OT: Bell's Beer Expanding SoCal Footprint in 2015

Submitted by UNCWolverine on

Bell's beer is heading to more locations in southern California next year

Josh Smith | Bell's Brewery
12.19.2014

We are thrilled to announce that we will expand our distribution footprint in southern California early next year with Craft Brewer’s Guild of Los Angeles.

Bell’s beer will be available in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties beginning Feb. 23, 2015 in addition to Imperial and San Diego counties.

Launch events will be held throughout that week and all of our brands will be available according to their release schedules, except for Oberon, which is available year-round in southern California.

Our summer seasonal is also available year-round in Florida, southern Alabama, Arizona and Puerto Rico.

“We are constantly addressing capacity constraints and building on last May’s initial launch in San Diego, along with growth at our Comstock Brewery, we are able to gradually increase distribution,” said Laura Bell, Bell’s Vice President.

Our fans in southern California have been incredibly welcoming and being able to bring our beer a little further north is extremely exciting, she added.

 

Bell's on tap in my corner bar and Jimmy to Ann Arbor, 2015 is shaping up to be one heckuva year!

Go Blue, Go Bell's.

MGoBoard

UNCWolverine

December 19th, 2014 at 7:08 PM ^

When I moved to Cali I had my movers take 6 cases of Oberon. I stretched those for about two years. Then I used to carry about 12-15 in my carry-on until they stopped allowing liquids.

This really is great news. Expeically the part where they will distribute Oberon all year in SoCal.

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Rhino77

December 19th, 2014 at 7:07 PM ^

Bells was the $hit 20 years ago when I started in the bar business. They were really ahead of the game.

That being said in todays market they are just "ok." The craft brew business is huge right now in the US and Bells though steady hasn't really "wowed" in the last few years.

That being said if you live in Michigan (I no longer do) shop local and support your local breweries. I drink Half Acre, Lagunitas, and Goose Island just for that reason.



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Rhino77

December 19th, 2014 at 7:39 PM ^

So if you buy a "Big Mac" that money goes to Oak Brook, Il? Or does it go to the employees and the franchisee in the neighborhood?

Lagunitas has a brewery now in Chicago as does Goose. I'm a GR native and still buy Founders.

Say your buddy is buying and you go into a tap house with say 50-100 beers on tap is your first choice any Bells product? If so kudos. I grew up drinking the stuff I honestly mines not. To each his own I guess.



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2heartedUM

December 19th, 2014 at 7:32 PM ^

I live in kazoo. 10 yrs ago Bells would have about maybe 15 beers on Tap at the bar. But nowadays there is close to 35 beers on tap at all times. Many of those beer will never see a bottle.  A lot of people are missing out on many experimental beers. The wild one, Roundhouse,Double cream stout on NItro, Kal-haven ale. Go look at the whats on Tap cam. Many places dont come close to that variety.  The Java Stout has been so damn tasty lately

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mKzoo

December 19th, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^

Right, because Two Hearted, The Oracle, Hopsoulution, Porter, Kalamazoo Stout, Expedition, Roundhouse, Double Cream, Cherry Stout, Quinnonon Falls, Black Note, Hopslam are not all beers that remain atop the heap. Bell's beer makes more top 10/must have/greatest of all time etc etc etc awards than any brewery in America. Two Hearted wins best IPA in the world; but they were good 20 years ago with a quarter the selection and a horrible Two Hearted recipe.

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MGoBrewMom

December 19th, 2014 at 7:39 PM ^

but this kinda bums me out. There is so much good beer in So Cal, and San Diego in particular, which is where I am. If I stack Bells up to my favorites out here, it is okay...a 7 of 10. But when I visit MIchigan, it is awesome! It is part of my trip home, and it is more novel. I don't have it all the time, and it just means I'm home, and I like it. Don't get me wrong, I like it! Oberon in the summer is delish..and now I actually can buy it here, which is cool too..I just like when its more novel. Congrats to Bells though! Good for them on expanding!

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MGoBrewMom

December 19th, 2014 at 8:20 PM ^

I really like Alpine Beer Co., and the guy running it/owner is an egomaniacal jerk...I have friends who love that beer, but won't buy it because of the owner. But their beers, especially IPA's, are really phenomenal. THey just signed an agreement with Green Flash, so they will expand, and it will be interesting to see if the beers I like stay the same. I also like Mother Earth and Societe. Those are top of mind. I like quite a few..and I'm really not trying to be a jerk. It is ridiculous how many good places there are here. BUT!! Admittedly, I'm partial to IPAs, and I don't really drink other things often, so outside of two hearted, and the other one (seasonal) that is wildly popular, and Oberon, I don't really drink many of the different Bell's Beer. And, obviously, it is just personal preference. So, just one person's opinion.

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MGoFunkadelic

December 19th, 2014 at 8:09 PM ^

our distributer has us on the list to get it as soon as it is available in LA. 

http://www.tuningforkla.com

come check us out.  we're a small restaurant owned by an M Grad, a Spartan, and a GVSU grad each originally from GR.  just voted #1 new american restaurant in LA for 2014 by LAHotlist and listed as one of CBS's best places to watch Thursday night football.

 

 

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yoopergoblue

December 19th, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^

When does Hopslam come out again?  Got a hold of a sixer of it last year when I was living in Wisconsin.  Sooo good!  Hopefully I can pick some up before I move to Texas in early February.

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morepete

December 19th, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^

That there are lots of great out-of-state beers that get distroed to SoCal but not in the North. Especially because most of the beer made up here gets distributed just about everywhere.

Damn it, I want my Bell's!

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imablue

December 19th, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^

I used to visit Bell's brewery in Kalamazoo. I even went to one of their Christmas partys, early 90's, Larry Bell was there quite a bit back then. He's probably on doing a lot more on the marketing side now.  Glad to see they're getting out west.

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markh100

December 19th, 2014 at 11:18 PM ^

On a side note, when I occasionally visit Ann Arbor for gameday, where's the best place to pick up any of the top rated brews from Bells? I haven't had any luck finding Hopslam, Kalamazoo Stout, Expedition Stout or any of the bourbon barrel aged brews-mind you, I normally only make it back to Michigan 1 or 2 days a year. Brought back some two hearted and founders last year.

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diag squirrel

December 19th, 2014 at 11:43 PM ^

Doesn't the cross country shipping mess with the flavor of these smaller brewers? Or maybe that's just an urban legend.

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