A Distributors Pint of View
Believe in the concept of evolution and you will succeed, ignore it and you will fail
August, 1999by Marshall Thomas
"You can't do it, the big guys will crush you." "There is not enough room on the cold shelves." "You may get on a rotating handle but the rest of my taps are spoken for." Comments like these bring back memories for the few thick skinned employees of a start up beer distributorship named Amber River Distribution. Founded in 1996, the company was intended to fill a perceived void in the Seattle area market place for distribution of true craft beer and premium imports.
Armed with the belief that there is always room for quality, the employees of the company started account by account spreading the good word of beer. We have faced negativity from day one and continue to hear on a daily basis about the "gloomy future" facing lovers of hand crafted beer. We attempt to show by example that with open minds, enthusiasm, and commitment there is still limitless room for growth in this great industry. Believe in the concept of EVOLUTION and you will succeed, ignore it and you will fail.
This is the beer industry and it ought to be exiting. The people who buy into the gloominess are too often the ones who have lost track of the energy which brought them to the beer business in the first place . The consumers, retailers, brewers and distributors that have jumped on the train of evolution are having just as much fun and success as ever. We commend breweries such as Hair of the Dog and Full Sail for producing amazing barley wines. We salute (and frequent) bars like the Latona, Duck Island and Hopscotch that create trends rather than follow them. Retailers like Bottleworks, Stumbling Monk, Ballard Thriftway and Belmont Station are applauded for offering the consumer variety and selection. Last but not least, cheers to the beer lovers who consistently develop their palates by seeking out new beer experiences and actively supporting their favorite breweries.
We love our industry and respect our role in being the gate keeper to the retailer. We are here to say the gates are open to quality and the consumer just has to seek it out. However, we ask one thing in return: be as adamant about your beer as the wine drinkers were about their wine and the coffee drinkers about their java. We shouldn't have to commute for great beer. Stand for quality and we can look forward to a day where great beer is as common as milk.
