This last Tuesday I met with Steve Wagner, President / Brewmaster of Stone Brewing Co. and signed a distribution agreement! I cannot express in words how excited and happy I am about this.
Stone is a great company, brewing excellent beers and distributing in Southern California for some of my favorite breweries such as Russian River, Avery, Port Brewing / Lost Abbey and Victory. Their portfolio is limited to very high quality craft beer brands. Their sales force is well educated about beer-- in fact, I'd say most of them are beer geeks. Picking up distribution for us is a testament to the quality of our beers and our future potential.
They distribute in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, so you'll be able to find our beers all over Southern California within the next few weeks. Perhaps the best news is I won't have to deliver beer anymore!
Cheers to the great people of Stone!
Tyler took a picture of the signing ceremony:
Congrats on your distribution deal - but is choosing another brewer (i.e. competitor) to distribute your beer really the best way to go?
ReplyDeleteHi Don-
ReplyDeleteI see where you're coming from, but even though we're both craft breweries, we make very different styles of beers, so I don't have any concern about it.
If I were making IPA's, I'd think twice, but even then they do a great job for other breweries, even ones with competing products.
Cheers,
Patrick
I wonder how great a job they did for Dogfish - another brewery with competing products. I think Dogfish is with another distributor now.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the signing Pat!
ReplyDeleteI need to get my hands on that Batch 01!
Congratulations Patrick! I've been waiting patiently to see some stuff make it to the IE. I guess I can wait a little longer.
ReplyDeleteGreat news. I have been following you blog since before you signed your lease. I am looking forward to trying your beers in San Diego. From what I can tell, Stone does a good job.
ReplyDeleteYeah BaBy! BuyBuy!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to et my hands on some of Batch '01 Levud's too. (hint, hint, hint)
Glad to help bottle up your beer's too! Great time, brilliant brews too. When's the next one?
Thanks guys!
ReplyDeleteDavid-- Stone will be bringing my beers out to the IE, so let me know where you'd like to see them! In the meantime, we're at Lone Hill Liquor in Glendora, not too far from you.
Rational Realist-- I spent all day yesterday having different prospective accounts in San Diego taste our beers, so please keep an eye out in the next week or two!
Lyn-- I'll be bottling on Monday and Tuesday. Either day work out for you? Tuesday will be 30 BBL worth.
Pat,
ReplyDeleteSorry, did not check out your blog post. Email or call me next time you're bottling. I'll be trying a bottle of Batch '01 tonight that I got from Hollingsheads with Pete.