Harborside History

What was it that compelled me to take such a unique path in life? It's simple, a love Midwestern water. We have the most beautiful lakefront here in the Midwest, be it the shores of the Great lakes to your favorite inland lake for vacationing and recreation. The waters of the Midwest are home to a special way of life, a life of simple satisfactions and relaxed refreshing ways of doing everyday tasks. This lifestyle is something I have always loved and I wanted to do something to celebrate it. What better way to pay my admiration to the people and the places of Midwestern waters than by creating a beer that celebrates the characteristics of the area and all the people who live and visit there.

May 2003 - I took the ultimate leap of faith and pursued my dream of starting my own Craft Brewing Company, Harborside Beverage Group LLC. My company would begin by producing its Flagship Brand Harborside Lager.

November 2003 - After seven long months of work with the Joseph Huber Brewing Co., the company I contracted to produce Harborside Lager I was ready to introduce my brand Harborside Lager into the Chicagoland market. I had two distributors signed on, and with beer in the warehouse I took to the streets telling the story of Harborside Lager.

April 2005 - After spending a year and a half growing the Chicagoland Market it was time to grow distribution into other Lakeside markets. I signed on two distributors in Eastern Wisconsin, covering the area between the IL/WI. state line up onto the Door County Peninsula.

March 2006 - With beer flowing down the east side of Lake Michigan I implemented my largest geographic expansion to date. I had spent the Winter months talking with a group of Distributors in Michigan and Indiana that cover the western shore of Lake Michigan.

June 2006 - As if I did not have enough on my plate I took late season aim at distribution in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I secured distribution in the eastern UP and Mackinaw Island.

So where do I go from here? Without getting ahead of myself, I am inclined to take a breath and savor the satisfaction of growing my one-man beer company from two distributors in the northeast corner of Illinois to a true regional company celebrating all the places and people from the Door County in WI. down around and up into Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Savor the past I say, but I get real excited about the future! Keep your eyes out for Harborside on draft, and a couple seasonals to accompany my Flagship brand Harborside Lager.