A growing CANarchy is afoot. Deep Ellum joins the team.

I'll admit that when I saw the multi-day, outdoor CANarchy event in Nashville during the Craft Brewers Conference last month, I thought it was just a marketing play on words to promote an event. Then, after a little extra effort and scrutinizing the participating breweries (Oskar Blues, Cigar City, Perrin, Wasatch, and Squatters), I came to learn that it was the umbrella name for their new company collective.

Now they have one more on Team CANarchy — Deep Ellum. I've drank the beers while elsewhere in Texas, but haven't been to the rollicking Deep Ellum neighborhood in Dallas for nearly 15 years in the time that it was just growing up.

Take it away, press release.

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Deep Ellum Brewing Company Joins CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective

DALLAS, TX - JUNE 12, 2018 - Deep Ellum Brewing Company is the latest craft brewery to join the CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective. For Deep Ellum, a craft brewery with rough edges and deep roots in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, the move to join the disruptive collective of independent brewers will immediately provide resources for increased production and distribution.

Founded in 2011 by John Reardon, Deep Ellum Brewing Company quickly grew to become the third largest independent craft brewery in Texas, led by its flagship brews, Dallas Blonde and Deep Ellum IPA. In 2017, Deep Ellum grew 37% to produce more than 45,000 bbls in Texas only, with the vast majority being consumed within 20 miles of the brewery.

“It’s been a hell of a ride for all of us at Deep Ellum and I believe this is just the beginning,” said John Reardon. ”We’ve been looking for the right partner to grow the Deep Ellum brand and I believe we’ve found that with CANarchy. They’re a group of like-minded people that have not conformed to the status-quo and have hit critical mass on the path of coming together and remaining independent. We’re all in.”

CANarchy provides a platform from which rapidly growing craft breweries seeking high level resources can expand and compete in the increasingly competitive craft beer segment, while maintaining independence. The platform is driven by individual brewery culture, giving brewers control of their businesses and brands, while providing resources and support to scale their respective operations.

“Deep Ellum Brewing has created a strong community and now they’re facing next-level challenges that we’ve seen before. Within CANarchy, we can solve those problems in our own way,” said Joey Redner, founder of Cigar City Brewing, who joined CANarchy in June of 2016. After immediately addressing capacity issues, CANarchy was able to assist Cigar City Brewing to expand distribution and increase shipments 43% from 65,000 bbls to 92,000 bbls in 2017.

“CANarchy’s culture thrives on collaboration among craft breweries blazing their own path and doing things their own way. John and the Deep Ellum crew light the fire of craft beer in DFW and will bring that same fire to our collective,” Dale Katechis, Soul Founder of Oskar Blues, said about the new partnership.

“During my time at the University of Colorado I specifically remember my first can of Dale’s Pale Ale, and that experience is part of the reason I’m in this business. Joining a collective of such irreverent and disruptive founders and leaders is exactly what Deep Ellum has been looking for,” said John Reardon.

Deep Ellum is currently undergoing a large expansion, including a 60-barrel brewhouse at the company’s primary facility that is expected to come online within the next few months. The brewery is operating at maximum capacity and is projecting 55,000 bbls of production in 2018. Deep Ellum is also constructing a taproom in Fort Worth, Texas, that will incorporate a 5 bbl Brewhouse and retail space that is scheduled to open in late fall of 2018.

CANarchy was recently ranked #9 on the Brewers Association’s list of the 2017 Top 50 U.S. Craft Brewers as ranked by sales volume. The portfolio includes Oskar Blues Brewery, Perrin Brewing Company, Cigar City Brewing, Squatters Craft Beer and Wasatch Brewery. The collective is the #1 provider of American craft beer in a can and has driven Cigar City Brewing’s Jai Alai IPA and Oskar Blues’ Dale’s Pale Ale to the #1 and #2 sold craft can six packs in U.S. Grocery.

Terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

About Deep Ellum Brewing Company
In 2011, Deep Ellum Brewing Company set up shop in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, Texas - the first craft brewery to open in Dallas in over a decade. Since then, Deep Ellum has become as well known for its innovative brewing and exceptional quality as it has for its healthy disdain for the status quo. Like the notorious neighborhood it calls home, the brewery is bold, fearless, and unapologetic. The idea of “blending in” was never part of the plan - at the bar or on the shelf. With a commitment to staying true to their reckless streak, their rough edges and their roots, Deep Ellum has quickly grown to become the 3rd largest independent craft brewery in Texas and the 65th largest brewery overall. Led by its flagships, Deep Ellum IPA and Dallas Blonde, the brewery has amassed an extremely devoted fan base across Texas and beyond.  @deepellumbrewing #LoveRunsDeep

About CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective
Founded in 2015, CANarchy is a disruptive collective of like-minded brewers dedicated to bringing quality and innovative flavors to beer drinkers in the name of independent craft beer. The portfolio of craft breweries, partially funded by Fireman Capital Partners, including Oskar Blues Brewery, Deep Ellum Brewing, Perrin Brewing Company, Cigar City Brewing, Squatters Craft Beer and Wasatch Brewery and newly added Deep Ellum Brewing Company, is challenging corporate convention to preserve independent craft beer culture. CANarchy is the #1 provider of American craft beer in a can by bringing value to distributors, retailers and beer drinkers. CANarchy was recently ranked #9 on list of the 2017 Top 50 U.S. Craft Brewers as ranked by sales volume. Cigar City Brewing Jai Alai IPA and Oskar Blues’ Dale’s Pale Ale are currently the #1 and #2 sold craft can six packs in U.S. Grocery. The CANarchy platform brewed over 350,000 bbls in 2017, reaching all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., parts of Canada, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Brazil, and South Korea.

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© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2018. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com

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Philly Beer Week 2010: Day 1 Wrap-Up

Link to Day 1 Pictures

Link forward to Day 2

Wow! What a way to begin. While I didn't get to personally experience the Hammer of Glory tour, Patty was out capturing some of the sights and sounds of the tour. She stopped in at Standard Tap, Kite and Key, and Nodding Head before meeting up with me.

She crossed paths with the likes of Jennie Hatton, co-captain of this big amazing thing called Philly Beer Week; Steve Shapiro/Gail Williams, visiting BeerByBart founders from San Francisco; and a gaggle of brewers and reps, bar owners and assorted beer fans. The antics that she experienced along the way sound unparalleled. Maybe someday she'd like to write here on TBL, but for now you'll simply need to see what she experienced yesterday through the photos she took (see the link at the top of this posting....or just click it here again).

And, I've confirmed that she still doesn't look to be paid for her work...she simply wants to be given credit for the work that she did. Sometimes credit is the most important thing that can be given, don't you think?!

So, I finally jumped off the train and met her at the Oyster House, which was in the midst of celebrating its 1-year anniversary since it's makeover and reopening in 2009. The Stoudt's crew was there as well, finishing up dinner after having tapped a firkin of their Double IPA. At first, I thought a $7 hit for what appeared to be a 12-ish ounce glass might have been a wee bit side of expensive, but I later learned that the keg does not exactly come cheap from the brewery.

I never thought I'd be starting PBW with a shellfish dinner on Sansom Street, but this worked out real nicely, particularly as I was chasing some oysters with the hoppy brew from Stoudts.

We finished up with dinner and made our way across town to the Independence Visitor Center where the Hammer had already shown up and Mayor Michael Nutter had already tapped the First Firkin of Sly Fox Collaboration BS1 beer. I caught up with that mayhem last year and I figured that the pictures and scene would look much the same, so we took our time finishing dinner and showed up just after 8pm at Opening Tap. I trust that pictures will be slowly filtering their way out to the Web and when they do, I'll link to them here.

Just after 8pm, the line still strung out to a good 100 people or so down Market Street. This being my second beer event at the Visitor Center (the first being Brewer's Plate), I'll stick to my standing position: I can't see this as a viable venue for beer events. The Brewer's Plate was contained mostly to the first floor and kept everyone tightly packed mostly in a long chute of tables and samples.

This year for Opening Tap, the venue was opened up a bit more, but I'm afraid too much so. When I talked with people in the room upstairs more than a few had said they had no clue what was going on downstairs where a few handfuls of brewery tables were setup. People were either drawn to the open air patio upstairs and/or the large screen television which was showing the Flyers game or they came in the Market Street entrance and bee-lined to the back of the venue's first floor.

It was very crowded and warm upstairs. Downstairs, a few tables greeted folks as they were given their bracelets and glassware. Then a short empty stretch, save for some food and non-alcoholic beverages. In the back of the space was another cluster of tables which gathered folks around several hanging TVs showing the Stanley Cup Finals game 4. I realize that I'm not doing a great job of explaining why this venue does not work so well. But, there's something lacking in the layout and continuity/flow of the space and the people.

After only having about six or so samples, I was shocked to see how fast time had flown as we were being hustled out by the security crew. The cab companies must have been on alert, because many were pulling up ready to take us off to the next stop in our journey. That worked well.

We decided to watch the third period with a bunch of great people (including BeerByBart's Steve Sharpiro and Gail Williams, visiting from San Francisco) at Varga. Funny how this was our first visit, while it was already Steve's and Gail's second.

Varga became a great place to meet Brendan McLane from Oskar Blues and drink of their Gubna and Gordon. The third period became much more important to watch as the Blackhawks were actually attempting to make a game of it. Varga, a nice addition to the neighborhood corner pub that many have raved about, turned out to be a great venue to watch game four.

Several other beery types of folk wandered through the door while we were there, so apparently they get a lot of industry insider attention as well. I'm anxious to head back soon to sit down for a few more drinks and a plate or two of food to give Varga a proper review. 10th and Spruce Streets for those of you who'd like to try it out for yourselves.

There was no way we were going to take the 1:15am train out of the city (the 12:15 was the more responsible choice), so we polished off our beers, said our thank-yous and good-nights and grabbed a cab back to 30th Street Station where, you guessed it, we had our one last. Great Lakes Brewery from Cleveland and one of its brewers was there during happy hour with several of their beers. It seemed like a good time to put down an Edmund Fitzgerald Porter before grabbing the train. According to the bartender, whether it was PBW, a summer Friday, the Flyers, or the Phillies, or just another typical happy hour, the Great Lakes event was reportedly well-received.

And, while most city beer stories for us tend to end at Bridgewater's before taking the train, this one had one last wrinkle (not TJs in Paoli as you might have (wisely) guessed). As we board the crowded, almost full, train, we were looking for two seats and lo and behold we wind up sitting with Greg and Sue Ramirez who were returning from the Flyers game...well, of course, they made their own pitstops from the subway to the regional train. You just never know...