ProBrewer

An Online Resource Serving The Beer Industry

  • News & Articles
    • Featured Expert Topic: Brewing Education
    • Beverage Industry News
      • Business of Beer
      • Commentary
      • Crisis Response
      • Distribution & Retail
      • International
      • Legislative & Regulatory
      • Major Brand News
      • News From The Breweries
      • Packaging, Bottling, and Kegging
      • ProBrewer News
      • Quarterly Financial Reports
      • Specialty Industry News
    • Expert Topic
      • Craft Brewers Conference 2022
    • Front of House
      • Dispensing
      • Kitchen and Food
      • Serving
    • Operations
      • Brewing Education
      • Human Resources
        • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
      • Professional Services
        • Finance
        • Legal
        • Marketing
      • Shipping
    • Packaging
      • Bottles
      • Cans
      • Distribution
      • Kegs
    • Production
      • Beverage Conditioning
      • Beverage Ingredients
        • Hops
        • Malt
        • Other Ingredients
        • Water
        • Yeast
      • Brewery Equipment
        • Brewing Systems
        • Filtration
        • Keg Washers
        • Malt Handling
        • Nano Brewing
        • Pumps
        • Refrigeration
        • Tanks
      • Brewery Floors
        • DIY Brewery Floor
      • Distilling
      • Filtering
      • Quality Control
      • Stupid Stuff
    • Real Estate
      • Planning
    • Sponsored
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Essential Virtual Resources for the Brewing Industry
    • Virtual Brewing Conference Guide
  • Classified Ads
    • Latest Ads
    • Ads By Category
    • Help Wanted / For Hire
    • Search Ads
    • Post Classified Ad
    • Post Catalog Ad
    • About Classified Ads
  • Jobs
  • Discussion
  • Tools
    • IBU Calculator
    • Beer Specifications
    • Water Chemistry
  • Advertise
    • Advertise & Sponsorship on ProBrewer
    • ProBrewer Advertisers
  • Allied Trade Directory
    • Search Allied Trade Directory
    • Your Companies
    • Submit New Allied Trade Company
  • Login / Register
    • ProBrewer Login
    • Register
    • Password Reset
» Beverage Industry News » Little Guy Brings Quality Beer to Valley of the Sun

Little Guy Brings Quality Beer to Valley of the Sun

Beverage Industry News» Beverage Industry Newsposted Apr 14th, 2003 by Pat Hagerman

At this year’s Phoenix’s Great Arizona Beer Festival, among the 100-plus breweries pouring samples this weekend, there are a few new tastes on tap, thanks in large part to Valley upstart Little Guy Distributing. The year-old company will have three booths representing six breweries, which make up two-thirds of its list of suppliers. Little Guy is aptly named for it’s tiny size, but it’s big news to metro-Phoenix beer geeks, because it specializes in high-end, lesser-known brands that otherwise wouldn’t be available in the Valley. One example is Sonoma County’s superlative Bear Republic Brewing Co. Brewmaster Richard Norgrove Jr. says his company hadn’t planned to expand into Arizona until Little Guy made a pitch.

Little Guy’s primary outlets are the AJ’s Purveyor of Fine Foods chain, Tops and Sun Devil liquor stores in Tempe and Mesa, and Papago Brewing Co. That last one is no surprise – the Scottsdale beer bar was co-founded by Little Guy’s “lead ferret” (beer scout), Bruce McConnell. “When Ron (Kloth) and I opened Papago and started looking for beers to serve, we found out that the options here were very limited,” McConnell says. “The high-volume fast movers are the things the bigger (distributors) are carrying, so we saw an opportunity there.” It was McConnell’s son, C.B., who had the idea. He incorporated the company last March, and later was joined by his father and a third partner, Andy Keyser.

Now, Little Guy is poised for growth, says the elder McConnell (who had to sell his interest in Papago before entering the wholesale business). Little Guy recently landed distribution of Washington state’s pioneering Bert Grant’s microbrewery, and the company has more than doubled its client list and just bought its first refrigerated delivery truck. “Being awarded the Grant’s line, now we know we need to step it up,” McConnell says. “They had enough faith in us and our business plan, but now we have to deliver.”

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Pocket
  • Email
Pat Hagerman

Posted by Pat Hagerman

Search

Promoted
ABS Commercial logo
ABS Commercial
We Have Equipment in Stock!
Stout Tanks and Kettles, LLC logo
Stout Tanks and Kettles, LLC
The Craft Brewery Experts
Quantiperm logo
Quantiperm
Perfection in Carbonation
Rocky Mountain Vessels • Briess Malting Company

Subscribe to ProBrewer Daily

ProBrewer Subscriptions

View previous newsletters.

Connect With @ProBrewerPage

 Instagram    Facebook    Twitter

 

 

 

Join the ProBrewer mailing list

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy

Connect With @ProBrewerPage

 Instagram    Facebook    Twitter

Go Somewhere Else

News • Classifieds • Help Wanted / For Hire • Discussion • Library • Contact • Advertise • Contact Details • Help

Copyright © 2022 · RealBeer Media · Privacy Policy · Terms and Conditions

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.