Fat Tire rolls into town

Local beer lovers will have another craft brew to choose from starting in August. Last week, Henrico distributor Specialty Beverage signed a deal to bring Fat Tire and the family of beers from Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing to Richmond.

June 16, 2011; 5:37 PM • by Richmond BizSense

Local beer lovers will have another craft brew to choose from starting in August.

Last week, Henrico distributor Specialty Beverage signed a deal to bring Fat Tire and the family of beers from Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing to Richmond.

Specialty Beverage distributes other craft beers locally, including Dogfish Head Ale and the Vermont beer Long Trail.

“The craft beer segment is probably the fastest-growing category in the entire alcohol beverage industry,” said Michael Brazel, vice president of sales and marketing for Specialty’s parent company, L. Knife & Son.

Brazel said he hopes to have New Belgium beer in convenience stores and super markets in late August. The first of the company’s beers to arrive in Richmond will be Fat Tire – and only in 22oz bottles
starting out.

Like other craft breweries, New Belgium is growing fast. It has plans to expand its Fort Collins, Colo. facility. The company also said it is looking at an East Coast brewery and will likely decide on a location by the end of 2011.

Aaron Kremer is the BizSense editor. Please send news tips to Editor@richmondbizsense.com.