Summer is almost upon us, that time of year when beer-filled coolers beckon.
But chances are, the beers in the cooler will not have names like Aecht Shlenkerla Oak Smoke, De Delle Oerbier or — take a deep breath … “De Glazen Toren Saison d’Erope Mere Speciaal Eindejaar.”
Those tongue-twisting names are some of the European high-end, small-label beers imported by B. United International Inc., a company that established a headquarters two years ago in the Fox Hollow industrial park in Oxford.
So when company president Matthias Neidhart kicks back with a beer on a hot summer day, it is likely to be an award-winning British ale, or perhaps a gourmet beer from Italy.
“Beer is not only food — it can have a lot of flavors and aromas,” said Neidhart, 54, of Redding, who was born and raised in Germany.
Neidhart imports craft beer — that is, beer created and distributed from specific regions — from various places in Europe.
In the U.S., Sam Adams started out as craft beer. Others include Magic Hat and Yuengling.
The craft beer market exploded in the U.S. some 20 years ago, as American beer drinkers became more sophisticated and sought out new flavors and labels.
Neidhart had been an executive in various industries, but wanted to launch his own business.
The craft beer market was his answer.
He launched B. United International Inc. in 1994, importing exotic brews and making them available via kegs and bottles for wholesale distributors who cater to the restaurant and pub trade.
It’s a good, “small” business, he said.
Neidhart currently has a 20,000 square-foot warehouse.
It’s not a typical warehouse, though. First off, it looks like a giant red barn.
The warehouse is built 12-feet into the ground, to take advantage of the naturally cool temperature that benefits the beer. It is 53 degrees in the warehouse, without the help of an electrical cooling system.
The number of brands in the underground beer cellar are dizzying.
“We have over 500 brands in our portfolio,” Neidhart said. “Most of the brands are highly complex in terms of their flavor and aroma profile.”
He stresses that these are not mass market beers.
“It’s not every day beer. They are very eccentric, very complex beers,” he said.
So where can you sample some of these exotic beers?
Try Delaney’s Restaurant & Tap Room in the Westville section of New Haven, or My Place on Queen Street in Newtown, he said.
Revenue for Neidhart’s business is about $12 million a year. Demand has grown to the point where he is expanding his Oxford operations, where he employs 15 people.
Next January he plans to build a 9,500 square-feet warehouse that will double as an experimental brewery.
The Inland Wetlands Commission approved his expansion plan this month.
