Brewbound — Craft Beer News, Events & Jobs

On this week’s Brewbound Frontlines, David and Carmen Favela, the co-owners of San Diego-based Border X Brewing, discuss their collaboration with the Mujeres Brew Club on a new taproom project aimed at empowering female brewers. Heavy Seas Beer CEO Dan Kopman also joins the panel to look at the state of the industry nearly four months into the COVID-19 crisis.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has agreed to pay a record $5 million offer in compromise (OIC) for alleged trade practice violations related to sports and entertainment sponsorships, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announced today.

A little over half a year after media executive John Gallegos took a majority stake in San Diego-based SouthNorte Beer, the brewery is launching its first major advertising campaign and has hired Constellation Brands veteran Breanne Heal as its first vice president of sales and marketing.

On this week’s episode of Brewbound Frontlines, David and Carmen Favela, the co-owners of San Diego-based Border X Brewing, will discuss their collaboration with the Mujeres Brew Club on a new taproom project aimed at empowering female brewers. Heavy Seas Beer CEO Dan Kopman joins the panel to discuss the state of the industry nearly four months into the COVID-19 crisis.

Brewbound has compiled a list of beer companies and wholesalers who have received more than $1 million in funding through the program. This list is by no means comprehensive, and specific loan amounts were not shared, only ranges.

Energy drink maker Monster Beverage could be entering the more than $2 billion hard seltzer segment, according to an analyst’s report. Stifel Financial analyst Mark S. Astrachan speculated that the energy drink maker is considering entering the alcoholic beverage market, “most likely” with a hard seltzer.

Can inventory nationwide has tightened, due to the seismic shift in beer sales from on-premise draft to off-premise package since the COVID-19 pandemic began. “Sixteen ounce cans are going to be a problem this summer,” David Racino, co-founder and CEO of Austin, Texas-based American Canning, told Brewbound.

For the one-week period ending June 27, beer category dollar sales increased 16.1%, to $1.007 billion, according to data shared by market research firm Nielsen. Excluding FMBs, hard seltzers and cider, core beer dollar sales increased just 8.1% .

After 20 years leading McDermott, Will & Emery’s alcohol regulatory and distribution group, Marc Sorini is joining the Brewers Association as general counsel.

New Haven, Connecticut-based Dichello Distributors is suing Anheuser-Busch, claiming A-B “engaged in an ongoing conspiracy” with Sal DiBetta, a former employee who later worked as CEO of the wholesaler between 2013 and 2016, as well as “other unnamed parties,” to “undermine” Dichello and force president John Hall’s family to sell the business to A-B, according to a complaint filed on June 17 in the Connecticut Superior Court.

Pat and Shawn McIlhenney planning to open a brewery in the former Alpine Beer space; Deep Ellum shutters its Fort Worth taproom; Allagash founder Rob Tod recovers from COVID-19; and California extends bar closures to 19 counties.

On this week’s Brewbound Frontlines livestream we discuss regulatory changes made during the COVID-19 pandemic with McDermott, Will & Emery counsel Nichole Shustack, Kaleo Legal partner Shauna Barnes, and Responsible Hospitality Institute executive director Jim Peters.

Nearly 60% of Drizly users ages 21-26 plan to drink hard seltzer this summer, the on-demand e-commerce marketplace and delivery platform for alcohol beverages, found during its second annual consumer survey.

Former Fifty West Brewing director of sales Del Hall has left the Cincinnati craft brewery to join 16 Lots Brewing Company’s management team as chief commercial officer, starting July 6.