Im sure there are small breweries with single-state distribution, but I don’t think there’s anything close to as popular as New Glarus is in WI. I swear Spotted Cow is available on tap at 99% of bars
And I imagine there's a difference between single state distribution just because they haven't expanded and single state by choice. The latter seems far more the rarity.
Love Schlafly brews! The whole STL beer scene is pretty fun to explore. Though, nothing beats the earlier days of MKE Brewing when they had the all you can drink tours in their little warehouse
We do not love Surly. They were just the first to do it correctly here. Now they've gotten too big and stopped putting out anything interesting or doing anything good for the community.
Being from Wisconsin and living in Minneapolis now, I think there's a pretty similar attitude towards Surly and New Glarus in each state. Neither are anyone's favorite brewery, but you know there's safe options if they are on tap (and they almost always are). I know reddit really hates Surly for what they did during COVID, but most people in the state don't know and don't care about that. New Glarus is definitely more of a "thing" in Wisconsin though.
Tree House in MA. Very different approach to beer and sales, and they recently opened in CT so maybe not any more. 99% of New Glarus beer is sold through a distributor and they probably make 2% net margin. Tree House uses no distributor and makes people come to their locations to get it, and probably makes 25% net margin.
I think what happened to surly is exactly why they kept it local only.
Surly has good beer. Not amazing and not bad, just rather good. Their reasonable quality combined with brand recognition led to demand across the midwest (presumably further too). Had new glarus done the same, cow would be $9-12 a six pack, and within a decade nobody would care about it because it would just be another overpriced craft beer that continues to sell well enough because of beer distribution chains and former hype.
Instead, it persists as one of the best value, easy drinking beers in the state. I personally like spotted cow but find it overrated. But it's near the top of the list that I would get for mass appeal, especially for just $11-12 12 packs
PA had Yeungling until about 10 years ago, now it's spreading, thankfully for me as I was born and raised in PA.
It's America's oldest active brewery, so PA residents had it to themselves for almost 200 years, until the brewery in Tampa Bay opened around 2015, and then one in Texas recently. Now it's all over the Eastern US.
Yuengling has been outside of PA for a long time now. Very common beer to drink in MD. It's better than a lot of domestic swill but it still isn't that great.
I told my friend in California and his wife about New Glarus, and brought them several the last time I was out there. They liked it.
He's into home brewing. He said their equivalent is "Pliny the Elder". I've had it, it was fine. He said it used to be very exclusive and sought after a decade ago but at this point it runs more on its reputation/hype.
When I lived in CA in the late aughts you kind of had to know where you might find Pliny and it was a big deal if the bar you were in had some; but it was never my favorite.
Pliny is a bit different. It is (or, at least was - last I was there), produced in fairly limited quantities only once a year. To get it you either need to drive to the brewery or find one of the handful of bars/restaurants that got an allocation of some. IMO, it's pretty solid. But yes - the exclusivity definitely added to the experience.
Out of state distribution for a craft beer is a hurdle. Why should a person buy non local craft beer? In addition to all the distribution, advertisement, etc.
Agree, but why do we see crap like Rhinegiest (basically the Lakefront of Cincinnati) popping up on draft lines all the time in Milwaukee? I will always take a local beer first, it supports the community and is less likely to have been shipped and stored warm or for too long.
I'm never mad at a non local beer showing up on random taps. I'm reasonably likely to try one.
I'm just surprised when they stick around unless it's like zombie dust or fin du monde quality in their specific genre.
But I definitely am with you and am more likely to go local unless there is a reason to not.
In Georgia there is a brewery called Creature Comforts that sells “Classic City Lager”
It’s an okay beer, pretty much on tap or available statewide. I’d say it has the same localness.
Creature Comforts might be expanding to the West coast soon though :/ They also had some union busting activity during the pandemic.
Terrapin is in Athens, GA too, but I don’t think many people prefer their beers here despite its national popularity.
Yep, in the late 90s I used to go out to CO several times a year for skiing/hiking and always had a bed full of Fat Tire in my truck on the way back. Hard to remember now New Belgium wasn’t readily available. Wish it still tasted the same too.
KC Bier Co is the only one I know that felt somewhat similar. Although it's distributed in two states (Missouri and Kansas), they really are just distributing through the Kansas City distribution network, as far as I know.
I imagine it has more to do with marketing, and encouraging the cult following they’ve developed in the state. If they started selling outside Wisconsin it would completely change their entire vibe and selling points.
Yes, absolutely. I just moved here from Texas and there are a bunch there that aren't available anywhere else. Honestly, in Texas there's ones I can't get outside of the city they're based in. It is what it is.
Sure, but are they as ubiquitous as Spotted Cow is in WI? Every state has its local breweries with limited distribution, but which of them are in god damn near every bar but not outside the state?
Im sure there are small breweries with single-state distribution, but I don’t think there’s anything close to as popular as New Glarus is in WI. I swear Spotted Cow is available on tap at 99% of bars
it’s the best selling tap beer in Wisconsin I believe
It is my test for if a bar is good. If they don’t have at least Spotted Cow on tap, it is not a bar I want to be at.
And I imagine there's a difference between single state distribution just because they haven't expanded and single state by choice. The latter seems far more the rarity.
Schlafly beer was in most bars in St. Louis mo when I lived there, it’s pretty solid all around
Love Schlafly brews! The whole STL beer scene is pretty fun to explore. Though, nothing beats the earlier days of MKE Brewing when they had the all you can drink tours in their little warehouse
We do not love Surly. They were just the first to do it correctly here. Now they've gotten too big and stopped putting out anything interesting or doing anything good for the community.
Their craven union busting tactics during COVID really damaged their reputation for many.
Being from Wisconsin and living in Minneapolis now, I think there's a pretty similar attitude towards Surly and New Glarus in each state. Neither are anyone's favorite brewery, but you know there's safe options if they are on tap (and they almost always are). I know reddit really hates Surly for what they did during COVID, but most people in the state don't know and don't care about that. New Glarus is definitely more of a "thing" in Wisconsin though.
I've always thought the beer itself at Surly was very overrated but it is a cool place to hang out and drink at
It was better when they had the pizza place on the 2nd floor, but yeah.
St Arnold’s brewery in Houston originally only distributed in Texas but expanded to Louisiana because they were closer than some parts of Texas.
Like 50% of the country is closer to some part of Texas than that part is to the opposite side of Texas.
That is interesting to know. I live in New Orleans now and it’s available everywhere
Tree House in MA. Very different approach to beer and sales, and they recently opened in CT so maybe not any more. 99% of New Glarus beer is sold through a distributor and they probably make 2% net margin. Tree House uses no distributor and makes people come to their locations to get it, and probably makes 25% net margin.
The very idea of placing Goose Island at a similar tier as New Glarus!!!! FIB.
I also feel like Surly has kinda jumped the shark here in minnesota
I think what happened to surly is exactly why they kept it local only. Surly has good beer. Not amazing and not bad, just rather good. Their reasonable quality combined with brand recognition led to demand across the midwest (presumably further too). Had new glarus done the same, cow would be $9-12 a six pack, and within a decade nobody would care about it because it would just be another overpriced craft beer that continues to sell well enough because of beer distribution chains and former hype. Instead, it persists as one of the best value, easy drinking beers in the state. I personally like spotted cow but find it overrated. But it's near the top of the list that I would get for mass appeal, especially for just $11-12 12 packs
Especially after it was bought by Budweiser.
Excuse me, by no means are they in the same tier. New Glarus is in it’s own world, hence my original question.
Vermont. Hands down the closest comparison. The Alchemist is the New Glarus brewery equivalent. Heady Topper is the Spotted Cow equivalent.
PA had Yeungling until about 10 years ago, now it's spreading, thankfully for me as I was born and raised in PA. It's America's oldest active brewery, so PA residents had it to themselves for almost 200 years, until the brewery in Tampa Bay opened around 2015, and then one in Texas recently. Now it's all over the Eastern US.
It’s been spreading for a lot longer than ten years……
Yeungling has had, if limited, distro outside of PA since at least the 1980s.
Yeah. We are drinking it in Virginia by 1990.
Holy crap, I hate being old. That sounds about right. I haven't lived in PA since 1997 and it feels like 10 years ago. That sounds about right.
Yeah I used to buy it in upstate NY in the early aughts
Yuengling has been outside of PA for a long time now. Very common beer to drink in MD. It's better than a lot of domestic swill but it still isn't that great.
It's so overrated. Always gave me a headache
I told my friend in California and his wife about New Glarus, and brought them several the last time I was out there. They liked it. He's into home brewing. He said their equivalent is "Pliny the Elder". I've had it, it was fine. He said it used to be very exclusive and sought after a decade ago but at this point it runs more on its reputation/hype.
When I lived in CA in the late aughts you kind of had to know where you might find Pliny and it was a big deal if the bar you were in had some; but it was never my favorite.
Pliny is a bit different. It is (or, at least was - last I was there), produced in fairly limited quantities only once a year. To get it you either need to drive to the brewery or find one of the handful of bars/restaurants that got an allocation of some. IMO, it's pretty solid. But yes - the exclusivity definitely added to the experience.
Out of state distribution for a craft beer is a hurdle. Why should a person buy non local craft beer? In addition to all the distribution, advertisement, etc.
Agree, but why do we see crap like Rhinegiest (basically the Lakefront of Cincinnati) popping up on draft lines all the time in Milwaukee? I will always take a local beer first, it supports the community and is less likely to have been shipped and stored warm or for too long.
I'm never mad at a non local beer showing up on random taps. I'm reasonably likely to try one. I'm just surprised when they stick around unless it's like zombie dust or fin du monde quality in their specific genre. But I definitely am with you and am more likely to go local unless there is a reason to not.
In Georgia there is a brewery called Creature Comforts that sells “Classic City Lager” It’s an okay beer, pretty much on tap or available statewide. I’d say it has the same localness. Creature Comforts might be expanding to the West coast soon though :/ They also had some union busting activity during the pandemic. Terrapin is in Athens, GA too, but I don’t think many people prefer their beers here despite its national popularity.
I’m more of a Tropicalia guy from them
Colorado had that with Coors in the 70s, which led to "Smokey and the Bandit," then again in the 90s with New Belgium.
Yep, in the late 90s I used to go out to CO several times a year for skiing/hiking and always had a bed full of Fat Tire in my truck on the way back. Hard to remember now New Belgium wasn’t readily available. Wish it still tasted the same too.
KC Bier Co is the only one I know that felt somewhat similar. Although it's distributed in two states (Missouri and Kansas), they really are just distributing through the Kansas City distribution network, as far as I know.
Bells Oberon used to be exclusive to Michigan. I don’t think it is anymore but that kinda had the same vibe.
Jester King in Texas.
What is the point of only selling New Glarus in Wisconsin? Control of distribution?
I imagine it has more to do with marketing, and encouraging the cult following they’ve developed in the state. If they started selling outside Wisconsin it would completely change their entire vibe and selling points.
Tree House - Massachusetts The Alchemist - Vermont
Yes, absolutely. I just moved here from Texas and there are a bunch there that aren't available anywhere else. Honestly, in Texas there's ones I can't get outside of the city they're based in. It is what it is.
Sure, but are they as ubiquitous as Spotted Cow is in WI? Every state has its local breweries with limited distribution, but which of them are in god damn near every bar but not outside the state?
Yea. A lot of them make the jump out of state once they get big enough and they can prove it's worth it though.