Joining BrightBev

“I read your blog.”

It’s a sentence I’ve heard before—walking the floor at the Great American Beer Festival, during barrel-aged releases at Revolution Brewing—but I didn’t expect to hear it on the first day of Little League in late February 2024, as parents congregated waiting for the first practice to begin. Caught off guard, I smiled and asked, “Are you in the industry too?”

That’s how I met Jeff Agase.

He introduced himself simply as Jeff, adding that he worked for Molson Coors, but a quick LinkedIn search later revealed he was actually the President of Tenth & Blake, their craft division—home to five well-known breweries across the U.S.

By last spring, I was in my third year as a Hamlin Park baseball dad. Games stretch over two hours, plus warm-ups, so having a good crew of laid-back parents to sit with is essential.

In true beer business fashion, Jeff and I started showing up with well-stocked coolers, prepared to share and discuss. Despite working for breweries of very different sizes and histories, we hit it off fast—talking beverage trends, debating the rise of premium lagers, and bonding over the misunderstood value of beer wholesalers.

Jeff’s background is deep—an attorney who joined Molson Coors in 2010 and eventually led national route to market strategy and distributor relations across beer, spirits, wine, and non-alc. Meanwhile, I’d always had a curiosity about launching something of my own in the beverage world and a feeling grew that Jeff did as well.

BrightBev

In August 2024, Molson Coors divested the Tenth & Blake business. Jeff decided it was time to try something new: something entrepreneurial, but something still very much in the world of beverage. Not long after, as fall baseball started up at the park (time truly is a flat circle when it comes to youth sports), Jeff reached out with a question: “Can I bounce a few start-up ideas off you?”

We met at Village Tap, just a few blocks from our homes. The first two concepts? Solid—singles and doubles. But the third idea? That one hit differently. It had home run potential.

BrightBev.

A platform built to help emerging beverage brands navigate the often-overlooked challenge that can make or break a business: route to market and distribution.

These days, anyone can create a beverage brand. Flavor, design, and story? Founders are crushing it. But when it comes to distribution, even the best brands can struggle. That’s where BrightBev comes in.

What BrightBev Does

BrightBev does things differently. Rather than securing beverage brand clients and then selling them in to distributors, BrightBev starts with its deep distributor relationships at the highest levels. It holds brand exploration sessions with top distributors to identify portfolio gaps, spot trends, and generate demand at the wholesaler level for intriguing spaces in beverage.

If you’ve worked in the beverage business, you know that distributors are gatekeepers to your scale and success—and this is what intrigued me so much about BrightBev’s approach.

This work on the demand side benefits the brands that eventually become BrightBev clients. The platform works with a select group of founders on a longer-term, retainer basis (not on commission), which allows real-time, thoughtful support with foresight, and without conflicting incentives. It’s an unlock for the most underestimated and misunderstood part of a beverage brand’s success.

And here’s another key differentiator: BrightBev invests. Not just time and expertise, but capital as well. BrightBev builds long-term partnerships by being in the trenches with the brands it supports.

First Win: Dad Grass

In December, I got a DM on TikTok from Ben Starmer, co-founder of Dad Grass – a laid-back, low-dose THC beverage brand inspired by the mellow vibes of the ‘70s. He was looking for advice on expanding into distribution.

I took the call, and left impressed. Ben understood the challenge ahead and had the self-awareness to seek help before making a costly misstep. His team had nailed DTC—but now wanted to grow beyond it. Sounded like a perfect fit for BrightBev.

After making the intro to Jeff, things moved fast. Earlier this month, Dad Grass launched in their first retail market. And yes—Ben sent over some thank-you samples, which are hands-down the best-tasting THC-infused beverages I’ve tried yet.

The whole thing started with TikTok content. It made me wonder—maybe sharing content really can spark conversations…and real-world opportunities.

Teaming Up

Jeff and I kept meeting throughout the winter—sharing ideas, splitting the occasional “G,” and updating each other on our respective projects. As BrightBev gained traction, the conversations shifted.

What if I joined?

With Beer Crunchers moving to a premium model (shameless plug: mash that Subscribe button!) and the growth of @BeerAficionado on social, I didn’t think I had the bandwidth. But the stars kept aligning and eventually, we landed on the dream scenario:

I’m officially joining BrightBev as a Partner, working with Jeff to increase the odds of success for emerging beverage brands that are ready to tackle retail. And I’m bringing Beer Crunchers under the same roof—with full support to devote significantly more time to continue growing the content and community that started this journey.

What’s Next

Going forward, you’ll still hear from me via Beer Crunchers—but now from the perspective of someone investing in and advising beverage brands across the entire category. Beer, absolutely. But also the blurring of lines between categories like THC, functional beverages, NA innovation, and more.

Jeff and I come from different parts of the beer world. But just as frequent overthrows at first base and inside the park home runs brought us together last spring, we likewise share an intense interest in what’s next for beverage, and a strikingly similar way of looking at that world. Jeff’s also been helping edit some posts behind the scenes, and he will begin contributing as well.

BrightBev is already helping its first clients build distribution plans that work, and the response from founders, distributors, and investors has been overwhelmingly positive. Beverage is a business that brings people together, and we’re excited to bring your story together with ours.

If this resonates—and if you're building something—let’s talk.