21st Amendment to Open Chicago this Spring
San Francisco’s 21st Amendment Brewery has announced plans to expand distribution to Chicago this spring, sales director Ted Whitney told Brewbound. “We’ll be sitting down to plan the launch in the next few weeks and we expect this to be an epic beer landing,” he said. The company is currently in the process of finalizing its wholesaler partnerships, though it would not specify what distributors it’s teaming up with. The brewery expects to launch with Brew Free! Or Die, Black in Black IPA, Down to Earth Session IPA, Hell or High Watermelon Wheat, and, come summer, Hop Crisis.
Urban Chestnut Expands Distribution to Chicago
Having spent a good portion of 2014 expanding its footprint throughout Missouri, St. Louis’ Urban Chestnut Brewing will now head out of state, with Chicago set to come online next week. According to the St. Louis Business Journal, the company has inked an agreement with Lakeshore Beverage, which will distribute Urban Chestnut products throughout the city starting Monday. “We’ve been seriously interested in selling our beers in Chicago for quite a while,” brewery co-founder David Wolfe said in a statement on the website. “We’re thrilled to be entering a market with such a hyper-dynamic brewing scene; a craft beer market with lots of local breweries, a constant stream of new entries, and an abundance of avid and knowledgeable beer drinkers.” The company expects to sell up to 1,500 barrels in the area in its first 12 months.
Bison Brewing Parlays Washington Success into Oregon Rollout
Berkeley, California’s Bison Brewing has entered a new partnership with Point Blank Distributing for coverage in Oregon, the brewery announced this week. Though this particular relationship is new, Bison already has close ties with Point Blank’s co-founder and owner, Aaron Gardner, who doubles as the founder and owner of Alpha Distributing, Bison’s wholesaler in Washington. “I already have a great business relationship with Aaron Gardner in Washington,” said Bison owner and brewmaster Daniel Del Grande, in a statement. “We’ve experienced tremendous growth and sales success with Alpha Distributing in Washington—and I have great faith that we can do the same thing with Point Blank in Oregon.”
Freetail Spreads out in Texas
Freetail Brewing has found some run room in Texas and has partnered up with a pair of wholesalers for coverage throughout previously untapped markets. According to the San Antonio Business Journal, the brewery, out of San Antonio, has partnered with Tri-City Distributors for distribution in Comal, Gonzales and Guadalupe counties, and with Silver Eagle Distributors, which will cover Houston and the surrounding areas. “This is what we worked so hard towards,” Freetail founder and CEO Scott Metzger told the website. “Houston is a real game changer because of physical distance from San Antonio and the size of the craft beer market there.”
Center of the Universe Now in Hampton Roads
Center of the Universe Brewing of Ashland, Va. has announced plans to expand distribution to parts of the Hampton Roads market, including Virginia Beach and Norfolk, reports RichmondBizSense.com. The three-year-old company has inked a deal with Hoffman Beverage Co. for distribution in the area, according to the article. “They treat craft beer seriously and not as an afterthought,” brewery co-owner Phil Ray told the website. “It’s important to find a distributor who uses craft beer and really tries to drive craft beer sales.” The brewery plans to tap the northern Virginia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. markets in the next two years.
Miami Brewing Launches Asheville, N.C.
Beers from Miami Brewing will now be sold throughout Asheville, N.C. per an agreement the brewery has reached with Durham-based Empire Distributors, Inc., reports the Miami New Times. Brewery founder Peter Schnebly credits Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp tour with turning the company onto the market, as the company garnered interest from distributors in the area when it poured a popular coconut flavored beer dubbed Big Rod. The company plans to move eastward in the state for coastal availability this summer.