Lord Hobo Brewing Company

In this week’s distribution roundup: Lord Hobo adds New Jersey and Pennsylvania; Two Brothers expands to Tennessee; Ska Brewing hits Iowa and Surly launches in Colorado. Additionally, Moody Tongue expands to Wisconsin and Alesmith Brewing lands in Georgia.

A nearly decade-long debate over how to reform Massachusetts’ controversial beer franchise laws continued Tuesday afternoon, as craft brewers and beer wholesalers packed a basement meeting room of the statehouse to testify before the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

Fast-growing Lord Hobo Brewing – which launched in 2015 and grew more than 400 percent last year — today announced that it has sold a minority stake to Valterra Partners, a boutique private investment firm with offices in New York and Massachusetts. Specific financial terms were not disclosed, and the transaction is expected to close this month.

Lord Hobo Brewing Company (LHBCo) has announced plans to increase their distribution footprint with expansion into Florida. LHBCo, who recently celebrated their 2nd Anniversary, grew nearly 415% in 2016 and the company is on track to produce 30,000 bbls in 2017; Florida will play a large role in that growth. LHBCo has partnered with Cavalier Distributing for state-wide distribution in the Sunshine State.

A Massachusetts state task force dealing with examining the state’s decades-old liquor laws met on Thursday — and beer distribution was on the agenda.

When Lord Hobo Brewing opened a 47,000 sq. ft. facility with initial capacity to produce 20,000 barrels annually, The Boston Herald called the launch “likely the largest craft brewery opening in New England history.” The company, which opened last month, has the production goals to match. Located in Woburn, Mass., Lord Hobo is hoping to introduce 10,000 barrels of beer to drinkers in the Bay State and beyond by the end of its first year in business.