Brewbound Podcast Episode 19: Josh Landan on His Return to Beer

Josh Landan is back in the beer business.

Landan, who co-founded Saint Archer in 2013, sold the San Diego craft brewery to MillerCoors in 2015, and departed the country’s second-largest beer company in 2017, has launched a number of new startup ventures based in Southern California.

Those new businesses include a craft-focused beer and wine wholesaler called Scout Distribution, and a new craft beer brand called Harland Brewing, and a wine label called Claxton Cellars.

Landan is also the co-founder of Villager Goods, a company that makes non-alcoholic beverages, as well as organic kids juices and snacks.

But the impetus to rejoin an ultra-crowded and intensely competitive craft beer segment was not only aimed at building new companies with his closest friends but also helping other alcohol beverage entrepreneurs avoid some of the pitfalls associated with running being a startup.

“When I got into Saint Archer, I didn’t know anybody or anything,” he said. “I needed help. There were so many questions. I didn’t know anything.”

In episode 19 of the Brewbound Podcast, Landan talks about his time building the Saint Archer brand and the lessons he learned as a first-time entrepreneur. He also discusses the differences between building a beer company and a non-alcoholic beverage company.

Also in this episode: Brewbound editors Chris Furnari and Justin Kendall discuss the early 2019 headlines and storylines. Furnari and Kendall also make some predictions for the new year and provide an update on the Goose Island field goal challenge.

Listen to episode 19 of the Brewbound Podcast above, as well as on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, and Soundcloud. New episodes of the Brewbound Podcast, which is co-hosted by Furnari and Kendall, are published every Thursday.

Episode 20, featuring House Beer founder Brendan Sindell, will be released on Thursday, January 24.

For questions, comments or suggestions, please email [email protected].

In episode 19 of the Brewbound Podcast, Josh Landan talks about his time building the Saint Archer brand and the lessons he learned as a first-time entrepreneur. He also discusses the differences between building a beer company and a non-alcoholic beverage company.