Summit Beverage has struck a deal to acquire George’s Distributing, giving Summit statewide presence in Montana, the companies announced today.

As thousands of beers – and eventually, people to drink them – make their way to Denver for the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), it feels apt to check in with the craft scene on the ground. In a year where once-thriving brewpub chains and decades-old craft stalwarts have or are preparing to go under, what’s the state of things in one of craft’s most important cities on the eve of one of its most important weeks?

Brewers and other bev-alc manufacturers stand to face serious inconveniences if the federal government shuts down at the end of today (September 30), industry trade groups have cautioned.

Off-premise dollar sales of beverage-alcohol lingered in the red for another consecutive week, down 2.8% year-over-year (YoY), according to market research firm Circana’s weekly report for the seven-day period ending September 21.

An auction of the production equipment at Smuttynose Brewery’s Hampton, New Hampshire facility is set to open October 8, according to a New Mill Capital listing.

Mid-Atlantic brewpub chain Iron Hill Brewery abruptly closed its 16 remaining locations overnight, weeks after it shuttered three in a move that a spokesperson at the time said was “to position Iron Hill for long-term success.”

Aslin Beer Co., the country’s third-largest taproom brewer by volume, and Torch & Crown Brewing have merged to form the Driven Collective. The platform will combine Alexandria, Virginia-headquartered Aslin’s production capacity and Torch & Crown’s distribution arm in New York City to “unlock smarter growth, fuel creativity and prove that craft still has room to run,” according to a press release.

Craft outperformed the overall beer category in convenience stores to close the summer selling season. In the four-week period ending September 7, dollar sales of craft beer increased 1.5% in c-stores, compared with total beer’s 1.9% decline in the channel, according to the latest monthly report from market research firm Circana.

Molson Coors named long-time chief strategy officer Rahul Goyal as the company’s new president and CEO, succeeding Gavin Hattersley who announced in April plans to retire at the end of the year.

The Brewers Association (BA) has asked the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to examine state-level regulations governing franchise law, three-tier mandates and territory exclusivity.

Island Brands USA, its founders and several related business entities are facing an investor lawsuit alleging fraud. Lisa Pollner and Caleb Fournier, a wife and husband who befriended Island co-founders Scott and Meghan Hansen, claim the Hansens breached their fiduciary duty and committed fraud by using hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in the lager brand for personal benefit.

Mid-Atlantic brewpub chain Iron Hill Brewery has closed three locations, the company announced Wednesday in a press release. One of the shuttered locations was Iron Hill’s flagship brewpub in Newark, Delaware, its first location.

If going out seemed expensive in July, dining and drinking budgets were likely stretched further in August. The consumer price index (CPI) for alcohol away from home (+3.8% year-over-year [YoY]) and food away from home (+3.9% YoY) far outpaced overall inflation (+2.9%) in August, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) most recent monthly report.

Antigua Brewing Company has closed its sole location in San Luis Obispo, California, after four years in operation, the SLO Tribune reported. The shuttering has been characterized as an abrupt move.