CHARLOTTE — The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery (OMB) has teamed up with Tryon Distributing to bring its award-winning line of pure, fresh, traditionally brewed lagers and ales to the Triangle and surrounding counties for the first time this fall.
The expansion marks the first major development since North Carolina modernized its beer distribution laws earlier this year with the passage of the Craft Beer Distribution and Modernization Act. The new law allows local breweries to offer their beer through a distributor without sacrificing self-distribution.
“It’s a win-win for everyone,” said John Marrino, Founder of OMB. “Not only does it benefit our homegrown brewer-manufacturers, but also our North Carolina-based distributors and local retailers. The new law allows all three tiers of the state’s beer industry to grow together. It creates a virtuous investment cycle where more of our dollars are pumped right back into our local communities through our homegrown businesses.”
Tryon will distribute fresh OMB beer to 19 counties in Central North Carolina, including the Raleigh/Durham metro area. Consumers in these counties will soon have access to some of Charlotte’s favorite beers, including year-round top-sellers such as OMB’s flagship Copper Ale, an authentic Düsseldorf-style Altbier (and Charlotte’s #1 selling craft beer), Captain Jack Pilsner and Hornet’s Nest Hefeweizen, as well as seasonal favorites including the multiple medal-winning (on two continents) Mecktoberfest Märzen-style lager.
Brad Johnston, Founder and Owner of Tryon Distributing, commented, “We’re excited to add OMB to our strong craft beer portfolio in central North Carolina. This is a great boost for our business as well as a win for Triangle consumers.”
All OMB beer will be sent fresh weekly to Tryon’s state-of-the-art distribution center in Durham, where it will be stored at 34F in their cold room for a very short time before being delivered fresh to local restaurants and grocery stores in the region. By delivering weekly and always keeping the beer cold, OMB and Tryon can guarantee the maximum possible freshness to the consumer. “This will ensure the beer tastes just as good in Raleigh or Durham as it does at the south Charlotte brewery. There really is no substitute for fresh beer,” said Marrino.
MORE ABOUT THE OLDE MECKLENBURG BREWERY
Charlotte’s oldest brewery, OMB was founded in 2009 to bring pure, fresh, traditional, premium quality beer to the Carolinas. OMB uses time-honored brewing methods and adheres strictly to Germany’s world-famous beer purity law, known as the “Reinheitsgebot,” which means its beers contain only four all-natural ingredients; water, malt, hops, and yeast. Nothing else. Simply put, it’s pure beer. Five beers are available year-round and at least eight others make seasonal and holiday appearances — always pulled fresh weekly from the lager tanks and packaged, delivered and stored cold to preserve freshness. The Brewery has received numerous regional, national and international medals in North America and Europe for its brews. OMB was named Best Brewery Tour in the country by the readers of USA Today and receives many accolades for its multi-acre Munich-inspired Biergarten, which seats over 1,000. For more information, visit oldemeckbrew.com or @oldemeckbrew on social media.
MORE ABOUT TRYON DISTRIBUTING
Tryon was founded in 1985 by Brad Johnston and Steve Hedberg specializing in fine wine and imported beer in the Charlotte market. Seven years later Tryon purchased a small distributor in Asheville and started servicing all of Western NC. In 2002 Tryon purchased four distributors around the state to have coverage throughout the entire state. Tryon was very involved in helping raise the 6% ABV cap on beer to 15% “Pop the Cap”. Since then Tryon has been focused on the craft business and has grown it to almost half of their business. Tryon employs approximately 270 people around the state.