterans Scott Fore, formerly of Rocland Beverage Co., owner of Ass Kisser Ales, and Tony Formby, former managing partner and co-owner of Rahr & Sons Brewing of Fort Worth, Texas.