Long ago we estranged our sources. Heads rolled, memos were fired off, mouths closed. But, happily, time rolls on and the rumor mill keeps on churning.
Here's the latest to roll off the Telex at TBT Towers:
Green Flash out of San Diego hopes to land here in the fall. We thought it was odd that they are apparently leaning towards Columbia Distributing rather than Click. But we were reminded that Columbia already represents them in the Portland market. Remember also that Click represents all the other San Diego hot shots, Stone, Port and Abbey, and, soon, Alesmith. Hopefully Columbia will have their shit together by then.
We also hear that Alaskan (Motto: We don't just make that crappy Amber) is looking around for new respect and a new distributor. This is where your eyes will glaze over but here's the details.
The Alaskan guys don't feel that the Bud sales force properly represents them. Until the recent buy-out of Bud by InBev, Bud distributors could only sell Bud products, but not anymore.
Now, Bud distributors, flush with cash, and the all important cooler space in your favorite supermarket, are aggressively snapping up the distribution of new brands and even small breweries such as Big Al's and Rogue Issaquah. And that's leaving the Alaska guys out in the cold.
So, the big question is where will Alaskan go? Obviously with someone else who can get their beer in the stores. (Do we need to remind you that it's all about six-pack sales). Most likely, Columbia (Miller) in King County. And until we have way more babies down here, we don't count.
Again, who cares? To those that do care it's set up an interesting quandary. What does New Belgium do? If Alaskan joins Columbia that puts the NB guys in the same house as Deschutes, Full Sail, Pyramid, Sierra Nevada, Mac 'n' Jacks, Manny's and ,err, Alaskan. That's a lot of middle of the road brands.
So, expect to see New Belgium jump ship to Click soon, they already have one foot over the gangplank.
Remember, you didn't care about it here first.
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10 comments:
At this point does anybody even care about any of the brands you mentioned. It seems as though change is only hurting the consumert and in thisese delicate economic times stability would do all of these companies well.
I'm pretty sure that in a race for the best amber beer we all lose. The only brand out of the group that is doing anything even remotely interesting is New Belgium and with here pending expansion I can't see them going anywhere.
I'm not saying that The Dissedent wasn't a bad ass beer, but nobody is pushing the envelope. Isn't Deschutes in the process of discontinuing beers like Buzzsaw Brown in favor of getting back in the hop game. And with the shake up over the last couple of years quality is slipping in there flagship Mirror Pond.
Alaskan is basically a nonplayer and my goodness why even waste he space on your already contreversial blog.
I'm just saying...
It is all about 6-pack sales as you say Mr. O’Gara. If you take Deschutes 22oz. bottled beer away they are definitely middle of the road (except for Obsidian stout – that’s a good six-pack beer). Of the “six-pack occasionally on sale at the supermarket” segment, Sierra Nevada Torpedo is the one that is rising above right now. A couple new beers have come out recently that started adding real hop character to beers (ex. Drifter, Torpedo). Let’s hope Deschutes and others follow this and quit punishing us with that hideous Inversion (don’t worry Deschutes that is less of an insult than it sounds…I know Inversion because I drank my share ;-)
Thank you Mr.Murphy for your measured and informative comment.
But once again I'm tired of the pseudo-informed anonymous posters. If you have something to say put your name on it. And please, please, check your spelling.
Just as a side note, these brands are important, because they take up most of the space on the store shelves. I would imagine that the company Anonymous works for would kill for that kind of exposure.
Why are you so concerned with people making comments on your blog who do not post their names? A blogger who can't handle anonymous responses shouldn't be blogging in the first place. Plus, O'Gara is pretty generic in it's own right except for the fact that anyone in the beer business knows you manage the Parkway and that you gather most of your information second hand from other retailers, distributor reps and supplier reps.
Here is a copy of your first blog:
The noble purpose of this blog is to disseminate unsubstantiated rumors, malicious gossip, and any other scuttlebutt we can find concerning the Tacoma beer business.
You might want to revisit your original plan with this blog since you are one of the biggest contributors of spreading rumors and malicious gossip. Just read most of your post, they do nothing to better the industry or help the cause. You slam beers you don't like, you slam breweries you don't like and you slam people you don't like. One has to wonder why you are even involved in this industry since you usually don't have anything positive to say.
With that being said, I will continue to read your blog because I need a good laugh every once in a while. Plus, I actually like the Parkway and have for years.
Cheers!
Sounds like a few people spend more time thinking then drinking. Are they even from Tacoma?
Nice try Mick, oh no, it's Mike this time. Let's take your comments one at a time.
I don't have a problem with anonymous posters in general. But when they claim to be industry insiders and have an axe to grind "anonymous" usually translates as "scared". If you know more than I do how do you know it?
I should also point out that I can do whatever the fuck I want on my blog. No-one has to read it. In fact almost nobody does. If you have blog rules I would suggest you write your own, superior, blog.
Even in the large Metropolis of T-town I'm hardly anonymous. I have tried, successfully I think, to maintain this blog's objectivity.
The information I gather and publish on this blog is actually first-hand, much in the way newspaper reporters would gather their information, I talk to people. Having learnt from past mistakes I now verify everything I learn from a second source.
By the way, I'd be happy to punch you in the nose next time you besmirch the noble name of O'Gara which can be traced back to Miletius, the progenitor of all true Irishmen(c. 1500 BC). I'm hardly hiding behind a "generic" name. I could call myself John if I was ashamed of what I did.
Finally, I'm not here to help the "industry", the industry is here to help us get the best beer possible into the bellies of those that demand the highest quality beverages.
As long as anonymous people like yourself think that the craft beer movement is merely a business opportunity, or an "industry" I will be here to call bullshit.
As long as self-important brewers imagine that they can piss in a bottle, slap some wax and a cork on it and charge $30, I will call bullshit.
As long as distributors continue to sell us what they are trying to get rid of rather than what the public wants, I will call bullshit.
I think I just found myself a new noble purpose.
I will be honest and say I usually go by anonymous because, a) I'm to drunk to figure out how to put my name on this or b)I'm just spitting out some drivel, but you Mr. O'Gara, well all I can say is hear, hear. I will no longer hide behind anonymous, I will proudly use the name my parents gave me. But this spell check thing? What the fuck is that?
You, sir, are perpetuating people like you who wish they were in the business, understood the business or had anything to do with the business creating problems for the CONSUMER with your false 'inside reporting'. If you really want TO BE AN ASSET to this great beer industry we have in WA state, you would report on the facts of beer here (which has really no issues with the distributors/suppliers in this great state) but more what the consumers want. You want to be an inside guy, get a job in the industry that works for the people, not aginst them. And before you tell me you are 'ALREADY IN THE BUSINESS', remember, what you hear from your beer guys ( be it internet, dist. reps or hearsay )it is SALES. They will tell you whatever you are willing to hear to make the sale. Please be a true publican and do what you do best, get great beer to the people. Nothing more. Otherwise, open your own distributorship and show the whole state, and world, why you can do it better.
M
NBB going to Click? Dude, you are a moron for even thinking that could or would happen. There is no way Click could handle such a huge brand as NBB. Think about it. Columbia covers the entire I-5 corridor from Bellingham to Olympia. Your telling us that Click is ready to step in and take that over. Dude, get your shit straight before you spew this garbage. Good lord.
Dude.
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