Hey gang, we sent out the press release below this morning and I was really excited to hit send. So much so, that I held myself back over the weekend from leaking spoilers. Bottom line: our plans are coming to fruition. We’re making beer, getting out there and selling it, and we’re expanding our reach. I’ll be back after the Press Release to talk a little bit about some of the thoughts and discussions we’ve had internally throughout this process.
FREETAIL BREWING CO. POSTS 100% GROWTH IN 2014, ANNOUNCES EXPANDED DISTRIBUTION
(February 2, 2015) San Antonio, TX – Following a record year for beer produced, San Antonio’s Freetail Brewing Co. announces it has entered into a distribution agreement with Tri-City Distributors to carry its products in Comal, Guadalupe and Gonzales counties and will expand its existing distribution territory with Silver Eagle Distributors, the nation’s second largest beer distributor, to include Houston and surrounding areas.
After the completion of its new brewing facility just south of downtown San Antonio, Freetail began distribution of its products into the San Antonio market on October 21. Even with just a little over two months in the market, Freetail was able to post a 100% increase in beer production versus 2013 thanks to the increased capacity offered by the new facility. “This is what we worked so hard towards,” said Freetail founder and CEO Scott Metzger. “We are humbled and grateful for the fantastic reception our beers have enjoyed since we began distributing. As a born and raised San Antonian, I’m proud to make a contribution to our city’s growing culinary and artisan beverage scene.”
As it continues to grow its presence in its hometown, Freetail has also set its sights on new markets. To do so, it has partnered with New Braunfels-based Tri-City Distributors to cover Comal, Guadalupe and Gonzales counties, and the brewery will be extending its existing partnership with Silver Eagle Distributors to reach eager Houstonians.
“Our new partnership with Tri-City is exciting as it not only helps us expand our reach in the greater San Antonio metropolitan area, but it gives us greater access to the Texas hill country and the kind of outdoor activities we brew for,” explained Metzger. “The choice to primarily package our beers in environmental friendly, recyclable, aluminum cans comes from our own passion for hiking the hill country, hitting the bike trails, tubing down the river or enjoying a day on the lake.”
The roll-out into Comal, Guadalupe and Gonzales counties should take place in short order with both packaged and draught available this spring.
In reference to its move into the Houston market, the brewery describes it as inventible and obvious. “We’ve always enjoyed a great deal of support from our friends in Houston and I promised that it would be the first major market we moved into after San Antonio. Today, I’m extremely proud to make good on that promise.”
The initial roll-out into Houston will be draught-only this spring, with the full-assortment of packaged beers available in fall 2015. Look for additional details in the coming months on the official launch date in Houston.
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About Freetail Brewing Co.
Freetail Brewing Co. was founded in 2008 on the pursuit of creating exciting, innovative and unique world class beer. We embrace the laid back and fun-loving Texas culture and set out to create products that mirror the lifestyle of our diverse and rapidly growing community. We believe in promoting an increased appreciation of craft products and their responsible enjoyment. For more information visit www.freetailbrewing.com.
About Silver Eagle Distributors
Silver Eagle Distributors, L.P. is the nation’s second largest beer distributor. The company employs approximately 1,400 employees that serve 16 counties in Texas through operations in Houston, San Antonio, Conroe, Cypress and Rosenberg. Silver Eagle distributes a broad selection of domestic and import brands, as well as microbrews and craft beers and several non-alcohol beverages and waters. For more information, visit www.silvereagle.com.
About Tri-City Distributors
Tri-City Distributors started out in New Braunfels, TX in 1971. Since then, Tri-City has grown into a major distributor, delivering nearly 2 million cases per year from 20 different suppliers serving Comal, Guadalupe and Gonzales counties. In 2011, the company expanded its beverage portfolio to better serve its customers, adding wine, mixers, water, vitamin drinks and teas to its product mix. Whether you’re a retailer or a brewer, Tri-City offers services that let you focus on running your business and connecting with your customers. For more information, visit www.tricitybud.com.
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So that’s the news. We grew a lot in 2014, we’re expanding our reach in the greater San Antonio area with the extension to Comal, Guadalupe & Gonzales counties, and Houston… you’re finally getting some Freetail.
I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been all puppy dogs and ice cream as there have been some growing pains. We went from a single brewpub location with a brewing staff of two producing a little over 1,000 barrels a year to a packaging brewery with a brewing staff of 7, a support staff of 5, running canning & bottling lines, re-building our wild ale program essentially from scratch, and doubling our annual production from 2013 in just a little over 2 months. As you can imagine, there’s been little time to catch our breath.
Along the way, we had to ask ourselves a bunch of tough questions. Not to make our six-and-a-half year-old brewery sound more grizzled than it is, but the craft beer world has changed a lot since we entered it. The expectations of craft beer drinkers, both from the casual to the experienced, have been heightened (for the better). The biggest question we asked ourselves was whether we were still relevant in the Texas craft beer dynamic. It was a tough one to ask given our history, but the answer was aligned with the same principle of staying true to ourselves and always striving to do better. We aren’t going to chase trends if they aren’t aligned with who we are. We’re going to continue to strive to make quality beers that are accessible (from a pricing perspective). We’re going to have our core “boring” beers, we’re going to have specialty “exciting” beers, because we love “boring” beers as much as we love “exciting” beers. We’re just going to be us.
Lastly, another thank you to all the folks who support us along the way. We make beer, but it’s for nothing if you aren’t out there drinking it. We are continually humbled that you give us a place at your dinner tables, your tubing trips, your gatherings with friends, and your backyard bar-b-ques. We pumped to keep it coming.
On that note, I’ll leave you with a teaser. In addition to our new seasonal can in March, we’ll be rolling out two more year-round cans soon as well. You’ll have to wait for more details there!
Cheers,
Scott
