{"id":700,"date":"2008-09-11T22:56:50","date_gmt":"2008-09-12T02:56:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.2beerguys.com\/blog\/?p=700"},"modified":"2008-09-11T22:56:50","modified_gmt":"2008-09-12T02:56:50","slug":"us-craft-breweries-expanding-internationally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/2008\/09\/11\/us-craft-breweries-expanding-internationally\/","title":{"rendered":"US Craft breweries expanding internationally"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s an interesting article, from Colorado…. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Sean
\n2Beerguys.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

U.S. brewers create overseas ale storm<\/strong>
\nBy Roger Fillion, Rocky Mountain News<\/em><\/p>\n

A number of U.S. craft beer makers were inspired to launch their small-batch breweries years ago after quaffing beers from countries with long brewing traditions such as Belgium, Germany and England.<\/p>\n

Now they’re returning the favor, shipping their beers abroad. And it’s paying dividends. Exports of U.S. craft beer, while small, are growing. But hurdles abound.<\/p>\n

“They sent a wave over here twenty-some years ago that inspired craft brewers here,” said Eric Wallace, president of Left Hand Brewing Co. in Longmont. “Now we’re sending a counterwave.”<\/p>\n

Since 2003, exports of U.S. craft beer have more than doubled, to more than 957,000 gallons – or nearly 31,000 barrels – last year, according to the Brewers Association, which offers a program to help craft brewers export beer. Nearly three dozen craft brewers participate.<\/p>\n

Exports last year were valued at $5.6 million.<\/p>\n

“It’s not huge. But it’s not insignificant, either. And it’s growing,” said Bob Pease, vice president of the Brewers Association.<\/p>\n

Total sales of U.S. craft beers in 2007, by comparison, topped 8 million barrels.<\/p>\n

Sweden is the No. 1 market, followed by Canada, Britain, Japan and Denmark. China is developing.<\/p>\n

“Expatriates living in China account for a significant portion of craft beer sales,” said Josh Weiner, founder of Smith & Co. Importers, a Shanghai trading company.<\/p>\n

Among Colorado craft brewers exporting beer: Great Divide Brewing Co., Avery Brewing Co. and Left Hand Brewing.<\/p>\n

“It’s going reasonably well,” said Left Hand Brewing’s Wallace, whose beer is peddled in the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as Belgium, Switzerland and Britain.<\/p>\n

Wallace said 1.3 percent of the Longmont beer maker’s sales this year have been overseas.<\/p>\n

It’s not easy.<\/p>\n

Wallace said it can take years to cultivate overseas contacts. The logistics also can be daunting – such as securing a large shipping container to transport the beer via truck, train and boat.<\/p>\n

“Getting one right now takes about a month,” said Wallace, noting the overall U.S. export boom has triggered strong container demand.<\/p>\n

Tommyknocker Brewery is exploring the overseas market.<\/p>\n

Jim Schwab, director of sales and marketing for the Idaho Springs brewery, said price can be a hurdle.<\/p>\n

He related a recent conversation with a South Korean beer importer interested in handling Tommyknocker beers.<\/p>\n

The conversation was going “great” until price arose. Schwab offered to sell the beer at $14 a case.<\/p>\n

The importer said that was too high. ” ‘I need it around $6.50 a case,’ ” Schwab quoted the man as saying.<\/p>\n

Schwab replied: “Mr. Yu, no thank you. I can’t do it.”<\/p>\n

According to the Brewers Association, Sweden accounts for more than a third of U.S. craft beer exports.<\/p>\n

Link to article.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here’s an interesting article, from Colorado…. Sean 2Beerguys.com U.S. brewers create overseas ale storm By Roger Fillion, Rocky Mountain News A number of U.S. craft beer makers were inspired to launch their small-batch breweries years ago after quaffing beers from countries with long brewing traditions such as Belgium, Germany and England. Now they’re returning the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[78,92,14,99,103,102],"tags":[344,346,343,345,347,187,348],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=700"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":717,"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700\/revisions\/717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2beerguys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}