Hill Farmstead expansion - distribution?

I don't really understand your point here at all. Boston and Philly are both markets that are not really close to HF at all. What's the difference between sending beer to a market 4 hours away vs. 7 hours away? Neither are exactly close. If you are going to criticize any part of this, I would think it's that he was not focusing on his "local" distribution in Vermont.

Seems like you're targeting the small distinction of the "New England market" because you wish that they were more readily available in the Boston metro area when they were first starting out since you are native to there.

I also wish they would send all their kegs to Portsmouth, since it is way closer to Philly although it's pretty clear that's just wishful thinking.

 

Send kegs of beer out to bars where they mark up the price per pint and and profit or create some amazing beer in bottles and have people come to your brewery to purchase said bottles, merch and other beer for sale. Sounds like good business sense to me.

 

I would argue that they have been running more or less at max capacity for several years, so distributing to Boston or Philly or NYC wouldn't have an effect on their business success (if that was even the goal). Not that I love driving 3.5 hours for beer, but it's certainly a nice diversion through a beautiful corner of a small state that has really benefited from the beer tourism.

Your comment implies it would be better for core beers to be in potential markets like Boston rather than doing one-offs. Is that correct?

 

Can't argue with success- he must be doing something right.

 

There's no comparison being made between your site and the brewery as businesses - the comparison is between the choices you and Todd have made with regards to pacing your growth, and the choices HF has made with regards to pacing their growth. Neither you guys nor HF took the fastest, most commercialized route - and yet you both seem to be doing very well, and are ostensibly pretty happy!

 

I don't think Sean is acknlo

I don't think he's admitting any mistake. different tactics are often needed at different stages of a business's lifespan. What is correct today may not have been 3 years ago. How he could have known 3 years ago that Abner and Everett would be the beers that were correct for year round treatment and distro? I'm sure his experience has led him to make that decision. in addition, what could he have really distro'd 3 years ago? 1 keg every 2 weeks?

of course in hindsight lots of things look obvious

 

All 3, breh.

 

We're doin this again?

 

This is correct. I've bought a few HF bottles from Beverage Warehouse in the past.

 

It's well worth the trip and you can hit Rock Art, Trapp Brewery, Crop Bistro and Lost Nation Brewing on the way.

 

It is in Stowe but if you follow VT 100, it takes you through Waterbury, Stowe and Morrisville. Back when the Shed was in business, I used to go from the Alchemist pub to Trapp, then up the Mountain Road to The Shed before I'd get back on VT 100 to stop at Rock Art and then get onto VT 15 to head to Hill Farmstead.