A Little Bubbly, A Little Boozy
Things have been moving and shaking here at CSA Distributing. At every level of our operations, we have been putting in work to bring some amazing things to the four corners of the beautiful state of Colorado. We have partnered up our warehouse with the wine distributor VinMarket and we have brought in some amazing new suppliers that are sure to be a home-run.
We know cider and we have gone all-in for the category. We represent some of the fastest growing leaders in the country, some of the smallest, most intentional farm-focused producers and everyone in between. St. Vrain Cidery out of Longmont was a natural fit for us because they make beautiful expressions of Colorado-made cider, accentuated with flavorful additions in their dry and off-dry offerings. We will be launching with four expressions: Ginger, Pink Guava, Chokeberry and their Blackberry Botanical. All are as expressive as they are balanced and have great velocity already in the Colorado market.
We have something really exciting and innovating coming down the pipeline this week out of Bozeman Montana! Yes, there are more than just Mountains (Walking) in Bozeman. You may be asking yourself “what exactly is a hard kombucha seltzer?”. We had not heard of this delicious libation either until we were approached by Zesty Hard Kombucha Seltzer. They are pioneers of a brand new category of booze and they are absolutely nailing it. Combining the natural probiotics in Hard Kombucha with the crisp, light drinkability of Hard Seltzer. Using all natural organic ingredients, they are 100% gluten free (like all Seltzer/Kombucha should be) with no added sugars and only 100 calories! Clean, easy drinking with perfect levels of carbonation and not too much “kombucha” flavor. This drink appeals to the Seltzer drinker, kombucha drinker or anyone looking for a lighter healthier option.
We are launching with 4 delicious year-round beverages including my personal favorite Recession Proof. This hop-forward Hard Kombucha Seltzer utilizes Cascade hops for a slight bitterness and a generous dry hopping of Idaho 7 and Bru-1 for extreme pineapple and tropical fruit aromatics. On the other hand, their best seller is a play on one of the world’s most famous cocktails, the Mojito. Blueberry Mojito entails organic mint, blueberries and a touch of lime to round out this cocktail inspired hard kombucha seltzer. All of their hard kombucha is gently rested in oak to create a rounded, clean Kombucha flavor. Higher levels of carbonation create an almost seltzer like mouthfeel and experience.
In the craft world, we know that IPA is king. IPAs seem to be the new introduction into craft beer for many consumers. Up until around the 2010s, IPAs would sometimes lend harsh, bitter notes that were one dimensional and overly malty. Now, they are typically very aromatic, bursting with fruits varying from tropical to citrus and an approachable bitterness with a softer pillow-y malt backbone.
We are always on the hunt, trying to bring the best IPA producers to Colorado. We have done so with one of our more recent partnerships. Bearded Iris Brewing out of Nashville Tennessee is one of the best IPA makers not only in the South but the entire world. Don’t believe us? Check out their 4.1 Average on Untappd and dive into their massive portfolio of world-class IPAs. Bearded Iris focuses on making IPAs that anyone can drink. They are approachable, very aromatic with varying fruit flavors from the hops that dance on your pallet. Needless to say, every IPA they make is damn delicious a unique expression of hops.
We do not expect their releases to last long in the market and it could be several months before we see their next drop. If you are an IPA connoisseur, you need to go on the hunt for some Bearded Iris. Give our brand locator a go and check out where you can find Bearded Iris today. You won’t regret it.