Dust Bowl Brewing Co. has achieved the status of a regional brewing in 2020 despite the challenges of the pandemic and the impacts on its on-premise sales. The brewery in Northern California produced over 16,500 barrels last year, which is a record for the growing company and a massive achievement in a year of social distancing restrictions and economic setbacks.
According to the national Brewers Association (BA), craft breweries are categorised into one of three types – large producers making over six million barrels, regional brewers producing anywhere between 6 million barrels and 15,000 barrels and microbrewers producing anywhere up to 15,000 barrels. Based on the reporting from the Alcohol and Tax Trade Bureau, the industry is mostly made up of microbrewers, accounting for 6,122 craft breweries. Meanwhile, there is a much smaller number of 270 regional breweries in the US. Dust Bowl Brewing is ranked 148th, in the top 2.5% of regional breweries in the country according to the BA. With regards to the state of California which Dust Bowl calls it’s home, the company ranks 23rd, in the top 2.4% of 958 brewers in the state with the most breweries of any in the country.
While the BA recently reported that the sales of craft beer were down 9% across the nation, Dust Bowl has experienced 14% growth for a turbulent 2020, to say the least. Considering the fact that on-premise sales were decimated last year this is a hugely impressive feat. California has had some of the most stringent social distancing restrictions due to Covid-19 and this is where the company sells most of its beer. Temporary closures and to-go beer sales at the taprooms of Dust Bowl in Turlock and Monterey added to the difficulties in reaching this goal, so the company made huge efforts in developing its off-premise business including retail chain stores, grocery stores and liquor stores across the state.
Bust Bowl Brewing Co. is now in the process of finalising a multi-million-dollar investment for a new canning line and the automation of its packaging, which are expected to be up and running by the end of May 2021. In addition to this investment, the company has renewed its focus on the development of satellite taprooms. This is a strategy that was essentially put on hold during the midst of the pandemic. For this year in 2021, Dust Bowl Brewing is now forecasting an even larger barrel run than last year, specifically at least 18,500 barrels.
From its foundation in May of 2009, the company is now owned by Brett and Karen Tate, and Brett and Camy Honoré who became business partners with the Tate’s 11 years later in 2010. The brewery constructed and moved its operations to a 30,000 square foot brewery and taproom in Turlock, California in June of 2016. They offer beers in 5.2- and 15.5-gallon kegs along with 22oz and 12oz bottles, and 16oz and 12oz cans. Their distribution includes the states of California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Vermont. The brewery showcases a wide range of beers in its two taprooms – the Brewery Taproom in Turlock and the Tap Depot in Monterey, California. If you’d like to find out more about Dust Bowl Brewing Co. and its products, head on over to dustbowlbrewing.com.
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