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It’s been nearly a year since Brooklyn Brewery divested itself of its distributorship, the Craft Brewers Guild, and with nothing to concentrate on except its own brands, the sky’s the limit. Sales are up, distribution territory is expanding and the brewery is looking for new digs.
Not that it’s all been plain sailing. As president Steve Hindy said, the shoe is on the other foot when it comes to depending on a distributor to get his beer into the right places and to service customers. One of the problems that persisted for a while was that "customers still called as if we were the wholesaler." But on the whole, Brooklyn is satisfied with the performance of Phoenix Distributors whom they joined last October.
"They are very committed to the brand," Hindy said. He noted Phoenix has a great relationship with a lot of Irish bars, which were previously always a difficult in for Brooklyn. Also, technological advancements such as handheld remotes for checking inventory have been an asset.
As far as not having to split attention between their own labels and a warehouse full of other brands, Hindy said, "It’s been a relief. It was a difficult balancing act, running the two businesses." On the other hand, "The brewery wouldn’t be where it is today if it we didn’t distribute it ourselves," he added. The brewery retained half a dozen salespeople to concentrate exclusively on Brooklyn products.
In terms of visibility, one of the largest steps Brooklyn has taken this past year has been sponsorship of the Yankees post-game show. Hindy admitted the move was made partly to get the attention of the Phoenix sales team. (In answer to a question about his personal baseball allegiance, Hindy said, "Yes, I’m a Mets fan, but I’m not stupid."). The broadcasts, which are carried by 39 stations up and down the coast, are "75 percent in markets we don’t really reach," said GM Eric Ottoway. In the continuing quest to reach into the mainstream market, Ottoway said there is no one-shot answer. "We can’t drop millions of dollars into one market area. It’s a matter of long-term community support…and (in the past year) we’ve really been able to execute."
One the dangers of courting the mainstream is being perceived as just that by the beer cognoscenti. "That’s why we have the Brewmaster’s Reserve series," Hindy said. "To keep it interesting for the enthusiasts." But, it’s not just the flagship Brooklyn Lager that’s expanding. The higher alcohol East India Pale Ale is now the second biggest seller, Hindy noted. The Brewmaster’s Reserve has featured such styles as Dry Stout, Dunkel-Weisse, Abbey, Saison, Weissebock, Porter, and most recently a hoppy summer ale.
Having been appointed chairman of the Brooklyn’s Tourism Consortium by borough president Marty Markowitz (a big Brooklyn beer fan), Hindy has moved closer to the center of the local community. He’s hoping he may now even have enough clout to bring back the Under the Brooklyn Bridge Beer Festival, which he believes could have turned into an event to rival the Great American Beer Festival if it had been allowed to grow past its three-year run in the mid-1990s.
Next year Brooklyn Pale Ale is reverting to its former name, Pennant Pale Ale. The reason, once again, is community based. The borough has several events lined up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson joining the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Not only is Brooklyn beer in demand, but also the brewery’s facilities. In fact, the need for a bigger events hall is one of the major reasons Brooklyn is looking for a new location. A new brewery complex featuring an expanded brewhouse including a bottling line, a restaurant, and an events space is currently under discussion with the borough. The redevelopment project would be located on one of the piers midway between Red Hook and Brooklyn Heights.
As one of the more active members of the Brewers Association of America, which represents the country’s small breweries, Hindy has a pretty good perspective on the "big picture" of the specialty beer industry. "I think it’s very healthy," he said. "It’s now a well-developed industry and the numbers are creeping up."
As well as the new regional craft brewers which are the foundation of craft brewing, Hindy highlighted the new wave of "dramatic beers — dedicated specialty products, high in hops and alcohol — these are what the industry is all about. They’re welcome and they keep vitality."
Things Brooklyn seem to be in vogue right now, at home…and abroad. Ottoway noted that a small export market is growing in such countries as England, Denmark, Spain, and even Hong Kong. And for globetrotting beer fans Brooklyn now has bars at all three New York City airports. It doesn’t hurt to have an internationally famous brewer and author at the helm. Garrett Oliver, already well-known in Britain, has become a minor celebrity in Denmark, it seems, following the publication of his book, The Brewmaster’s Table.
What else is going on? Hindy said he is working on a book with former partner Tom Potter. Adventures in Beer, it’s about the early days setting up a brewery in Brooklyn.
Looks like there’s already enough material for a sequel.
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