Distribution Roundup: Brewers Ink First Time Deals

SweetGum Taps the Golden Triangle

It seems no corner of America can go for too long without a new craft brewery finding it a suitable place to do business.

Mississippi’s Golden Triangle (That’s Columbus, Starkville, and West Point, if’n you’re not a native) is no different. The Dispatch touts SweetGum Brewing Co.’s Standby Red Ale as the Triangle’s “first homegrown beer.”

With that distinction, SweetGum has also entered into its first distribution agreement.

Through a partnership with Clark Beverage Group Inc., the brewery’s debut beer will be available at retailers in the Golden Triangle and across north Miss., both on draft and in bottled 6-packs, by the end of September.

The article adds SweetGum recently entered into a contract partnership with Lazy Magnolia, the state’s self-proclaimed oldest packaging brewery, but hopes to “eventually” occupy its own production facility in Starkville.

MIA Brewing Hits the Ground Running

The initial batches of MIA Brewing’s first beer won’t be ready for retail until the end of August, but the brewery already has upwards of 30 accounts waiting to carry it

According to the Miami New Times, the city’s newest brewery has tapped Most Wanted Beverages to distribute its debut Hefeweizen throughout the city.

“We don’t want to flood the market with our beer; we want to distribute to an exclusive list of accounts,” Eddie Leon, brewery owner, told the website.

It’s worth noting: Leon also helped start the distributor that will carry his beer, “a stake of which he owns under an eight-year limited partnership, which is allowed under Florida law,” the article adds.

Motorworks Expands Distribution throughout Manatee, Sarasota

Motorworks Brewing of Bradenton, Fla. has begun distributing its beers throughout the counties of Manatee and Sarasota, according to the Bradenton Herald.

Gold Coast Eagle Distributing has been tapped to cover the area’s bars and restaurants, which sales director Devyn Dugger said is good for Motorworks’ own business as well as the economy at large.

“Their expansion into distributing their product is not only good because it’s a local business,” he told the Herald, “but because it’s good for the local economy.”

Boosting the local economy might be nice, but the brewery’s ambitions are a tad loftier.

“We’re starting local, but we are going to distribute throughout the Tampa Bay area, then nationally, and then the world,” Kristin Martin, the brewery’s social media director, told the website.

Jolly Pumpkin Hits the Lone Star State

Michigan’s Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales has headed south to Texas where it now distributes four of its beers.

Per an agreement with Flood Distributing, Jolly Pumpkin’s brews can now be found at retailers in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston, according to The Dallas Morning News.

According to the article, the brewery’s Biere De Mars, Maracailbo Especial, Oro de Calabaza, and Calabaza Boreal (a collaboration with Anchorage Brewing Co.) are now available in the Texas market.

Dust Bowl Establishes Presence in San Francisco, North Bay Region

As the company prepares for increased production, Dust Bowl Brewing Co. has expanded its distribution footprint to include San Francisco and the North Bay Region.

The Turlock, Calif.-based brewery has inked an agreement with Morris Distributing for coverage in Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and San Francisco counties.

“[I]t’s essential to align ourselves with new distribution channels where we can grow our brand and sell more beer,” said Brett Tate, Dust Bowl founder, in a news release. “We believe Morris will be a great asset in a very competitive region.”

The agreement is merely the first in an “expected wave” of new distributor partners for the brewery, the statement adds.

Dust Bowl initially rolled out in the new markets with its flagship IPA, Hops of Wrath, last month, though additional offerings will become available as inventory allows.

As mentioned above, Dust Bowl is getting set to increase production to 10,000 barrels and more than double its current annual sales.