Big Boss beer headed to the beach

Raleigh brewery makes deal to distribute its products along N.C. coast

Consumers may be cutting back, but one Raleigh company is betting its beer sales won't go flat.

Big Boss Brewing Co. signed a deal to distribute its beer along the coast beginning this week. And next month, it's making its Angry Angel beer the third variety available in bottles.

The changes will significantly expand the reach of the five-year-old brewery, which has made a name for itself locally, shipping its beers to dozens of Triangle restaurants and stores.

But the moves come at a risky time, with some economists predicting a recession.

Brewmaster Brad Wynn said the company is not making the changes blindly. Because of short supply, the cost of hops has gone up 30 to 40 percent in the past year, he said, which means any expansion must be done carefully. Still, he thinks the demand for Big Boss beer is there.

"A lot of other brewers are like, sell as much as you can as fast as you can," he said. "But I'm all about the quality. ... I've got the best team I've probably ever had right now, so the timing is great."

That's probably true despite the downturn in the economy, said Eric Schmidt, research director for Adams Beverage Group, which tracks the beverage industry.

Beer sales have grown from $75 billion in 2002 to $98 billion in 2007, he said. Craft beer accounts for only about $6 billion of that total, Schmidt said, "but it's bringing more people into the products and the business."

Breweries such as Big Boss may ride a wave of popularity as more people look for better beer to drink at home instead of going out, Schmidt said.

Big Boss beer could surface as soon as this week in bars and restaurants in Greenville, Wilmington, Elizabeth City and New Bern, said Clark Moore, vice president of Coastal Beverage.

The Wilmington distributor targeted about 100 of its clients that like to serve craft beers, Moore said.

"A lot of them are aware of Big Boss," he said. "They've been sampling it at craft beer festivals. ... Once there's demand already built up for the product, it's an opportunity for us."

Eventually, Big Boss may expand its distribution throughout the state and possibly into a few neighboring states, said Big Boss President Geoff Lamb.

"We're growing at our own comfort level," he said. "Even if we keep what we're doing right now, I'll be very happy with that."