Dust Bowl Brewing signs with Bay Area Distributing

L to R: Dust Bowl owners Brett and Karen Tate and Camy and Brett Honore breaking ground on the new brewery.

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. is preparing to carve out a serious California customer base for its craft beer. The brewery just broke ground on its new facility, located in Turlock, Calif., on April 8. Now, Dust Bowl is laying the groundwork for statewide distribution.

In fact, Dust Bowl just announced a partnership with the brain trust at Bay Area Distributing Co. Inc., to be the fifth member in its growing distribution network. Based in Richmond, Calif., Bay Area Distributing specializes in a unique mix of craft beer, cider and non-alcoholic beverages. The company will service the counties of Contra Costa and Alameda for Dust Bowl. Dust Bowl had previously self-distributed to the East Bay region since 2010.

“We’d been servicing this market on our own, but with the new brewery and increased production on the horizon, we believed the time was right to solidify a formal distribution partner,” said Dust Bowl Founder Brett Tate. “Bay Area Distributing will build upon our existing customer base and increase our presence in the East Bay.”

In addition to Bay Area Distributing, Dust Bowl Brewing Co. currently has four other distributors: Delta Sierra Beverage covers the Central Valley to the foothills; Mussetter Distributing handles the Sacramento region; Donaghy Sales is responsible for the Fresno area south to Tulare County; and Morris Distributing handles San Francisco and the North Bay.

“We’re excited to add Dust Bowl Brewing Company to our portfolio,” added Michael Bosnich, vice president of sales and general manager with Bay Area Distributing. “The Central Valley brewery has experienced impressive sales growth since its inception in 2009 and is poised to expand their product offering even more in 2016 with a new brewery. Their brand recognition is growing, they produce a nice range of quality beer, and they’re invested in the future. Dust Bowl is an ideal fit with our craft beer model.”

Lauren Young, Dust Bowl Brewing Co.’s Bay Area Sales Representative, will continue to oversee the East Bay territory.

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. currently produces a wide range of draft beer along with three year-round bottled products and several bottled seasonals. The company plans a large portfolio expansion in early 2016 once their new brewery is operational. Dust Bowl Brewing produced its first beer in May 2009. Today, the company produces 5,500 barrels (bbls) annually with plans for 17,000 bbls yearly with the completion of a new brewery. Dust Bowl Brewing beers are available in 5- and 15.5-gallon kegs along with selected styles in 22-ounce and 12-ounce bottles. The craft brewery showcases a wide variety of its beers at its Tap Room, which opened in August 2011 in downtown Turlock.