News

Dollar sales growth from several key decades-old brands buoyed the beer category in 2025, according to the latest monthly report from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC).

Columbia Distributing chief strategy officer Jesse Ferber, Bump Williams Consulting president Dave Williams and Hand Family Companies president and CEO J.R. Hand graced the Brewbound Live stage last month to discuss the state of beer, how to strengthen relationships between suppliers and distributors and what industry members are prioritizing in 2026.

Editor’s Note: The below news items were initially reported in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter December 29 through January 2. Not an Insider? Become one today to get earlier access to what’s going on in the industry. Numerator: Fewer New Year’s Resolutions in 2026 Fewer consumers are planning to make resolutions in 2026 compared to 2025,… Read more »

Bosque Brewing, New Mexico’s largest craft brewery, abruptly closed all of its taprooms last week after 13 years in operation.

The adult non-alcoholic (ANA) beverage category is undergoing a significant shift, as brands navigate evolving investment climates, retail skepticism and rising consumer demand in pursuit of sustainable growth.

In a nutshell, experiential marketing means getting out in the field to events and other public spaces and putting cans in hands. Easy in theory, but far more nuanced and complex in practice.

We’ve compiled our most read stories of the past year, and one company dominated the headlines (with not the sunniest lineup of news): Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B).

With no end in sight to supply chain uncertainty, buying smarter can be just as important as selling more. Strategic sourcing – selecting long-term partners for packaging, ingredients and manufacturing – sets the foundation for operational resilience.

Earlier this year, wine industry veteran Jason McConnell acquired 38-year-old Anderson Valley Brewing Company [AVBC] (Boonville, CA). Now he is focused on maintaining AVBC’s cherished traditions, such as its annual fest and its celebrated disc golf course, while adding his own flair.

The beer category faces more uncertainty in 2026, according to wholesalers’ buying intentions logged in the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) monthly Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI).

Two framed, hand-painted Chinese symbols adorn the doorway in Highland Brewing president Leah Wong Ashburn’s office. Read together, they mean “crisis,” but independently, they translate to “risk” and “opportunity.”

Last week, “holiday magic” delivered positive off-premise bev-alc trends in mid-December scans, suggesting the industry might just have a bountiful Christmas and end to 2025. However, in the latest report, “the Grinch stole the green,” according to Circana EVP of BevAl, Scott Scanlon.

From class-action suits over Fireball to disputes over jalapeño-flavored Tequila, this year’s bev-alc legal drama was, in a word, spicy.

This year’s top spirits headlines capture an industry in transition: major distribution shifts, sudden closures, shocking lawsuits, the race to win an emerging category, and of course, at least one celebrity closing a deal. Here are the top 10 BevNET spirits stories, as ranked by popularity.