Dogfish Head Announces Distributors in Wisconsin, Rhode Island

Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione celebrates his brewery's re-entry into Wisconsin.

As Dogfish Head’s supply catches up to demand, the Milton, Del.-based brewery continues to announce details on its re-entry into states that it had exited in March 2011.

In a blog entry posted today on the brewery’s website, a Dogfish Head spokesperson writes that beer is on the way to wholesalers in Wisconsin and will ship to Rhode Island next week.

The first wholesaler partners in Wisconsin include Frank Beer in Madison, La Crosse Beverage of La Crosse, Kay Distributing in De Pere and Green Bay and Lee Beverage in Oshkosh and Eau Claire. The brewery previously worked with Specialty Beverage in Wisconsin.

The truck headed to Wisconsin was stocked with 90 Minute IPA, Indian Brown Ale, Midas Touch, Palo Santo Marron, Burton Baton, Tweason’ale, 75 Minute IPA, Namaste, Hellhound On My Ale, Sah’Tea, Theobroma and Kvasir.

Just as Dogfish Head will return to Rhode Island, it will also revisit business with C&C Distributors, which previously worked with the brewery.

To coincide with the revival of distribution, the brewery will host pouring events in La Crosse, De Pere, Madison, Oshkosh and possibly one more location in Wisconsin. On Dec. 18, Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione will host a launch event at Doherty’s Ale House in Warwick, R.I., with proceeds supporting the beer education program at Johnson & Wales University.

The blog post also noted that the brewery is moving forward with assigning wholesalers and negotiating state and local regulations in Indiana and Tennessee.

“Our fingers are crossed that we’ll have news to share on Indiana right around the very end of the year and Tennessee soon after that,” the blog notes.

In conjunction with its $52 million expansion, which will open up about 300,000 barrels of capacity, Calagione announced in June his intention to return Dogfish Head to the four aforementioned states. Today’s blog post narrows the brewery’s plans in two of them.

Tomorrow morning at Brewbound Session San Diego 2013, Calagione will deliver the keynote address: Transcending Liquid: Branding Beyond Beer.