In this week’s edition of Last Call: Utah enacts new drunk driving limit; cannabis bars are coming to West Hollywood; Ray Faust lands at Crook & Marker; Buffalo Wild Wings unveils new store designs; Anheuser-Busch responds to Iowa State fans’ thirst for Busch Light; and more industry news.

Nearly a month after Diversified Metal Engineering (DME) entered into receivership, a Texas craft brewery that paid the Canadian brewing equipment manufacturer more than $1 million in deposits is ceasing operations. In a December 21 social media post, Big Bend Brewing Co. announced it would “suspend operations” after six years, and shutter its taproom effective December 31.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Cargill unloads its malt business; domestic beer shipments decline 6 percent in November; Canopy Growth eyes the U.S. market following the Farm Bill signing; the Arcadia auction is postponed; and more industry news.

Craft brewery owners in Pennsylvania are attempting to restructure the collection of a forthcoming sales tax that is slated to begin next July and would increase the cost of beer sold directly to consumers for on- and off-premise consumption at the state’s nearly 300 taprooms, tasting rooms and brewpubs. The point of contention for brewery owners is not the implementation of the tax itself, but rather when it is collected.

Anheuser-Busch InBev today announced a partnership with Canadian cannabis company Tilray that is aimed at researching non-alcoholic beverages infused with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). In a joint press release, the two companies said they would each invest up to $50 million to better understand the market for beverages infused with cannabis.

Citing a need to remain flexible at a time when a growing number of craft breweries are experimenting with non-traditional beer offerings, the Brewers Association (BA) today announced that it has once again revised its “craft brewer” definition. The changes to the definition, which will take effect immediately and impact the way the trade group reports its 2018 craft beer production figures, marks the fourth time the organization has altered the criteria since 2007.

Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery laid off dozens of employees last week, citing missed growth projections. Speaking to Brewbound, Deschutes Brewery president and CEO Michael LaLonde said the company cut about seven percent of its workforce on Thursday. Affected positions came from sales, marketing and operations.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Schlafly apologizes to 4 Hands for executive’s hit piece; Costco discontinues Kirkland Light; the equipment of Olde Saratoga is sold piecemeal at auction for about $1 million; and more beer industry news.

Nearly 26 months after the merger of Canadian brewing equipment manufacturers Diversified Metal Engineering (DME) and Newlands Systems, the combined company has fallen into receivership after defaulting on loan payments to the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). DME Group’s financial troubles have left hundreds of of North American craft brewery owners who had already shelled out millions of dollars in equipment deposits in limbo.

U.S. cities with populations in excess of 5 million have seen the most percentage growth of brewery openings in the past five years, according to Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson. Watson, who took to the BA blog with data compiled from the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau and brewery zip code locations, found a 183 percent increase in the number of breweries per 100,000 people in cities of more than 5 million people.

Shipyard Brewing founder Fred Forsley is partnering with Valencia Realty Capital and State Street Realty Advisors on a proposed $36 million contract brewing and co-packing facility in Hooksett, New Hampshire. The 100,000 sq. ft. facility, which is currently under development along Highway 93 with a targeted opening date of late 2020, will be capable of producing and packaging thousands of barrels of beer, distilled spirits and non-alcoholic drinks.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has eliminated nearly 40 jobs across North America, Brewbound has learned. In a statement issued last Friday, A-B said it was making “a limited number of targeted changes” to its North American “supply organization.”

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Craft Beer Guild appeals a $2.6 million ‘pay-to-play’ fine; 4,000 craft brewers have adopted the Brewers Association’s independent seal; the TTB fines a Miami A-B wholesaler $1.5 million; and more beer industry news.

Nearly two weeks after a self-described former employee raised questions about Trillium Brewing Company’s labor and brewing practices in an online forum, the Massachusetts craft beer maker has increased the hourly base pay for its retail employees.