Santa Fe Brewing, Central States Beverage partner for brewer, distributor collaboration beer

Santa Fe Brewing Co. and Central States Beverage Co. announced a partnership to brew the first-ever brewer/distributor collaboration beer. This unique beer, which will be brewed on site at Santa Fe Brewing Co., will be packaged in kegs only and brewed exclusively for sale in the Kansas City market area later this year.

Central States and Santa Fe Brewing Co. decided that it was time to add a unique twist to the brewer/brewer collaborations, which are highly popular in the industry, and thus the brewer/distributor collaboration idea was born.

With the popularity of craft beers reaching an all-time high, consumers now have more choices than ever when it comes to satisfying their thirst for fresh, flavorful, quality hand-crafted beers. As Santa Fe’s local distributor in Kansas City, Central States takes on the responsibility of ensuring that Santa Fe beers stand out in its distribution area with craft beer fans and retail partners alike. To assist in achieving this mutual goal, Central States and Santa Fe decided that it was time to add a unique twist to the brewer/brewer collaborations, which are highly popular in the industry and thus the brewer/distributor collaboration idea was born.

“Central States is thrilled to be partnering with Santa Fe on this project, and we have assembled a great team of professionals to brew this special beer with Santa Fe Brewing Company,” said Jon Poteet director of marketing for Central States. “Our crew includes three Certified Cicerone’s, two Certified Beer Servers, two to three local homebrewers and a chef to oversee menu pairings. One fun aspect of this program is that one to two of the homebrewer participants will have to win their way onto the collaboration team.”

One of the biggest challenges for a craft brewer entering a new city outside of its home market area is the brewer’s ability to gain traction and long-term sustainability with its brands in the new area.

“Santa Fe Brewing Company is thrilled to help our distributor partner bring this idea to life,” said Brian Lock, owner of Santa Fe Brewing Co. “This program not only fits in with our small-batch Saturday program, but also allows us to extend our roots as a brewery in a bigger, bolder way within the Kansas City market while staying true to who we are as a brewer. Central States has been passionate about our brands prior to our arrival in their city and this program will allow the Santa Fe brands to grow to the next level in Kansas City. We are excited to announce this collaboration during American Craft Beer Week, or as Central States has dubbed it, KC Craft Beer Month.”