Bend Ore.-based Deschutes Brewery is aiming to broaden its reach in 2014 with plans to expand into new markets and introduce additional brands to its year-round lineup.
The brewery will begin with launches in Ohio and Kentucky on January 24, per a wholesale agreement with Heidelberg Distributing Company’s Rampant Brands Division.
In April, it will look to fill out its footprint in Pennsylvania with new distribution in the Pittsburgh market. Later in the year, beer drinkers in Michigan and Wisconsin will be able buy some of the brewery’s core products, including Black Butte Porter or Mirror Pond Pale Ale.
“More of our fans will be able to get our beers in their home states,” said marketing director Jeff Billingsley in a press release, “and we’re making some pretty amazing additions to our line-up for the year.”
One of those additions include Deschutes’ Fresh Squeezed IPA, which is being added to the brewery’s year-round portfolio. The beer is expected to be released in March and will be available on draft and in 6-packs in all markets where Deschutes beers are sold.
The announcement from Deschutes comes after a year in which the brewery expanded distribution to South Dakota, Illinois, and Iowa. To bolster its distribution goals for 2014, Deschutes recently added five new 1,300 barrel fermentation tanks, and plans to add additional tanks, an expansion that could bring the company’s production capacity to 460,000 barrels annually.
The full press release is below:
Bend, Oregon – Craft beer fans will have even more styles to enjoy from Deschutes Brewery in the coming year, including the return of old favorites and the release of brand-new experiments. In addition, new market launches scheduled throughout the year are kicked off by a week-long series of events in Ohio and Kentucky at the end of this month.
“We’re looking forward to a fantastic New Year in 2014,” said marketing director, Jeff Billingsley. “More of our fans will be able to get our beers in their home states, and we’re making some pretty amazing additions to our line-up for the year. We continually experiment with a number of beers at our pubs and we’re excited to make a few more of our favorites available to our fans.”
Fans spoke, the brewery listened. Fresh Squeezed IPA will make its way into the brewery’s year-round portfolio for 2014. This refreshing brew will be released in March in 6-packs and draft to all markets as part of the Bond Street Series. This IPA is a “citrus bomb” in every way: three types of malt and a whole lot of Citra and Mosaic hops made this a fan favorite from the very beginning.
One of the largest changes to the beer menu for 2014 are three 22-ounce mainline offerings available year-round starting at the end of March. Distributed primarily in the Mountain and Pacific regions, these beers include Pine Mountain Pilsner, Armory XPA and the classic Cinder Cone Red (yea! It’s back!!).
Other notable beers coming up for the year include:
- Belgian IPA, featuring Galaxy hops, which will be available in 22-ouncebottles and draft from May-September as part of the Bond Street Series;
- Not the Stoic, a Belgian-style Quad, brand-new addition to the Reserve Series;
- More Reserve Series love from Mirror Mirror (last release in 2009) all the way to favorites like The Dissident, The Abyss and the brewery’s 26th anniversary brew, Black Butte XXVI;
- New Nitro Draft program (yum!) featuring brews throughout the year such as Obsidian Stout, Red Chair, Cinder Cone Red, Armory XPA and Jubelale; and
- After a wildly successful launch in 2013, the brewery’s “session style”Deschutes River Ale will now be available in 12-packs for fans in Utah and the Pacific Northwest.
And there’s more – for a complete calendar of release dates and beers, please visit the Deschutes Brewery website.
Geographic expansion starts off this year with a launch in Ohio and Kentucky beginning January 24. In April, the brewery will round out its presence in Pennsylvania by launching in the Pittsburgh area – greater Philadelphia started receiving Deschutes beers year-round last summer. Later in the year, fans in Wisconsin and Michigan will also be able to find their favorite Deschutes Brewery beers in their home states bringing the total number of states at the end of 2014 to 27.
About Deschutes Brewery
Founded in 1988 as a brew pub in Bend, Oregon, Deschutes Brewery is known for brewing a diverse line-up of award winning beers including the popular Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale. In 2008, the brewery opened a second pub in Portland’s Pearl District. Deschutes Brewery now ships beer to 23 states and around the world from its main brewing facility located on the banks of the Deschutes River. To find out more, visit www.DeschutesBrewery.com.