Founders Distribution

That shit would sit on our shelves and gather copious amounts of dust. At least for colorado. For utah, well, even the Utah breweries want out, look at Epic.

 

Founder's has had job posting for reps since late 2016. I know a few industry folk who've interviewed for it but not sure who's actually accepted it.

They'll be here by 2019 to support chain grocery stores that they are already regionally in so they'll get immediate shelf placement and large volume simply supported by grocery store placement. I think they'd get lost at a typical liquor store shelf though.

 

FBS and hot pockets? gtfo

 

I tend to think we have so many midwest transplants that Founders may actually do well here.

I've said it before on here but I don't know why more out-of-state breweries don't follow Bell's lead with the random semi-frequent drops. Stuff flies off the shelf when we don't know when it'll be around next.

 

Supposedly Founders IS coming next year, but it's not like we haven't heard that before. I also like the approach Bell's had, although I don't think I've seen anything from them in more than a year. That's looking more and more like a failed experiment or those drops were just mis-timed GABF thing.

I'm of the opinion that Founders will gather dust just like all of the others. I know that anecdotally everyone thinks Denver is full of [insert random city/region] transplants that will buy X beer. Yet none of those have ever held true beyond the initial drop. The fact that most aren't super fresh doesn't help either. I have no doubt people will grab the BA items and specialty bottles, but those aren't what keep the lights on or the reason they want to be here.

 

I will drink my weight in FBS, but everything else will sit. Let's face it, clown shoes, cigar city, wicked weed, blast point etc all have pushed in over the past few years with mixed results at best. Oh, and surly as well. Founders knows it. They aren't idiots. You have to be on point to move product in our market, I don't know how half the stuff we have on our shelves moves anyway. While the Midwest garners a lot of hype, they won't be bringing anything that isn't already here. That goes for all of the breweries, from founders to toppling goliath.

 

Goose Island used to send ONLY their seasonals and specialty items for their first 3-4 years here. We're talking nothing but BCBS, Sophie, Christmas Ale, etc.
I always thought that was a pretty clever distro experiment.

Personally, I just want Hill Farmstead again. I couldn't care less if we ever get another out-of-state distro, but I'd trade 75% of what's on our shelves for HF's most basic offerings. Draft-only even.

 

Agree with much of what was already said, and I wonder if we are also seeing the continued domination of IPA (from a sales volume standpoint) making it harder and harder for these large out of state brewers to make an impact.

I happen to think that many of the more "hyped" out of state arrivals in CO over the past 2-3 years all have at least 1-2 beers which are as good or even slightly better than regularly available options here. But the big problem is that these standouts are in non-IPA styles and their pale ales DO NOT beat out fresh and often cheaper, local IPA in any case. Since IPA is the tail that wags the dog, it becomes tough for the entire portfolio to stay relevant.

Case in point: I would buy lots of Founders porter and Imperial Stout if it showed up. I do still buy a decent amount of Cigar City Maduro, Surly Bender/Coffee Bender, Bells Expedition and Double Cream (when it shows up), and Perrin Black. But there probably aren't many craft beer buyers flocking to non-adjunct porters/stouts/brown ales/black lagers these days. As @Ispeakforthetrees mentioned above, the best case scenario for someone like Founders is probably to wait until expanded grocery store sales come into play.

 

It has begun. Went into king soopers for some groceries and the bread aisle is now beer.

 

I was in Buffalo a couple weeks ago, and picked up three four packs of KBS. The shit is good; not mind blowing, buy really good. Big bad Baptist is for sure in the same ballpark.

With that said, most of their beers would turd up the shelves like every other out of state brewery.

 

I would say, find CO distributed substitutes. For FBS, I would recommend trying Epic Son of a Baptist. Or Dry Dock Coffee Stout.

 

U can buy it online from Cali .. drinking a dank wood at moment .. also got some backwoods bastard on deck ., there 4 packs are affordable

 

No linky? Wtf

 

Down here in NM where our distribution is, at best, a shell of Colorado's Founders can be a bit of a shelf turd. CBS bottles still sit.

Isn't their "money beer" All Day IPA? And to be fair, IMO, for a session IPA/low abv IPA I do think that one sits in the front of the line for the the field. Not a style I gravitate towards, but its really the only "session" IPA I will happily drink. So on in that direction, I think Founders could have a place in the Colorado market.

 

I don't know, I could see those 15 packs of All Day sitting on shelves All Year.

 

We are a no mans land for most distributors. Even if we get it it sits. Support Colorado, Wyoming and Utah! Let’s keep these local beers fresh by buying them.
McGirt

 

I
Bine and vine in San Diego will hook u up .. tell geoi catdickranch recommended

 

Founders signed with High Country Bev this week. I assume CDC in Denver.

Prepare yourself for shelf turds.