Justin Kendall

Justin Kendall

Editor, Brewbound

Justin Kendall provides daily coverage of the beer industry on Brewbound.com, conducts live-streamed interviews during Brewbound’s events and co-produces the Brewbound podcast. Kendall is a nearly 20-year career journalist who led alt-weekly newspapers in Kansas City, Missouri, and Des Moines, Iowa.

Contact Information »

Posts by Justin Kendall

Deschutes Completes Land Purchase in Virginia

Deschutes Completes Land Purchase in Virginia

More than two months after reworking plans for a second brewing facility in Virginia, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery today announced it has finally closed on a long-anticipated $3.2 million deal to acquire 49 acres of land in Roanoke.

Constellation Brands’ Beer Depletions Grow 8.9 Percent in Q1; CEO Discusses Cannabis-Infused Drinks

Constellation Brands’ Beer Depletions Grow 8.9 Percent in Q1; CEO Discusses Cannabis-Infused Drinks

Constellation Brands reported its first-quarter fiscal 2019 earnings today, which were highlighted by 8.9 percent growth in beer depletions (sales-to-retailers) and an 8.6 percent increase in shipments compared to the three-month period in 2017. Although beer was a major focus of today’s call, Sands spent a great deal of time discussing and answering questions about Constellation Brands’ $191 million investment into Canadian cannabis company, Canopy Growth Corporation.

Beer and Cars Don’t Always Mix; Lyft is Trying to Change That

Beer and Cars Don’t Always Mix; Lyft is Trying to Change That

Ride-sharing service Lyft announced today a partnership with the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild. It’s just the latest in an ongoing effort by the San Francisco-headquartered, on-demand transportation company to focus on getting patrons to and from brewery taprooms by forming partnerships with state guilds across the country.

Texas To-Go Sales Gets Bipartisan Support

Texas To-Go Sales Gets Bipartisan Support

After years of fighting for the right to sell to-go beer, manufacturing breweries in Texas now have allies on both sides of aisle. Texas Democrats and Republicans both included language in their respective party platforms supporting the legalization of off-premise sales privileges for the state’s production breweries as well as changes to the three-tier system of alcohol distribution.

Bay Area Craft Beer Entrepreneur Shutters Brewery, Suspends International Expansion Plans

Bay Area Craft Beer Entrepreneur Shutters Brewery, Suspends International Expansion Plans

A California-based craft beer company that had aspirations of expanding into China with a new line of products has gone belly-up after a series of events forced the company to back away from both ventures. Schubros Brewery, based in the eastern region of the Bay Area, has permanently closed, according to company founder Ian Schuster.

Green Flash Brewing Opens Nebraska Brewpub

Green Flash Brewing Opens Nebraska Brewpub

It’s been a turbulent year for Green Flash Brewing, but the San Diego-based craft brewery is hoping the opening of a new satellite brewpub will help turn things around. After closing two production facilities, laying off 76 employees, pulling distribution from 42 states and being sold by its bank to a new investor group, Green Flash has finally commenced operations at the Green Flash Brewhouse & Eatery in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Brewers Association Breaks Down Indie Seal Adoption By State

Brewers Association Breaks Down Indie Seal Adoption By State

Nearly a full year has elapsed since the Brewers Association (BA) introduced its independence seal, and the not-for-profit trade group that represents the interests of small and independent craft breweries has been keeping tabs on adoption rates across the U.S. A graphical representation of seal adoption across states and U.S.-owned territories, through June 6, which was produced by the BA and obtained by Brewbound, breaks down which regions are using the seal.

Craft Brew Alliance CFO Steps Down as A-B Exec is Appointed to Board

Craft Brew Alliance CFO Steps Down as A-B Exec is Appointed to Board

Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) this week announced a pair of key leadership changes, including the departure of chief financial officer Joseph Vanderstelt and the appointment of João Paulo Falcão Vieira, vice president of Anheuser-Busch’s (A-B) North American Zone, to its board of directors.

Congressional Members Urge DOJ to Investigate Midwest Premium

Congressional Members Urge DOJ to Investigate Midwest Premium

A bipartisan group of Congressional members have called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate potential irregularities in the aluminum market, which they say are causing the price of the metal used in beverage cans to surge. In the letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) and 31 additional congressional members pointed to “sharp increases” in the Midwest Premium — which represents the full logistics costs of shipping and storing metal in the U.S. — as the potential cause of aluminum pricing irregularities.

At 5-Years-Old, Rhinegeist Aims to Eclipse 100,000 Barrels

At 5-Years-Old, Rhinegeist Aims to Eclipse 100,000 Barrels

As Rhinegeist Brewing prepares to celebrate its fifth anniversary this weekend, the Cincinnati-based beer company is closing in on another milestone: surpassing the 100,000-barrel mark. Rhinegeist co-founder Bryant Goulding told Brewbound that the brewery is on pace to reach 100,000 barrels by the end of 2018, adding that year-to-date sales are up 30 percent even though the company hasn’t released any new innovation beers or expanded its distribution footprint.

Women Represent Big Opportunity for Beer Industry

Women Represent Big Opportunity for Beer Industry

Beer companies haven’t effectively marketed to women, and they’re leaving a lot of opportunity for increased sales on the table, according to Bridget Brennan, CEO of Chicago-based consulting group the Female Factor. “We can’t underestimate that there has been, from a beer industry standpoint, a 150-year head start in marketing the product to guys as a guy’s product,” she told industry stakeholders who attended the Beer Institute’s annual meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week.