Why this distribution pattern???

[jakenbacon]

Hello all, I have a very unimportant question..... Why do you suppose some beer distribution is so strange? I have noticed that craft brew seems to 'skip' certain areas or states, or they may have one lonesome state that they distribute to out west (https://bellsbeer.com/brands/brand-finder/) while they primarily distribute out east....blah blah blah.... Can someone explain why so many strange distribution patterns? Thanks!!!

 

[Fuzzymittenbrewing]

In a nutshell Id say laws (labeling and otherwise) and different costs from diff distro companies.

 

[Homercidal]

Different states have different laws regarding the beer they sell. Bells may not want to deal with brewing special beers for special states, or having to only sell a few that meet that state's criteria.

I *think* Bells actually has a small production brewery in AZ. As I understand it they offer Oberon year round down there. I know they are building a couple more breweries in Michigan and one is going to be in the UP (Escanaba?), so I expect they may be ramping up production to offer more beer to the northern states going further west.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

New Belgium used to be unavailable in South Dakota while you could get it in Wyoming & Nebraska. way I heard it from a friend that works for a SD distributor is that the SD distributors pissed off NB & they refused distribution in that state. that's only hearsay, but I wouldn't put it past successful breweries to pick & choose how they see fit.

 

[Fuzzymittenbrewing]

New Belgium used to be unavailable in South Dakota while you could get it in Wyoming & Nebraska. way I heard it from a friend that works for a SD distributor is that the SD distributors pissed off NB & they refused distribution in that state. that's only hearsay, but I wouldn't put it past successful breweries to pick & choose how they see fit.

There's definately no shortage of politics involved

 

[dcbc]

It definitely varies state to state. Some states require that you have a brewer's permit in that state. More money to spend. May not be worth it. Some states have agreement by geographic area. For example, Breweries in Texas used to sell territories to one distributor or another and reserve the right to self distribute in others.

Beer laws are weird and lead to, often, absurd results.

 

[dcbc]

...double post...