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.
With just six weeks left to go in 2017, U.S. beer volume sales are roughly flat, according to recent data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI Worldwide. The firm, which tracks category-wide sales trends at off-premise retailers, reported that U.S. beer volume sales were down 0.7 percent while total beer dollar sales have increased 1 percent through November 5.
Popular Boston-area beer maker Trillium Brewing today announced plans to open a seasonal beer garden inside the historic “Roslindale Substation Building,” located about 8 miles from downtown Boston.
In our latest Legislative Update: Indiana considers Sunday sales; the Georgia Department of Revenue discusses digital transactions; West Sixth Brewery co-founder is chosen to lead the Kentucky Democratic Party; and more.
For the first time ever, beer excise tax reductions have been included in a comprehensive federal tax reform proposal. On Tuesday night, U.S. Senate Finance Committee chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) released a “Chairman’s Mark” to the Senate GOP’s version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
In a move toward diversifying its portfolio and reaching spirits consumers, Pabst Brewing Company today announced a foray into the crafts spirits space with the launch of Not Your Father’s Bourbon. The 86 proof (43 percent ABV), small-batch bourbon is the first product to be launched in a new line of spirits under the Not Your Father’s label, which includes the popular Not Your Father’s Root Beer flavored malt beverage as well as hard vanilla cream and ginger ale offerings, among others.
North Carolina’s Catawba Brewing Co. has reached an agreement to acquire Charleston, South Carolina-based Palmetto Brewing Co. Catawba co-founder Billy Pyatt told Brewbound that his company will acquire “100 percent” of Palmetto’s assets and hopes to close on the transaction by the end of the year.
Anheuser-Busch InBev is once again shaking up its North American executive leadership team, today announcing the appointment of a new CEO to oversee its largest market, among other key changes. Michel Doukeris, the company’s current chief sales officer, will take over as the CEO of A-B InBev North America, supplanting current zone president and CEO João Castro Neves, who will depart the organization after 22 years to “pursue other opportunities.”
In this week’s edition of Last Call: Molson Coors acquires Quebec craft brewery Trou du Diable; Shmaltz seeks investment; Boston Beer Company opens a taproom in Boston; Maryland’s alcohol regulator wraps up reform task force; Viceland renews Beerland.
While its legacy Widmer and Redhook brands continue to decline, Kona offerings are up double-digits year-to-date in a Craft Brew Alliance portfolio that has grown to include a number of regional craft brewery partners in recent years.
Craft Brew Alliance (CBA), which makes and markets a range of beer offerings, today reported its third-quarter earnings results. The company’s performance for the three-month period ending September 30 was highlighted by a 9 percent increase in Kona depletions (shipments to wholesalers). Through the first nine months of the year, Kona depletions have increased 10 percent.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) released its latest draft guidance for calorie-posting requirements on Tuesday, offering additional clarification for establishments in which alcoholic beverages are a regular part of menus.
E-commerce retail sales are approaching $400 billion dollars, but a mere 0.2 percent of beer — or about 3.5 million cases — was purchased online last year, according to Heineken CEO Ronald den Elzen. Den Elzen, presenting to more than 200 beer industry professionals attending yesterday’s Beer Marketer’s Insights seminar in New York City, called the shift away from brick-and-mortar purchases a “retail revolution.” By 2021, den Elzen projected that online beer sales will grow to 2.4 percent, to 53 million cases.
Texas-based contract brewery Guns & Oil Beer has reached an agreement to take over the former Payette Brewing Co. production facility located about two miles outside of Boise, in Garden City, Idaho. In a conversation with Brewbound, Guns & Oil founder Cary Prewitt said he’s taken out bank loans to finance the $1 million project, including acquiring Payette’s 15-barrel brewhouse. He added that he’s signed a five-year lease on the 11,000 sq. ft. property.
In this week’s edition of Last Call, Bear Republic raises funds for wildfire victims; New York’s MTA bans booze ads; Boulevard announces the release of its first cider; Black Star Line finds a home; and more.