Port City Brewing selling in United Kingdom

Port City Brewing Co. in Alexandria has begun selling its beer in the United Kingdom.

The brewery announced a distribution partnership with American Craft Beer Co., a United Kingdom-based representative for U.S. craft breweries.

Northam attended an event that marked the launch of the company’s products into the market. He is on a trade and marketing mission this week in Europe.

Port City was first introduced to American Craft Beer Co. during a tour of Virginia breweries for European beer buyers in September 2016  that was organized by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).

Port City was founded in 2011 by Karen and Bill Butcher. “Our new partnership with American Craft Beer Company allows us to diversify our sales base and enter a market with a high demand for craft beer from the U.S.,” Bill Butcher, founder of Port City, said in a statement. “We have taken advantage of every opportunity VDACS has offered to expose us to international buyers and markets and are thankful Virginia has such valuable resources to assist small companies like ours with our export efforts. We are excited for this next chapter in our growth.”

Operating since 2012, American Craft Beer Co. was founded by Ed Firth and Mark Smith and is based in West Midlands, England. The company represents a small, targeted group of U.S. craft beer brands in the UK market.

“We have been pleased to work with VDACS to identify top-quality Virginia craft breweries interested in and capable of exporting to the UK. Ours is a competitive market and we aim to add only the best U.S. craft breweries to our portfolio,” Smith said in a statement. “Port City impressed us with their exceptional beer, state of the art equipment and facilities, and their professionalism and commitment to sustainable growth. We can’t wait to spread the word in the UK about this outstanding brewery.”