Beer Industry News, Insights, Jobs, & Events

Folks often ask me, Sean – what’s it like living the glamorous life of a weekend beer biz columnist in New York City? Is it just like Sex and the City? Well Zoe, some days it is for sure (although with far fewer brunches), but it does come at a price. Thus, I give you this week’s dispatch from a bar in my neighborhood, which may give some insight into the volume issues the industry continues to see.

Uncle Nearest founders Fawn and Keith Weaver have made their final courtroom arguments to take back ownership of the troubled bourbon company after it defaulted on more than $100 million in loans and went into receivership.

Job cuts at Diageo; Michelle St. Jacques’ landing spot; Victoria and Pacifico’s new lead; Sierra Nevada’s next Little Thing; Modelo’s new creative; and Allagash and Russian River’s enduring friendship.

Reyes Beverage Group is expanding the number of territories that it will acquire from Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), while dropping a previously announced state from the transaction.

Craft’s trends leveled out slightly in February after a strong January, according to the latest monthly report from market research firm Circana. The segment’s dollar sales are now about flat (+0.3%) year-to-date (YTD) through February 22.

New Trail Brewing (Williamsport, Pennsylvania) has expanded distribution to Western New York via Wright Beverage, marking its sixth state. Dedicated gluten-free craft brewery Holidaily Brewing (Golden, Colorado) has entered the Utah market with Salt Lake City-based General Distributing and Ogden-based Wasatch Distributing, both Anheuser-Busch InBev-aligned houses.

Phusion Projects is exploring a potential sale of its infamous Four Loko brand, which could carry a $400 million value, Reuters reported.

New York’s 42 North Brewing has entered its second decade with a new mindset about what it means to be a craft brewer, founder John Cimperman said on the latest episode of the Brewbound Podcast.

In the latest installment of 3 Up, 3 Down, 3 Tier Beverages founder Donn Bichsel Jr. and consultant Danelle Kosmal share a trio of insights on industry growth – including trends in non-alcoholic (NA) and domestic beer, and high and low ABV bev-alc – as well as three accompanying downward trends affecting six-packs, craft and wine.

Spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) posted another blowout two-week period, up more than 30% in dollar sales, as brands such as Cutwater and Sun Cruiser continued to pull consumers away from former leaders, according to an analysis of NIQ data from Goldman Sachs Equity Research.

Check out news items were initially reported in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter March 2-4, including headlines from Boston Beer Company, Constellation Brands, NIQ and more.

Constellation Brands leaders believe Pacifico and Victoria can be the Mexican beer importer’s next big brands alongside flagships Modelo and Corona. The company has “huge ambitions” for Pacifico, aiming to double its volume to 75 million cases by 2030, Mallika Monteiro said.

Festivus is still nine months away, but there is already an airing of grievances among industry thought leaders before the end of Q1.

The Beer Institute (BI) has tapped Chris MacArthur as its new director of federal affairs, the trade group announced Tuesday. MacArthur joins the BI from the office of Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) – who owns a hop farm and represents a district that includes Yakima Valley – where he served as a senior adviser. In that role, he supported Newhouse on appropriations, national security and agricultural policy.