Local brewery to sell in ‘big-box’ stores

A Valley business found a way to tap into the local economy. Open less than a year, the Coachella Valley Brewing Company continues to grow at an incredible rate selling its craft beers not only at local restaurants but now at national retailers.

“You dad drank Budweiser, your grandfather probably drank Budweiser and the next generation is just going for something a little different, a little more flavor,” said owner and brand manager of CVBC Gary Grotsky.

That flavor is known as craft beer.

“You are just going after the best beer you can get,” said Grotsky.

“The two martini drinks at lunch is a thing of the past, you’ll see people have a nice beer and they really want a better quality, than quantity,” said Young’s Market manger Richard Pentz.

That’s exactly what Coachella Valley Brewing Company wants to do and only 8 months in, it’s paying off.

“In the first couple of weeks we sold over 600 cases of their product, with Coachella just right around the corner, this is going to be the hottest product on the street for us,” said Pentz.

“It just kind of snowballed for us in kind of a way that was expected somewhat farther down the line but really has just taken off a lot faster than we thought,” said Grotsky.

Within 4 months, 60 different local restaurants and bars starting pouring its brews and now CVBC is starting to bottle their top three.

“You can find them in Beverly Hills, the San Diego area, Total Wine has picked us up, Bev Mo has pick us up, we are in all five Walmarts as of tomorrow in the local area,” said Grotsky. “It’s pretty big deal for a small company like ourselves,”

CVBC is not the only one, craft brews make up about 8% of the beer market and growing.

“We went around and looked at how the industry was going and every place I went, from Hanger to Stone, they couldn’t make enough beer, that was the main problem in the industry two years ago when I got invested in the company, and I though wow, is there any other industry where the big guys are scared of the little guys and the little guys are just coming on and you can’t stop them,” said Grotsky.

“I think we are at the tip of the bubble, it will grow,” said Pentz.

“A little Cinderella story ya, I’m ready to wear those glass slippers,” said Grotsky.

The Coachella Valley Brewing Company is not the only place to get craft brews in the Valley. There is also the La Quinta Brewing Company, Babe’s BBQ and Brew House in Rancho Mirage.

Also Smitty’s Tavern in Palm Desert specializes in selling craft beers, they even offer a beer school for those who want to learn more.