The first Brew Talks meetup is set for Sunday, May 7, at Nashville Underground. We’re going to start off Craft Brewers Conference week with two big talks, plus beers and networking.
In the first, we’ll examine craft beer’s contradictory growth drivers — non-alcoholic beer and high ABV offerings — with Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione, Athletic Brewing’s Bill Shufelt and Greater Good Imperial Brewing’s Colleen Quinn.
Then we’ll discuss strategies for opening out-of-state taprooms with Monday Night’s Jeff Heck, Hi-Wire Brewing’s Adam Charnack and Weathered Souls’ Marcus Baskerville.
Plus, we’ll hear from board members of the National Black Brewers Association, including Harlem Brewing’s Celeste Beatty, Black Frog Brewery’s Chris Harris and a special mystery guest.
We’ll also get an update from Sharon Cheek, executive director of the Tennessee Craft Brewers Guild.
Tickets are available now, with some of the proceeds benefiting the guild. Follow the link to get yours.
Zoe and I would love to see you all in Nashville. Let’s get to this week’s news.
E. & J. Gallo’s spirits division, Spirit of Gallo, is acquiring Fishers Island Lemonade. Fishers Island founder Bronya Shillo is staying on, which is a great move by Gallo, and the company is getting a delicious product. Hard lemonade and tea collectively increased off-premise sales +17.6%, to nearly $1.5 billion, and volume +11.2% year-to-date through March 26, market research firm Circana reported.
Rhinegeist is changing up its CEO post, appointing Adam Bankovich as interim CEO. Jess, Zoe and I discussed the change with Bankovich and Rhinegeist co-founder Bryant Goulding on this week’s Brewbound Podcast. Listen here.
Founders is facing a second racial discrimination lawsuit and also permanently closed its Detroit taproom, where the discrimination is alleged to have occurred.
JetBlue is now serving Athletic Brewing’s non-alcoholic Upside Dawn Golden. It’s a big move for Athletic, which becomes the first craft NA beer served by an airline. JetBlue operates around 775 domestic departures per day and 270,000 annually. The company serves around 30 million U.S. customers each year.
You’ll be able to get Montauk beers during Mets games this year, as the brewery is getting a pair of bars at Citi Field. Plus, the Lost Abbey has entered into an alternating proprietorship with Mother Earth in Vista, California. Read more openings and closings here.
Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris addressed the Bud Light boycott and sales declines in April. He laid out a three-point plan.
Molson Coors has been the beneficiary of some of those lost sales, but their leaders weren’t taking a victory lap during their Q1 earnings call.
Catching up on last week’s earnings, Boston Beer is expecting a lot from Twisted Tea this year, which is also picking up a lot of shelf space.
The convergence of non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages continues. The latest non-alc brand to get in: Ocean Spray is partnering with Absolut on Vodka-Cranberry Range, which won’t even be out until 2024.
Aluminum can manufacturer Ball reported Q1 earnings this week. Their message to beer producers: They’d like to see promotions. This comes as Ball is projecting low-single digit volume growth in 2023.
Lots of job changes, including at guilds in Maine and Rhode Island. Plus, a big change coming to Ben E. Keith in Dallas at the end of this year.
Zoe rounds up the latest legislative moves, including Oregon regulators settling a federal lawsuit filed by Washington breweries last year and now allowing out-of-state brewers to ship beer direct-to-consumers in the state. Look for a Brewbound Frontlines on DTC shipping next week.
After a couple of positive months, the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s Beer Purchasers’ Index contracted in April.
That’s a wrap for this week. We’ll fire things up Sunday in Nashville. Let’s get beers and hot chicken, and see Paul Cauthen.