The founders of Owl’s Brew are gearing up for 2019 as they plan to relaunch the brand with a new identity, and raise as much as $10 million as part of a Series B round of funding. The company also recently hired former New Belgium CEO Christine Perich.

After nearby wildfires forced Sierra Nevada Brewing to temporarily cease operations at its Chico, California-based production facility over the weekend, the craft brewery has resumed making beer. The country’s third-largest craft brewery also announced the creation of a fund to help those affected by the blaze.

San Diego County craft brewers produced more than 1.1 million barrels of beer in 2017, up about 22 percent from 2016 levels, according to an economic impact study conducted by the San Diego Brewers Guild and California State University San Marcos’ (CSUSM) Office of Business Research and Analysis. The total economic impact of the craft brewing industry in San Diego County increased from $870 million in 2016 to more than $1.1 billion last year, according to the study, titled “Economic Impact of Craft Breweries in San Diego County Report.” The study also found that more than 130 San Diego-based breweries generated about $802 million in revenue last year.

After four years of discussions with Sixpoint Brewery founder Shane Welch, Artisanal Brewing Ventures (ABV) finally completed a deal to purchase 100 percent of his Brooklyn-based craft brewery this week. Even though ABV had been courting Sixpoint for several years, it wasn’t until this summer when negotiations really began to heat up, John Coleman, CEO of ABV, told Brewbound.

The continued acceleration of Kona beer sales during the third quarter couldn’t offset company-wide shipment and depletion declines of other Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) offerings, the Portland, Oregon-headquartered company reported today. In Q3, Kona depletions increased 9 percent as the brand grew in both off- and on-premise channels. The depletion growth followed increases of 7 percent and 3 percent in the second and first quarters of the year, respectively.

Yet another small brewery has found itself in financial trouble. The parent company of Boulder, Colorado-based Fate Brewing Company, Fate Restaurants LLC, has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. According to the November 1 filing, Fate owes more than 50 creditors between $1 million and $10 million. The company also claims between $1 million and $10 million in estimated assets.

Artisanal Brewing Ventures, the family office-backed holding company formed in early 2016 via the merger of Victory Brewing and Southern Tier Brewing, today announced the acquisition of New York-based Sixpoint Brewery. Specific financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Sycamore Brewing is “living in fast forward,” according to vice president of sales Archie Gleason. The Kenny Chesney lyric appears apt for the 5-year-old craft brewery, which plans to double its beer and cider production by the end of the year.

A new generation is now leading the day-to-day operations of 30-year-old Grand Teton Brewing Company at a time when competition has never been stiffer. Last year, Chris Furbacher and his wife, Laura, moved to Victor, Idaho to help his parents, Steve and Ellen Furbacher, run the 30-year-old craft brewery.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Yakima Chief Hops faces a breach of contract lawsuit; Greg Koch to be on the big screen Sunday; 5 Rabbit’s fight with Donald Trump set to screen; and more news from the week.

Molson Coors reported its third-quarter earnings today, which were highlighted by a 1.8 percent increase in worldwide net sales, to $2.9 billion. Year-to-date, Molson Coors — whose brands include Coors Light, Coors, and Miller Lite, among others — has recorded $8.4 billion in net sales, down 0.8 percent from 2017 levels.

The Brewers Association board of directors today informed members of proposed changes to its bylaws that would significantly alter the trade organization’s official craft brewer definition, and create a new voting member class, Brewbound has learned. The board also intends to form a political action committee that is aimed at more aggressively lobbying for permanent federal excise tax cuts that currently save craft brewers upwards of $80 million annually.

A month after an unauthorized press release cost Scofflaw Brewing an exporting opportunity with BrewDog in the United Kingdom, the Atlanta-based craft brewery is taking steps to repair its reputation abroad. Scofflaw recently hired Scotland-based Media House International, a PR firm that specializes in crisis management and public affairs to help rehab its image abroad. Speaking to Brewbound from the U.K. on Tuesday, Scofflaw co-founder Matt Shirah said he was meeting with various “beer people” in an attempt to secure a new export deal.

In the latest edition of People Moves: Heineken USA sales chief set to depart in 2019; Melvin Brewing sales director trades beer for cannabis; Matt Brewing Company hires a new brewmaster; and O’Connor Distributing names a new president.