Cleveland, Ohio-based Saucy Brew Works has acquired Cartridge Brewing for an undisclosed sum, the company announced Thursday.

The “pessimistic outlook” for beer has continued through Q4 2022, after the category recorded its sixth straight month of contraction, according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) November Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI).

In two years, Loverboy has expanded distribution of its hard teas from four states to 44, partially initiated by retail partnerships with Total Wine and Kroger. To support the rapid expansion, the company is focused on “trying to grow into [its] own shoes” in 2023, founder and CEO Kyle Cooke told Brewbound.

Great Notion Brewing will open its first California taproom this year, taking over the former Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room in Berkeley, California. The move comes as the Portland, Oregon-headquartered craft brewery shifts its focus to own-premise growth, as direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales have trailed off.

Last week’s decision by Qatar officials to ban alcohol sales at stadiums – two days before the first 2022 FIFA World Cup match – could impact the relationship of FIFA and beer sponsor Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) through 2026.

Fort Collins, Colorado-based Odell Brewing Co. laid off nine staff members last week, about 5% of its workforce.

San Francisco-based Cellarmaker Brewing Company has acquired The Rare Barrel and its facility in Berkeley, California. Two days before the 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to kick off in Qatar, the country has said it will not allow beer sales at the event, walking back previous expectations, The New York Times reported.

Executives from Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B), Molson Coors Beverage Company and Constellation Brands all championed core beer during Beer Marketer’s Insights’ Beer Insights Seminar Monday in New York City.

The outlook for beer may be more positive than headlines make it seem. That was the message from beer economy experts Monday during Beer Marketer’s Insights’ 2022 Beer Insights Seminar in New York City.

Ahead of last week’s midterm elections, the Brewers Association’s (BA) federal and government affairs teams shared the trade group’s 2023 legislative priorities during a “Collab Hour” webinar.

Trade groups across beer and spirits continue to fight over whether spirits-based, ready-to-drink canned cocktails (RTDs) should be taxed at the same as malt-based alternatives. The argument came to a head this month when Public Sector Consultants (PSC), a Lansing, Michigan-based public policy consulting firm, released a study claiming decreased excise tax rates for spirits-based RTDs have cost consumers more on shelf.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for beer away from home increased +7% in October 2022 compared to October 2021, the largest price increase ever recorded for the category, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Don’t discount alcohol and make sure you have an attorney. That was the core advice from legal experts during the Massachusetts Brewers Guild’s (MBG) Mass Brewers Conference Monday.

Pilot Project, a Chicago-based brewery incubator, has hired former Lagunitas sales lead Tony Dziura as national sales director.