Press Release:

(Alexandria, VA) – The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and the Brewers Association (BA) are pleased to announce the nominees for the Sixth Annual Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award. The award recognizes an American beer distributor who goes above and beyond in their efforts to actively market, sell and promote craft beer.

The winner of the Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award will be announced October 13, 2012, at the Great American Beer Festival, hosted by the BA, in Denver, Colorado. In addition to the overall Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award, a Craft Beer Achievement Award and Craft Beer Distributor Recognition Award also will be presented.

The nominees for this year’s award include:

· Advintage Distributing – North Charleston, SC
· Beer Capitol Distributing, Inc. – Sussex, WI
· Brown Distributing – West Palm Beach, FL
· DBI Beverage – Sacramento, CA
· DeCrescente Distributing Company – Mechanicville, NY
· Golden Eagle Distributors – Tucson, AZ
· Harris Inc. – Durham, NC
· Hop & Wine Beverage – Sterling, VA
· L. Knife Companies – Kingston, MA
· Maletis Beverage – Portland, OR
· Manhattan Beer Distributors – Bronx, NY
· Morris Distributing Company – Petaluma, CA
· Muller Inc. – Philadelphia, PA
· Mussetter Distributing Inc. – Auburn, CA
· Oak Beverage Inc. – Blauvelt, NY
· Origlio Beverage – Philadelphia, PA
· Pepin Distributing – Tampa, FL
· Shore Point Distributors – Freehold, NJ
· Specialty Imports – Anchorage, AK
· Town & Country Distributors – Itasca, IL
· Tryon Distributing – Charlotte, NC
· World Class Beverages – Indianapolis, IN

“With craft beer’s tremendous growth and independent beer distributors’ excitement for picking up new craft brands, it is no surprise that there were a record number of nominees for the Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award this year,” said NBWA President Craig Purser. “American consumers continue to demonstrate their passion for craft beer and appreciation of the wide variety of flavors beer has to offer. Beer distributors take great pride in serving as the vehicle to market for these brands and providing choice and variety to the consumer.”

Brewers Association President Charlie Papazian applauded beer distributors for providing a valuable service by giving craft beers a presence in the marketplace. “This award recognizes the creativity, innovation and specialized services independent beer distributors are providing on behalf of independent craft brewers,” Papazian said.

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The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) represents the interests of America’s 3,300 licensed, independent beer distributor operations in every state, congressional district and media market across the country. Beer distributors are committed to ensuring alcohol is provided safely and responsibly to consumers of legal drinking age through the three-tier, state-based system of alcohol regulation and distribution. To learn more about America’s beer distributors, visit www.AmericasBeerDistributors.com.
For additional updates from NBWA, follow @MrBeerGuy on Twitter and visit www.facebook.com/Mr.BeerGuy.

The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®, SAVOR℠: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience and American Craft Beer Week. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association. Follow us on Twitter.