Deschutes announced today that its craft beers will be available in Wisconsin starting July 1, 2014. The Oregon-based brewery will be partnering with Wirtz Beverage Wisconsin for statewide distribution of its beers.
Stacy Denbow, expansion manager for the brewery, said, “Wirtz Beverage has been a great partner for us in other markets and we’re looking forward to complementing their beer portfolio in Wisconsin with our handcrafted beers.”
Beer is slated to be available statewide July 1st with launch events scheduled the week of July 14, 2014. Initially, Deschutes Brewery will be offering Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Black Butte Porter, the nation’s number one selling craft porter, Chainbreaker White IPA, and its summer seasonal, Twilight Summer Ale. The beers will be available in 6-packs (12-oz bottles) and draft.
“Wisconsin is home to beer lovers and there’s no doubt Deschutes’ entry into the market with some of their most well-loved brands causes great excitement,” said Nate Phippen, vice president of sales for Wirtz Beverage Wisconsin. “We’re extremely proud to play a role in bringing their beers here and confident Wisconsin will be a huge opportunity for them.”
To support its craft beer partners, Wirtz Beverage Wisconsin has invested in a dedicated, statewide Craft Beer Team. That team includes beverage industry experts and beer aficionados focused on brand education and sales performance. The team is led by Paul Nowak, Craft Beer Sales Manager; Brooke Roehl, Craft Beer Brand Manager; and Phil Kuhl, Craft Beer Specialist. As shown in part by the development of this specialized team, Wirtz Beverage has made significant statewide investments into the craft beer business this year. The company plans to devote even more resources into the category in the year ahead to inspire long-term growth in Wisconsin.
Deschutes Brewery prepared for growing its distribution area over the past few years by increasing capacity at their main brewing facility to 450,000 barrels. In 2014, Deschutes launched in Ohio, Kentucky, Central and Western Pennsylvania, with Michigan rounding out the brewery’s expansion later this year.
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