"Washington Wine & Beverage Company announces purchase of majority interest in Fish Brewing Company"

WOODINVILLE & OLYMPIA- Washington Wine & Beverage Company, the producer of Silver Lake and Glen Fiona Wines, and Fish Brewery Company, the producer of Fish Tale Organic Ales, Leavenworth Beers, and Spire Mountain Ciders, jointly announced today that Washington Wine & Beverage Company has acquired a majority interest in the Fish Brewing Company effective September 26, 2008. Fish has operated a brewery and brewpub in Olympia, Washington since 1993 and currently has over 300 local consumer-owners." We are very excited about this acquisition, said Washington Wine & Beverage President, Sal Leone, as this will allow us to continue the process of working together to co-market our products." In 2003, Washington Wine & Beverage Company sold Fish Brewing its Spire Mountain Cider Brand for a minority stake in the company and positions on their board and maintained an option to increase its ownership position. An opportunity arose when one of Fish Brewery's major shareholders expressed a desire to sell his shares. "This was an opportunity too good to turn down", expressed Sal Leone.

Fish Brewery has experienced significant gains during the past few years due to the popularity of their Organic Fish Tale Ales, the renovation and expansion of their Olympia brewpub, the upgrade of their brewhouse and bottling line, the installation of a state-of-the-art processing centrifuge, the addition of more tanks, and the resurrection of the Spire Mountain Cider Brand. "For the past few years, we have been concentrating on building our manufacturing capacity", said Fish Brewery President, Martin Bills. "We are now poised to significantly produce more beer for our consumers. The increased participation by Washington Wine & Beverage Company will give us the added manpower needed to increase our market reach". Fish Brewing and Washington Wine & Beverage Company intend to combine their sales and marketing forces to jointly market their brands. As part of this effort, both Fish and WWBC will distribute their products through the Odom-Southern Wine & Spirits network of distributors. "By joining our sales force, we are now in a position to expand our distribution nationwide while maintaining a close working relationship with our distributors and customers in the Northwest", said Sal Leone.

"The investment in Fish will also take us one step closer towards the completion of our planned Northwest Wine & Culinary Village in Woodinville", said Sal Leone, "as we intend to locate a Fish Brew/Distillery pub in the village. The addition of a pub that is both a beer and distilled spirits producer will greatly enhance the attraction of the village". The Northwest Wine Village has been a planned project for Washington Wine & Beverage Company for some time now but the company hopes to begin the construction process soon. The current plan calls for the construction of tasting rooms for Silver Lake, Glen Fiona, and the Hoodsport Wineries and others, a Fish Brew/Distillery Pub, a possible themed Wine Bar & Spa, a Jazz Club, a white table cloth restaurant, and an indoor and outdoor entertainment center.

Washington Wine & Beverage Company was founded in 1987 and has grown to be one of the largest locally owned winemaking companies in the state of Washington with over 1500 local consumer-owners. Originating as a small cider producer in Bothell, WA, Washington Wine & Beverage Company now operates the Silver Lake Winery in Zillah, WA, the Glen Fiona Winery in Walla, Walla, WA and acts as the marketing agent for Hoodsport Winery in Hoodsport, WA. Silver Lake Winery also has tasting rooms in Woodinville, WA and a 235-acre vineyard in the Rattle Snake Hills appellation, the Roza Hills Vineyard. The 3 wineries combine to produce approximately 70,000 cases of premium Washington wine.

Celebrating its fifteenth year, Fish Brewing Company is an award-winning brewer and bottler of craft ales and ciders. Fish is best known for Fish Tale Organic Ales, the northwest's premier Organic beer. Fish introduced its first Organic Ale in 1999. The Fish Brewing family expanded in 2000 with the acquisition of Leavenworth Brewing. In 2005, Fish acquired the Spire Mountain Ciders brand. Today, Fish Tale Organic Ales, Leavenworth German-style beers, and Spire Mountain Ciders are all crafted at Fish Brewing's downtown Olympia facilities where they also operate The Fish Tale Brew Pub.