Crooked Stave Artisans Distributing Ends 2014 With Nearly 100 Brands in its Portfolio, Plans for Spirits & Wine in 2015
(Denver, CO) – Crooked Stave Artisans Distributing (CSA) had a huge 2014, growing its number of artisan beer brands to 80 and expanding its portfolio of unique ciders, as well as forging a new distribution relationship with Dallas-based Sublime Imports.
Over the last year, Crooked Stave Artisans Distributing (CSA) brought in craft beers from over 10 states and 15 countries. The brands new to CSA in 2014 include: Fremont Brewing (Seattle, WA), Oakshire Brewing (Eugene, OR), Almanac Beer Company (San Francisco, CA), Breakside Brewing (Portland, OR), Jester King Brewery (Austin, TX), Westbrook Brewing (Mount Pleasant, SC), Cascade Brewing (Portland, OR), Gigantic Brewing (Portland, OR), Magnolia Brewing (San Francisco, CA), Green Bench Brewing (St. Petersburg, FL), Off Color Brewing (Chicago, IL), Against the Grain (Louisville, KY), Cambridge Brewing Company (Cambridge, MA), Brasserie Blaugies (Belgium), and Brasserie de la Senne (Belgium).
Through a new distribution relationship with Sublime Imports (Dallas, TX), Crooked Stave Artisans Distributing added unique offerings from two breweries in Israel – Malka Brewery and Alexander Beer – as well as several breweries from Spain including Mateo & Bernabé and Friends, Premium Beers from Spain, and Cervezas la Cibelas.
Seeing a gap in the local market, CSA made a push over the last six months to bring in artisanal ciders never before seen in Colorado. By the end of December 2014, CSA’s cider portfolio reached 12 brands, including farmhouse offerings from L’Hermitère (France), ice ciders and cider aperitifs from Eden Ice Cider Company (West Charleston, VT), as well as a still table cider from Argus Cidery (Austin, TX). Crooked Stave Artisans Distributing also added meads from Celestial Meads (Anchorage, AK) and Green River Ambrosia (Greenfield, MA) to its portfolio.
At the end of the year, Crooked Stave Artisans Distributing branched out beyond the realm of fermented beverages, adding Denver-based The Real Dill’s Bloody Mary Mix to its line-up.
“Crooked Stave Artisans Distributing is the accumulation of sincere interest and dedication for fermented products and hand-crafted consumables,” says CSA Buyer, André DiMattia. “With a hope of representing the craft of fellow minded creators, we at Crooked Stave Artisans wish to curate a portfolio of interesting and memorable beer, cider, mead, and spirits, as well as a range of independent Colorado businesses. Artisans distributing artisans is what we strive for at CSA and we only hope to grow that dedication in 2015.”
While CSA will continue to focus on bringing exceptional beer, cider, and mead to the Denver market in 2015, the distribution company also plans to enter the wine and spirits categories. Expect offerings from Portland-based New Deal Craft Spirits including handcrafted vodka, gin and unique flavored liqueurs including coffee and ginger in the spring. CSA expects to start carrying wine from small producers and vintners in the fall of 2015.
“2015 will be a bountiful year for us all here at CSA. We will see more consistent shipments with existing brands, a wider territory range for distribution within Colorado, and furthering exposure to the educational side of fermentation, all while growing the business significantly as far as new offerings are concerned,” says DiMattia. “We love fermentation, especially those that are done with an authentic application in mind, and that will eventually lead us into one day offering a selection of natural wines. The demand for better cider is steadily growing and we hope to contribute awareness to how significant this category is, while also discussing the fundamentals of the style. All these things add up to what will be an amazing new year for the state of Colorado.”
About CSA: Crooked Stave Artisans Distributing is the distribution arm of Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project. As an emerging distribution company in Colorado, CSA is focused on the artisans they represent including an ever-growing portfolio of the best International and American breweries, cideries, wineries, distilleries and food producers.
