REBusiness included a write-up about Ben E. Keith Beverage’s Austin expansion, its land purchase and warehouse lease in their daily Texas News alerts. Read the full story

Read the full press release here

AUSTIN, May 1, 2010 – Dallas-based Ben E. Keith Beverages, one of the largest beverage distributors in the United States, has leased a 41,000-square-foot facility in Austin as part of the company’s overall growth and continuing expansion into Central Texas. Located at 2325 East Ben White Blvd in Austin, the building was recently renovated to create 4,200 square feet of office space, 15,000 square feet of refrigerated space, 18,500 square feet of ambient space, and 3,300 square feet of POS storage. Forty-four employees are working out of the new distribution facility. A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled to be held on May 5.

Ben E. Keith Beverages previously leased two smaller properties at 3903 B Warehouse Row. Both the new and old properties were leased from Twin Oaks Associated, LTD.

Ben E. Keith Beverages has also purchased 12 acres on McKinney Falls Parkway in south Austin. Design plans are currently in the works to build a new 85,000-square-foot facility, which will include office space, refrigerated space, dry sales material storage space, ambient/control temperature storage space, drive-through space for sales car and delivery truck loading, dock doors for shipping and receiving, and more.

“The demand for high quality craft/import beers has fueled Ben E. Keith Beverages’ rapid growth and resulted in a need for expanded distribution space for our services,” said Paul Holton, vice president of operations at Ben E. Keith Beverages. “We are committed to supplying our customer base with the highest quality products and remaining in Austin to provide jobs in the Central Texas region.”

Ben E. Keith’s offerings in the Central Texas region includes beverage brands such as Fireman’s #4, Rio Blanco Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada, Dogfish Head, Stone, Spaten, Brooklyn, Full Sail, Harpoon, Magic Hat & Ace Cider.

ABOUT BEN E. KEITH BEVERAGES

Ben E. Keith Company, established in 1906, began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company’s Beverages division is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. The company also distributes import beers, craft beers, wine products and nonalcoholic beverages. With eleven regional branches in Texas including Abilene, Austin, Commerce, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, Llano, Palestine and Waco, the company operates throughout the state of Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.benekeith.com/beverage.

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Media Contact: Claire Bloxom
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

Tiger Awarded Highest Honor For “International-Style Lager”; At Least One Tiger Won Big Over The Weekend!

Stamford, CT. April 15, 2010 – United States Beverage, the US importer of Singapore’s Tiger Beer, South-East Asia’s best selling Premium Pilsner-style Lager, is proud to announce that their popular beverage, took home the Gold Medal for “Best International-Style Lager” this weekend at the 2010 World Beer Cup in Chicago.

Now in its 8th year, The World Beer Cup is the world’s largest-ever commercial beer competition. Over 3,330 entries from six continents earned awards from an elite international panel of judges.

European-style lager with a golden color and medium body, Tiger is brewed using only the finest natural ingredients like malted barley from Australia and Europe, hops from Germany and a unique strain of yeast specially cultured in Holland. Containing 4.8% alcohol, the smooth, medium bitter taste of the globally-acclaimed Tiger, coupled with a well-balanced sweetness of malt, has been increasingly regarded by beer drinkers as one of the finest in the world.

Since its humble beginnings in 1932,Tiger has evolved from a Singapore beer to become a leading icon in the Asian markets and regarded as a “cool” social lubricant from the Far East by many beer lovers in Australia, Europe, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States of America. Today, the brand is available in almost 60 countries around the world.

Recognized for its premium quality and distinctive taste, Tiger has won over 40 international awards including 25 gold medals in its illustrious 77-year history. As a fledgling amongst established European beers, Tiger beat the best brews in the world to win its first international award in London in 1939. Tiger’s prestigious list of accolades includes Gold medals at the Brewing Industry International Awards 1998 and 1999, the Gold Monde International Quality Trophy for winning the Gold Monde Award since 1968, a Gold medal in the highly-contested European-Style Pilsner category at the World Beer Cup 2004 and now another Gold medal in the International Style Lager category at the World Beer Cup 2010. The latter is widely considered as the “Beer Olympics” by the industry. Tiger was also awarded a Gold medal at the New Zealand International Beer Awards in 2008. From 2004 to 2006, Tiger was named one of the coolest brands in the UK by SuperBrands UK Ltd, an independent arbiter on branding in the UK.

2010 is the Year of the Tiger!

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FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT JEFF ANDERSON:

JEFF@ROCKSTEADYLA.COM

About United States Beverage:

United States Beverage, LLC (USB) is a premium imported and craft beer sales importer located in Stamford, Connecticut. USB provides a national distribution network for a portfolio of premium brands including: Tiger Beer from Singapore, Estrella Damm lager and Estrella Damm INEDIT from Barcelona, Spain.

Media Contact: Clara Ingram, Ben E. Keith Beverages
claraingram@benekeith.com, (214) 267-6496

DALLAS, March 25, 2010 – Poor choices can have drastic consequences, but if you learn from your mistakes, the end result can be positive – and Sarah Panzau is Living Proof.  As a two-time member of the National Junior College Athletic Association women’s volleyball All-America team, Panzau knew what it was like to be on top of her game – and on top of the world.  But not long after, she nearly lost it all.

Panzau will recount the pattern of poor choices that finally caught up with her to students and teens at 12 Texas schools and institutions.  The two-week long tour kicks off on Monday, March 22 continuing through Thursday, April 1.  The tour is sponsored by Anheuser-Busch Texas wholesalers Ben E. Keith (Dallas), Silver Eagle (Houston and San Antonio) and Brown Distributing (Austin), as part of the company’s commitment to fighting underage drinking and drunk driving.

Somewhere between life as a competitively driven high-school athlete and the early years of college, Panzau began heading down a destructive path.  She found herself hanging out with the wrong crowd and getting more out of drugs and dangerous levels of alcohol than hitting the books and spiking a ball.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 23, 2003, Panzau’s car – and her life – spun out of control.  With a blood-alcohol level nearly four times the legal limit, the 21-year-old decided to drive home drunk, missed a highway exit and rolled her car four times.  Without a seat belt, she was ejected through the rear window of her car, her left arm was torn from her body and she was thrown onto the roadway.

The next thing Panzau remembers, she was in the hospital being told that she had lost her arm.  She remained hospitalized for several months and endured more than 30 surgeries.

Panzau recognizes it was a series of poor choices that led up to that tragic night and hopes others will learn from her mistakes.  She started speaking to students because, until the crash, she was in their shoes: invincible and with the world ahead of her.

“I am the victim of my own poor decisions to hang out with the wrong crowd, get involved with drugs and to drive drunk,” Panzau explains.  “Today, I stand before students to impress upon them the importance of making the right choices – to not drink before they are 21, never drive drunk, respect parents, rise above disabilities and to learn the meaning of ‘real’ friends.”

During her presentation, Panzau encourages students to look out for each other and reminds them to seek help, if needed.  She also touches on the difficulties she has encountered as a result of her disabling injury, including a lack of social acceptance.  She relates that before the crash, she was the pretty, popular girl with whom everyone wanted to be friends.  Now that she is technically considered disabled, people treat her differently.  Panzau encourages students not to let physical disabilities bias their thinking and to show tolerance and acceptance of others.

“Sarah’s story, while gut-wrenching, is such a powerful example,” says Clara Ingram, Public Relations Manager at Ben E. Keith Beverages.  “Her message truly resonates with the students because she’s young and was active and popular in school.  When she tells them to make good decisions, to think before they act, to not drink when underage and never drive drunk…they really get it.  That’s why we feel so strongly about helping Sarah spread her message.”

For nearly three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of 600 wholesalers have invested more than $750 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs such as Living Proof.  Living Proof is part of a speakers bureau Anheuser-Busch sponsors to travel nationwide delivering messages of responsibility and respect for the law to students, parents, educators, community groups and military personnel.  For more information on these efforts and the progress being made in alcohol responsibility, visit www.beeresponsible.com.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Monday, March 22

Noon                        Rice University
6100 Main Houston, Texas 77005

Tuesday, March 23

9 a.m.                        George I. Sanchez Charter School
6001 Gulf Freeway Houston, TX 77023

1:30 p.m.                 Kempner High School
14777 Voss Road Sugar Land, TX 77498

Wednesday, March 24

9 a.m.                        John F. Kennedy High School
1922 South General McMullen Drive, San Antonio, TX 78226

12:55 p.m.                Alamo Heights High School
6900 Broadway Street, San Antonio, TX 78209

Thursday, March 25

1:30 p.m.                 Concordia University
11400 Concordia University Drive Austin, TX 78726

5 p.m.                       Texas State University
601 University Drive San Marcos, Texas 78666

Friday, March 26

10 a.m.                     Austin High School
1715 West Cesar Chavez St. Austin, TX 78703

Tuesday, March 30

9 a.m., Noon, 2 p.m.   Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center
2600 Lone Star Drive Dallas, Texas 75212

Thursday, April 1

9:45 a.m.                  Rains High School
1755 West U.S. Hwy 69 Emory, TX 75440

1:30 p.m.                  Tom Bean High School
7719 State Hwy 11 Tom Bean, TX 75489

7 p.m.                        Texas A&M University – Commerce
2600 West Neal Street Commerce, TX 75428

Editor’s Note: Panzau will be available for interviews before and after the Living Proof presentations.  For more information or to schedule an interview, please call Clara Ingram at 214-267-6496, or visit http://www.beeresponsible.com/speakers-sarah-panzau.html.

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Media Contact: Claire Bloxom
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

DALLAS, March 15, 2010 – Little Kings Original Cream Ale is now available throughout the state of Texas, thanks to Dallas-based Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors. The consumer-favorite American Cream Ale  has the body and color of a golden ale with the smooth drinkability of a premium lager. Brewed with American grown malt and a special blend of three hop varieties, Little Kings is the finest example of the rare American beer style known as “Cream Ale.” Its unique, seven-ounce green bottles, which are filled with the smooth 5.5% ale, are produced by Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Company of Cincinnati, Ohio.

“Little Kings brings the distinctive and exceptional taste of cream ale to our craft beer offerings,” said Kevin Bartholomew, president of Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors. “We are very excited to distribute Little Kings throughout the state of Texas and look forward to a long and happy partnership.”

“We look forward to bringing Little Kings Cream Ale, an American original in its unique seven ounce bottles and cream ale style to Texas consumers,” said Greg Hardman President and CEO of Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Co. “Consumers from Texas have been requesting Little Kings for a long time and we are proud to partner with Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors to fill that consumer need.”

For more information on Little Kings, visit www.littlekingsbeer.com.

About Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors

Ben E. Keith Company, established in 1906, began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company – Beverage Distributors is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. The company also distributes import beers, craft beers, wine products and nonalcoholic beverages. With 11 regional branches in Texas including Abilene, Austin, Commerce, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Houston, Llano, Palestine, El Paso and Waco, the company operates throughout the state of Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.benekeith.com/beverage.

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Media Contact: Claire Bloxom
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

Designated Drivers Honored During NBA All-Star Activities

DALLAS (Feb. 10, 2010) – The National Basketball Association (NBA), Dallas Mavericks and Anheuser-Busch are encouraging fans to be responsible and respect others while attending NBA All-Star activities in Dallas, Feb. 11 – 14, through the Good Sport program.

Good Sport is a comprehensive action plan that encourages a positive crowd environment by reminding fans to be responsible, respect the rights of others and use a designated driver.  The program is supported by Anheuser-Busch and its Dallas-area distributor Ben E. Keith Company.

“NBA All-Star is a celebration of our game and the world’s best athletes, and it’s our goal to provide our fans with a safe, family-friendly experience during the events in Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington,” said Mark Tatum, executive vice president of Marketing Partnerships, National Basketball Association.  “The Good Sport program and our partnership with Anheuser-Busch is a way to promote responsible fan behavior and reward NBA fans who volunteer to be designated drivers for their families and friends.”

“We are proud supporters of Anheuser-Busch’s Good Sport program,” said Kevin Bartholomew, president of Ben E. Keith Beverages. “We have always promoted responsible behavior when drinking, and through the Good Sport program, we can reward adults who volunteer to be designated drivers for their families and friends during NBA All-Star weekend.”

Adults may sign up for the opportunity to be the “Designated Driver of the Night” at Good Sport booths featured at several events during NBA All-Star 2010:

• NBA All-Star Saturday Night (Saturday, Feb. 13) – Good Sport booth located in Section 104, American Airlines Center; the first 300 fans who sign up to be a designated driver receive a free soda at the event; “Designated Driver of the Night” receives an autographed NBA basketball.

• Budweiser One Night Stand at the Palladium (Saturday, Feb. 13) – Good Sport booth located near the front entrance; fans who sign up to be a designated driver receive a free O’Doul’s at the event; “Designated Driver of the Night” receives a framed NBA jersey.

• NBA All-Star Game (Sunday, Feb. 14) – Good Sport booth located in Section 446, Cowboys Stadium; fans who sign up to be a designated driver receive Responsibility Matters beads; “Designated Driver of the Night” receives an autographed NBA basketball.

Good Sport NBA All-Star 2010 in Dallas

“The NBA has been a great supporter of the Good Sport program for many years, and we’re pleased to again partner with them to encourage fans to drink responsibly and make a designated driver part of their plans for the 2010 NBA All-Star festivities,” said Kathy Casso, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility, Anheuser-Busch, Inc.  “The Good Sport program continues our commitment to promoting responsibility in our communities and helping to prevent drunk driving.”

Adult fans visiting the Good Sport booths at these events also will receive information about Anheuser-Busch’s Family Talk About Drinking program, which provides tips for parents on how to talk with their teens about drinking.  Developed by authorities on education, family counseling and alcohol treatment, Family Talk helps prevent underage drinking by helping parents communicate openly and honestly with their teens about this important issue.  Visit www.familytalkonline.com to download free materials.  And for entertaining at home, copies of Anheuser-Busch’s Great Party Guide, which offers tips for responsible celebrating, also will be available.

According to a 2008 study conducted by Harris Interactive® for Anheuser-Busch, 94 percent of sports fans who drink beer, say they drink responsibly and in moderation.  Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers promote responsible drinking among professional basketball fans by implementing Good Sport fan responsibility programs with 19 NBA teams throughout the season.

About the NBA

The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada.  During the 2009-10 season, NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in 41 languages.  The league’s worldwide reach is also displayed in the 80 international players from 35 countries and territories on NBA rosters.  NBA merchandise is sold in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA.com averages more than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site’s visitors coming from outside of North America.  Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $115 million to charity, provided more than one million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 440 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.

About Ben E. Keith Beverages

Ben E. Keith Company, established in 1906, began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company’s Beverages division is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. For more information, please visit http://www.benekeith.com/beverage.

About Anheuser-Busch

Since 1982, Anheuser-Busch and its nationwide network of wholesalers have invested more than $750 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs to promote responsible drinking and prevent alcohol abuse. In 2009, for the sixth year in a row, the company ranked first in the beverage industry for social responsibility in FORTUNE magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies.”  For more information on these efforts and the progress being made in fighting alcohol abuse, visit www.beeresponsible.com.

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Media Contact: Clara Ingram, Ben E. Keith Co.
claraingram@benekeith.com, (214) 267-6496

Kim Mandara, National Basketball Association
kmandara@nba.com, (212) 407-8086

San Antonio, July 27, 2009 – Dallas-based Ben E. Keith Beverages, one of the largest beverage distributors in the United States, has begun distributing Alamo Beer Company’s Alamo Golden Ale throughout San Antonio. The smooth and refreshing handcrafted Alamo Golden Ale is brewed locally and is the company’s first offering in San Antonio. Brewed with a balanced blend of the finest hops and malted barley, Alamo Golden Ale is a full-bodied, refreshingly lighter style ale with a smooth, velvety finish.

Alamo Beer Company began selling its handcrafted beer in 2003 by personally delivering the local brew out of Simor’s minivan. The innovation behind Alamo Beer is a reflection of Simor’s travels from all over the world. While venturing from place to place, Simor drank the local brews and enjoyed the diverse ingredients and flavorful aromas of the world’s beers. All that knowledge and desire to have a fine handcrafted local brew has been poured into Alamo beer.

“Alamo Golden Ale is the perfect introductory beer for both inexperienced and experienced micro-brew drinkers. The taste will not overpower the first-timers, yet its full-body and flavor will appeal to the enthusiasts,” said Eugene Simor, president of Alamo Beer Company. “The demand for our product has outgrown the ability to be personally delivered. However, we are incredibly proud to be working with Ben E. Keith and to bring their exceptional service to our customers. Our little beer now has a big distributor.”

Micro-brewed beers are unique in their formulation. They’re specially brewed in small batches and handcrafted with high-quality ingredients. The care and individual attention it receives creates a fine distinction from other, perhaps more notably known production brews.

“Craft beers tend to do well in the region in which they are brewed,” said Kevin Nettleton, General Manager of Ben E. Keith Beverages Specialty Division. “Alamo is a high quality product brewed just a few miles north of San Antonio. We’re thrilled to distribute Alamo Golden Ale all over San Antonio and look forward to eventually expanding distribution across the state.”

About Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors

Ben E. Keith Company, established in 1906, began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company – Beverage Distributors is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. The company also distributes import beers, craft beers, wine products and nonalcoholic beverages. With ten regional branches in Texas including Abilene, Austin, Commerce, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Houston, Llano, Palestine and Waco, the company operates throughout the state of Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.benekeith.com/beverage.

About Alamo Beer Company

Alamo Beer Company was founded by Eugene Simor in 1997 with the hope of  bringing a locally brewed beer to market.  The San Antonio owned and operated company introduced Alamo Golden Ale in 2003 to a very limited number of accounts.  Customers demanded more and the distribution continued to grow. For more information, contact Eugene Simor at 210-872-5589 and visit www.alamobeer.com.

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Media Contacts: Diana DuBois
diana@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

Clara Ingram
claraingram@benekeith.com, (214) 267-6496

What: Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, one of Dallas’ most prominent fine dining restaurants, is hosting a beer dinner that will feature 12 of the world’s finest brews. Guests will also indulge in a four-course gourmet dinner prepared by Chef James Johnson and his culinary team. Featured menu items and beer pairings include the following:

• First Course: Assorted Greens Salad with apples, oranges, blue cheese and crispy pancetta drizzled with a roasted shallot vinaigrette. Paired with Spaten, Light Lager, Munich, Germany; Ephemere, Ale with Fruit, Quebec, Canada; Ommegang Hennepin, Belgian Saison Farmhouse Ale, Cooperstown, New York.

• Second Course: Beer Battered Sole with tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms and lemon brown butter. Paired with St. Arnold Lawnmower, German style Kolsch, Houston; Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene, Lambic Gueze, Senne River Valley, Belgium; Dogfish Head 60 min IPA, Indian Pale Ale (IPA), Milton, Delaware.

• Third Course: Braised Short Ribs of Beef with cheddar cheese grits and roasted vegetables. Paired with Triple Karmeliet, Triple Ale, Buggenhout, Belgium; Malheur Dark Brut, Strong Dark Ale, Buggenhout, Belgium; Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout, Stout, Yorkshire, Great Britain.
• Fourth Course: Vanilla Bread Pudding, Chocolate Stout Ice Cream and Framboise Chocolate Cake. Paired with Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, Porter, Denver/Breckenridge, Colorado; Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, Stout, Bedford, Great Britain; Lindeman’s Framboise, Raspberry Lambic, Senne River Valley, Belgium.

Who: Pappas Bros. Steakhouse pairs old-fashioned fine dining with personable, five-star service. With more than 60 years of culinary experience, favorite entrees include Grilled Lamb Chops, Filet Mignon and Prime Rib.

When: Thursday, July 30 and Friday, July 31, 2009
7 p.m.

Cost: $65 per guest, plus tax and gratuity

Reservations: Reservations are required by calling (214) 366-2000

Where: Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
10477 Lombardy Lane
Dallas, TX 75220
www.pappasbros.com

All the beers featured in this dinner are distributed by Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors. For more information on these products and other craft import brands, please visit www.benekeith.com or www.greatbrewers.com.

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Media Contact: Diana DuBois
diana@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

DALLAS, June 29, 2009 - Dallas-based Ben E. Keith Beverages, one of the largest beverage distributors in the United States, has been named “Top Distributor of the Year” by Target Corporation, the nation’s fifth largest retailer. This is the first time Ben E. Keith has received this coveted distinction, which was introduced by Target to recognize outstanding service levels, including “In Stock” data for SuperTarget stores.

“Being recognized as a top distributor for Target is an incredible honor,” said Barry Green, Vice President of National Accounts of Ben E. Keith Beverages. “Our company really focuses on building strong relationships with our retailers, so to be recognized for these efforts truly reinforces our dedication to providing our retailers with exceptional service.”

Don Smith, Off Premise Chain Account Manager at Ben K. Keith Beverages, recently accepted the award at the Target Annual Vendor meeting at Target’s World Headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

About Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors

Ben E. Keith Company, established in 1906, began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company – Beverage Distributors is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. The company also distributes import beers, craft beers, wine products and nonalcoholic beverages. With ten regional branches in Texas including Abilene, Austin, Commerce, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Houston, Llano, Palestine and Waco, the company operates throughout the state of Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.benekeith.com/beverage.

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Media Contact: Claire Bloxom
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191

DALLAS, June 9, 2009

Beer is increasingly considered the ideal beverage to accompany food for its palate cleansing carbonation and its diverse range of styles featuring flavor and aroma characteristics that can enhance any dish.  But selecting the right beer style to complement a specific dish, and tracking down a retailer that carries that style presents inherent challenges.  For the first time ever, GreatBrewers.com, which includes Dallas-based Ben E. Keith Beverages as a founding partner, breaks down these barriers with the Beer Sommelier.

The Beer Sommelier graphically displays more than 250 unique dishes, which are categorized by main ingredient.  Once you select a dish, the Beer Sommelier will recommend the best beer complements ranging from the more than 140 styles recognized by the Brewers Association.  Then, see examples of each beer style that are available in your neighborhood and use the beer finder feature to map the closest bars, restaurants, and beer stores that currently stock that item.

According to Eric McKay, the creator of GreatBrewers.com, “America’s growing affection for craft beer lies in its extraordinary diversity of styles, its growing availability in the market, and its unparalleled ability to harmonize with food.  With the Beer Sommelier, we hope we can help more people make the revelation that a well-paired beer style can so dramatically enhance the culinary experience.”  The Brewers Association reports that craft beer has consistently been the fastest growing segment of the adult beverage industry since 2003.

McKay, a BJCP beer judge, with insights from Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver, and the late beer writer Michael Jackson, provided the pairing recommendations for each dish.  The beer finder on GreatBrewers.com is powered by perpetually updated sales data from 22 of America’s leading craft and specialty beer wholesalers located throughout Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Wisconsin, with additional locations to come later in 2009.

Visit the Beer Sommelier today at www.greatbrewers.com/beer-sommelier and savor your next meal with the perfect beer accompaniment.

About Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors

Ben E. Keith Company, established in 1906, began selling Anheuser-Busch products in 1933. Today, Ben E. Keith Company – Beverage Distributors is one of the largest independent Anheuser-Busch wholesalers in the country. The company also distributes import beers, craft beers, wine products and nonalcoholic beverages. With ten regional branches in Texas including Abilene, Austin, Commerce, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Houston, Llano, Palestine and Waco, the company operates throughout the state of Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.benekeith.com/beverage.

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Media Contact: Diana DuBois
diana@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191