A familiar face now takes over as the owner of River Barrel Distributing.
River Barrel Distributing (RBD) is a craft-focused beverage distributor serving eight counties in Washington, mostly west of the Cascade Mountains. The distributorship was established about four years ago by Bouy Beer Company of Astoria, Oregon. When founded, it provided a way for Buoy Beer to distribute other breweries’ beers alongside its own beers to counties in Western Washington.
Since its inception, River Barrel has built an impressive catalog of Northwest breweries that includes Stemma Brewing, Single Hill Brewing, Future Primitive Brewing, Lowercase Brewing, Little Beast Brewing, De Garde Brewing, Alesong Brewing and Blending, Trap Door Brewing, and many others. (Complete list below.)
Recently, Buoy Beer decided to sign on with a larger distributor to further expand its distribution footprint. In doing so, River Barrel Distributing needed to find new ownership and leadership. Today, we share the news that Joe Cohen (pictured above) is taking over as the company’s owner. Under his continued leadership and this change of ownership, the company intends to expand its reach and services to its customers and partners.
“With 12 years in the industry and experience leading RBD’s sales team since day one, Joe’s passion for craft beverages and dedication to quality make him a natural fit to guide RBD into the future,” the company announced on Tuesday. “Started by Buoy Beer just four years ago, RBD has grown from a small startup to a thriving business representing an impressive lineup of beloved brands. This ownership transition sets the stage for even more growth and opportunity ahead.”
Reflecting on the development, Joe Cohen said, “With the support of our suppliers and dedicated team, I’m excited to build upon the values that make RBD an industry leader and further serve our customers and the vibrant craft beverage community across Western Washington.”
River Barrel Distributing currently serves the following counties in Washington: King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Snohomish, Kitsap, Jefferson, and Chelan.
The RBD Lineup
At this time, the River Barrel Distributing catalog includes the following breweries and beverage producers:
- Single Hill Brewing
- Future Primitive
- Bauman’s Cider
- Zoiglhaus Brewing
- Stemma Brewing
- Freight Supply Co
- Lowercase Brewing
- Trap Door Brewing
- Ancestry Brewing
- Triceratops Brewing
- Sig Brewing Co
- Bellingham Cider Co
- Terramar Brewstillery
- Hetty Alice Beers
- Little Beast Brewing
- Living Haus Beer Co
- North Jetty Brewing
- Alesong Brewing
- Dalliance Beer Project
- De Garde Brewing
- Stiegl Brauerei
- Sullivan’s Brewing
- Van Steenberge
- De Brabandere
- Flensburger Brauerei
- Aass Brewery
- Pilot House Distilling
- Underberg Bitters
- Eternal Wines
- Purple Hands Wine
- Prolific Wines
- aprch CBD Seltzer
- Driftwest Probiotic Soda
- Altitude NA Refreshers
- WellBeing NA Beer
- Sober Carpenter NA Beer

