A Nice Problem to Have...

William Street Beer Co. launched operations in April of 2014 and since that time we have worked very hard to maximize our production volume in order to meet local demand. Although we have reached a level of production which allows us to rarely sell out of beer during our typical Wednesday through Saturday week, it is still a very limiting scenario. People often remark that "it's a good problem to have".

I often joke about the irony that I, a former sales trainer and marketing consultant, have yet to have
the opportunity to launch any external sales initiatives. Our licensee business has been limited to incoming requests only, and we have just begun to discuss further distribution opportunities. There just has not been enough beer.

To that end, William Street Beer is excited to announce the pending arrival of our new 10hl brewhouse and fermentation vessels. We have always made a commitment to utilizing professional brewing equipment, but our scale has been very small. Our capital investments for 2016 will allow us to gradually increase our production by more than 350% by summer of 2016. What does this mean for the William Street brand?

• Improved product availability for bars, restaurants, hotels etc.
• A greater selection of consistently available brands at our onsite retail store
• Ability to support and take part in more local and regional events
• Potential to explore new sales channels such as Beer Store, LCBO and Grocery
• Improved equipment, along with the incorporation of locally grown ingredients, will allow for further improvements in product quality and consistency
• Increased retail hours at 412 William Street
• The hiring of local talent to help produce and sell Cobourg's Premium Craft Beer to a much larger market

We have been overwhelmed by the excitement of our friends and customers as we have worked on this project. I am excited to open the space up for tours of the new facility as soon as possible. These are great new toys and I can't wait to share them with you.

There are a few things you should know...

1. Despite an interruption in production, we worked our butts off in an effort to have sufficient product to serve you through the switchover. The retail store is business as usual!
2. We love your kind words, great product reviews and support! If you visit a local eatery which doesn't yet carry William Street Beer, perhaps mention that you would like to see it. That helps us a great deal.
3. We want your feedback as well! Which products would you like to see in the store every day of the week? Where else would you like to be able to buy it? This is Cobourg's brewery as much as it's ours. LMK at sean@williamstreetbeer.com

Thank you again for your ongoing support and we look forward to serving you (more beer in more places) in 2016!

Cheers,

Sean

From Plant to Pint: William Street Beer Goes Local!

William Street Beer Co. has always worked very hard to focus on local ingredients whenever possible and to partner with other fabulous local business operators. In that spirit, we are very excited to announce that we have recently signed a mutually beneficial exclusivity agreement with Valley Hops with the intent of utilizing only Northumberland grown hops in our core brands by the end of 2016.

Hops are the product of a flowering vine that are used in brewing as a flavouring and stabilizing agent. Most Ontario Brewers secure their hops in a pelletized format through multinational distributors. The worlds most prolific hop growing regions are in Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, New Zealand and the US Pacific Northwest. However, Northumberland County provides great conditions for a number of exciting hop varieties.

Some of you may have had the opportunity to try our Harvest Ale, which was brewed with Brandon Bickle of Valley Hops using only freshly harvested wet Cascade cones from the Valley Hops farm North of Port Hope. That simple ale was one of our most highly lauded successes for one reason. We used fresh ingredients from our own backyard, grown with the utmost of care by experienced farmers. Their attention to detail is astonishing.

We are looking forward to offering that same farm fresh, local flavour twelve months a year in all of our core brands and, as our operation grows in scale, offering that same fresh flavour to beer lovers all over Ontario.

There are more 2016 announcements to come, but this is one of the most exciting.

Happy New Year!

Sean

Sean and Brandon brewing with Locally Grown Cascade Hops in early September 2015