Jessica Infante joined Brewbound in 2019 after nearly a decade in a variety of marketing roles in the craft beer industry. Prior to that, she was a daily newspaper reporter at the Jersey Shore. Jess holds a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication from Emerson College. She is a certified Cicerone and lives in Salem, Massachusetts.
St. Patrick’s Day weekend wasn’t necessarily lucky for purveyors of draft beer, according to on-premise data firm BeerBoard, which published its annual recap of bev-alc performance at bars and restaurants during the holiday.
After a promising week, bev-alc off-premise sales returned to the red, declining -3.8% YoY and -1% WoW, according to the most recent weekly report from Circana (data ending March 9).
Longtime lead lobbyist Katie Marisic has exited the Brewers Association (BA), where she was senior director of federal affairs. Marisic represented craft brewers’ voices and the BA in Washington, D.C. for a decade.
Officially in its second year, Hot Plate Brewing in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, has some star power behind one of its next releases. Effervescent lemongrass saison shares its name with comedian Patton Oswalt’s standup special, performed at a nearby theater later this month.
One of the latest signs that craft beer has entered a new era: Patrons of storied brewpub chains Gordon Biersch and Rock Bottom can now order domestic lagers produced by the world’s largest breweries.
It cost more to go out for a drink last month than it did a year ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) February 2025 Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. The CPI for total beverage-alcohol away from home increased +3.4% last month compared to February 2024.
Crystal Light Vodka Refreshers are rolling out to 10 states this month. A collaboration between Kraft Heinz and Harpoon maker Barrel One Collective, the 3.8% ABV vodka-based seltzer has 77 calories per 12 oz. serving, making it “the lowest-calorie ready-to-drink [RTD] cocktail on the market,” according to a press release.
The National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) has named two additional board members, in addition to board president Jon Renthrope. Funkytown Brewery co-founder and CEO Rich Bloomfield and Vine Street Brewing co-owner and business development manager Annie McGinnis were named to the board as treasurer and secretary, respectively.
As painful as 2024 was for craft brewers, the year seemed to be equally as challenging for the trade group that represents them. The Brewers Association’s (BA) total revenue declined -9.3%, to $20,972,476 in 2024, according to its annual report, which was published Monday.
Jon Renthrope, CEO and brewmaster of New Orleans-based Cajun Fire Brewing, grabs A Round With Brewbound in this Insider-exclusive Q&A with industry leaders. He shares insights gained from founding the first Black-owned brewery in Louisiana since Prohibition, and from exploring international markets, as well as goals for his term as president of the National Black… Read more »
Teamsters Local 1199 has filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) on behalf of union members at the Boston Beer Company brewery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
After ending fiscal year 2024 (FY24) with single-digit volume declines, Boston Beer is planning to dial in on key innovation items and support its portfolio with increased advertising in 2025.
Maryland lawmakers are considering a bill that would expand beer and wine sales licenses to the state’s grocery, convenience, mass retail and warehouse stores. However, House Bill 1379 “faced tough questioning in committee and faces a tough road to passage in the House,” Maryland Matters reported, citing a nearly three-hour debate over it last week.
Georgia craft brewers may soon have more options to take their products to market, as the state Senate is considering a bill that would legalize self-distribution. The Craft Beer and Local Economy Revitalization Act (S.B. 122) would permit small breweries to sell up to 3,000 barrels annually “to retailers licensed in this state that are located within a 100-mile radius of the small brewer’s licensed premises,” the bill reads.
