New Jersey Launch

Every year we aim to get our beer in a new state/territory, and 2012 was no different. At the beginning of January 2012 our beer arrived in New Jersey. Here is a video that documents Tomme, Matt, and Ryan's three day trip to New Jersey to attend some events and effectively launch our beer in a new state.

We're Coming to New Jersey!

Well, word is out -- beginning in January, Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey will be distributing in New Jersey! Below is the official press release from our new distribution partners for the Garden State, Hunterdon Distributors.(Note: Tomme will be heading East in early January to help celebrate our launch. Keep an eye on our events calendar for appearances in the area.)

Hunterdon Welcomes Port Brewing & The Lost Abbey to New Jersey

Phillipsburg, NJ – December 13, 2011 – The New Year will bring a wave of excitement to beer enthusiasts in New Jersey. Hunterdon Distributors is pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement to distribute the highly acclaimed beers of Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey. In addition to an assortment of their most well-known beers, the inaugural launch will feature a special draft-only release brewed exclusively for the New Jersey market. Official release parties have already been scheduled for the first week of 2012.Based in San Diego and founded in 2006, Port Brewing Company is comprised of two of the most highly regarded labels in the country: Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey. The Port Brewing line includes more aggressive and assertively hopped American & West coast-style beers, while The Lost Abbey concentrates on a unique collection of barrel-aged and Belgian-style ales.Led by Tomme Arthur, one of the nation’s most well-respected craft brewers, both brands have found their way to the top of the craft beer charts with dozens of medals and media accolades to speak of over the last five years. Port Brewing was awarded both “Small Brewery of the Year” and “Small Brewer of the Year” at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival and “Champion Brewery” and “Champion Brewmaster” in the Small Brewery category at the 2008 World Beer Cup. All of their products have received near-perfect ratings on both Ratebeer.com and Beer Advocate.With distribution in only eight US markets, products from both Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey have become some of the most sought-after in the industry. The company has always taken a conservative approach to expansion while putting more emphasis on providing a unique and well crafted product. When the time came to open a new market on the East Coast, they felt New Jersey was a perfect fit.As stated by Tomme Arthur: “Hunterdon's reputation precedes it. A lot of our good friends in the brewing industry have their beer represented by Hunterdon and have nothing but good things to say about the company.”Hunterdon Distributors is proud to be adding Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey to its already impressive product offering in the state of New Jersey. Please visit Hunterdon’s website at www.hunterdonbrewing.com as details regarding the official release parties will be posted soon.About Hunterdon DistributorsHunterdon was founded in 1996 and has grown steadily over the years into a company with sixty-five full-time employees. Hunterdon has raised the bar for craft beverage availability and selection in the state by providing the most diverse and sought-after portfolio the market has to offer. The company currently represents over fifty domestic craft brands, hundreds of imports and a unique line of micro-distilled spirits, sakes, ciders and meads. Owners Mike Short and Dave Masterson continue to focus on bringing quality products to the New Jersey consumer.

Northern California or Bust

When I was a younger brewer in training, my family spent our summer's vacationing just South of Big Sur California each summer. It was usually August when we would load up my grandparents 5th wheel trailer and head out for a week of beach camping. We also spent time visiting Monterrey and San Francisco. I have very fond memories of each trip to Northern California.As a brewer, I've lost track of how many times I have pointed my vehicle north on Interstate 5 or the 101 with the Bay Area (or beyond) as my final destination. It would seem that you cannot be a true lover of beer without making the pilgrimage to the birth place of Craft Brewing in this country. And, while I never found myself needing to hitch hike to get there, it was always a journey.And so it is, that we're about to celebrate our 4th Anniversary of brewing in San Marcos at Port Brewing (May of 2010), as we embark on another journey.This Friday March 5th, Matt and I will head to Richmond, CA., home of Wine Warehouse North where we will introduce our beers to a sales force numbering about 90 people. This is very big news for us here at Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey.We have patiently waited (some would say too long) to find a distributor for our beers in Northern California.I for one, am very excited by this new partnership as it will allow us to focus on expanding our production and territorial reach. It's no secret, we have been growing at a steady and manageable level since we opened our doors. Last year, we added no new territories as we sought to grow our brands with our new Microstar Keg Contract.That was last year.This is a "Go" year. I have been telling anyone who would listen to me for the past 6 months that this would be a "Go" year for us. I knew we would be focusing our energies on growing Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey closer to home. They call this sort of thing "Protecting your own Backyard." Me, I call it simple math. California supports one of the largest economic opportunities for us and one that frankly we have neglected for too long.I know this because yesterday, a truck backed up to our loading dock and pulled away 20 pallets of beer heavier. This may not seem like much beer for some brewers out there, but it's a massive departure from our first few months when the Stone trucks would pickup 1-2 pallets worth of beer from us a week. Certainly, we don't expect that each shipment will be 20 pallets large (although we can always dream). Yet, there was an air of accomplishment yesterday.After work, we sat around and shared some beers. We remarked at the day that was Monday March 1, 2010. It's not often a truckload of beer leaves our warehouse (as in exactly never before yesterday). Who knows, it may be another 4 years before this happens again (doubtful but possible). It was a great day on so many fronts.So Northern California, here we come! It's been a long time in the making and hopefully, we'll live up to all the hype. 2010 promises to be a "Go" year.And you know what? "Go" rhymes with "Grow", which sounds pretty good to me.