Shmaltz Brewing Co. is expanding to Iowa per an agreement with Johnson Brothers of Iowa, making it the 35th state in the brewery’s distribution footprint.
It marks the first big announcement of the year from the brewery, which enjoyed a very active 2013. Over the past 12 months, the company opened a new production facility in Upstate New York, sold its Coney Island line to Alchemy & Science, and landed 10 new distribution agreements across eight states.
According to a press release, the brewery is projected to increase its staff to 20 employees and reach $4 million in sales this year.
“We are really excited to bring Shmaltz Brewing Company and He’brew┬« beers to Iowa,” said Lyle Stutzman, President Johnson Brothers, in the release. “Having the ‘Best Craft Brewer in America’ in our portfolio is an honor.”
Two tasting events and a launch party will take place to coincide with the launch in Iowa.
The full release is below:
Clifton Park, NY — Shmaltz Brewing Company is thrilled to announce the partnership with a new distributor, Johnson Brothers of Iowa, Inc., as they enter the Iowa market for the first time. The latest addition to Shmaltz’s new team of distributors across the country, Johnson Brothers enhances the regional retail presence and draft availability of the award-winning craft beer line: He’brew — The Chosen Beer┬«. Shmaltz’s distribution growth comes on the heels of the grand opening of a new 20,000 square feet brewing facility in Clifton Park, NY. Projected annual sales for 2014 are estimated at nearly $4 million, and Shmaltz increases its staff to 20 employees.
“We are really excited to bring Shmaltz Brewing Company and He’brew┬« beers to Iowa,” says Lyle Stutzman, President Johnson Brothers of Iowa. “Having the ‘Best Craft Brewer in America’ in our portfolio is an honor.”
Jeff Bruning, owner of El Bait Shop in Des Moines, notes “Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.┬« is one of my favorite beers. I loved their originality so much I got a copy of Shmaltz proprietor Jeremy Cowan’s small business memoir, Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah.”
Please see the detailed information below for the forthcoming Iowa launch events:
Wednesday, January 15th
He’brew Beer Tasting
4:30-6:30pm
Whole Foods, 4100 University Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50266
Shmaltz National Sales Manager, Zak Davis, will be on hand to pour samples of all currently-available Shmaltz beers: Genesis Dry Hopped Session Ale┬«, Messiah Nut Brown Ale┬«, Hop Manna IPA┬«, Death of a Contract Brewer Black IPA┬«, Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.┬«, and R.I.P.A. on RYE┬« – aged on Willet Rye Whiskey barrels. This is the first He’brew tasting in Des Moines, and a great opportunity to try the whole family!
He’brew Beer Tasting
4:30-6:30pm
John’s Grocery, 401 E Market St, Iowa City, IA 52245
Shmaltz Regional Manager, Tom Prusila, will be sampling through Shmaltz’s entire available lineup: Genesis Dry Hopped Session Ale┬«, Messiah Nut Brown Ale┬«, Hop Manna IPA┬«, Death of a Contract Brewer Black IPA┬«, Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.┬«, and R.I.P.A. on RYE┬« – aged on Willet Rye Whiskey barrels.
Thursday, January 16th
Official Shmaltz Brewing Kickoff
5:00-8:00pm
El Bait Shop, 200 SW 2nd St, Des Moines, IA 50309
Celebrate our first foray into the Iowa craft beer market with a truly spectacular (and award-winning) collection of He’brew┬« beers: Hop Manna IPA┬« – dry hopped with Cascade, Centennial, and Citra hops; Death of a Contract Brewer Black IPA┬« – Shmaltz’s newest year-round offering and an homage to their new brewery in Clifton Park, NY; Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A.┬« – a rye-based double IPA brewed with an obscene amount of malts and hops; Jewbelation REBORN┬« – brewed with 17 robust malts, 17 unique hops, and weighing in at 17% abv.; Funky Jewbelation 2013┬« – a blend of 6 ales and lagers aged in bourbon and rye whiskey barrels; and R.I.P.A. on RYE 2013┬« – aged on Willet Rye Whiskey barrels. If this doesn’t make you shout “L’Chaim!!,” nothing will.
About Shmaltz Brewing Company
Ranked in 2013 as one of the “Top 100 Brewers in the World” by RateBeer.com, Shmaltz won 9 Gold and 5 Silver Medals in the World Beer Championships in 2012. A recipient of the “Distinguished Business Award” by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Shmaltz was also included in the “Top 50 Fastest Growing Bay Area Companies” by San Francisco Business Times.
Founder and still sole proprietor Jeremy Cowan established the company in San Francisco in 1996 with the first 100 cases of He’brew Beer┬«. He’brew┬« now sells across 35 states, through 40 wholesalers and nearly 4,000 retailers. In 2007, Shmaltz released a new line of craft brewed lagers under the Coney Island┬« banner. The Coney Island brand was recently acquired by Alchemy and Science, a craft beer incubator, owned by Boston Beer (Sam Adams).
After 17 years of being an outspoken cheerleader for contract brewing, Shmaltz recently broke with tradition and opened its own New York State production brewery in Clifton Park, NY, 10 minutes north of Albany’s capital district. Shmaltz’s new home boasts a 50-barrel brewhouse with 20,000 barrels of annual capacity. The new brewery packages 12 and 22 ounce bottles and kegs of their diverse core and seasonal favorites, and hosts fans and beer tourists in their new tasting room for tours, barrel-aged previews, and special releases.
In 2010/11, Cowan published his small business memoir, Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah: How It Took 13 Years, Extreme Jewish Brewing, and Circus Sideshow Freaks to Make Shmaltz Brewing Company an International Success. A free sampling of Chapter One and suggested beer pairings, can be viewed at www.craftbeerbarmitzvah.com. In 2012, Cowan spearheaded the creation of the non-profit New York City Brewers Guild (which manages NYC Beer Week) and serves as its President.
Cowan also has presented at the 2013 Craft Brewers Conference, as well as previous Great American Beer Festivals, BevNet’s Brewbound conference, Beer Advocate’s Extreme Beer Festival, the Atlanta and the St. Louis Jewish Book Fairs, and the San Francisco and New York Jewish Museums.
Shmaltz Brewing beers have appeared in such distinguished media outlets as The New York Times, CNN Headline News, Beer Advocate Magazine, NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” Fox Business News, Men’s Health, San Francisco Chronicle, The Jerusalem Report, New York Jewish Week, and Washington Post.