Sycamore Founder: Stone Rejected Proposed Licensing Agreement; Charlotte Brewery to Seek Preliminary Injunction over ‘Keep It Juicy’ Trademark

Stone Brewing Company has filed a motion to recoup attorneys’ fees after winning a $56 million judgment against Molson Coors for trademark infringement, according to court documents filed earlier this week.

On-premise sales velocity continues to follow 2019 patterns, increasing +1% in Week 15 ending April 9, after a -3% decline the week before (ending April 2), market research firm CGA reported.

Branford, Connecticut-based Stony Creek Brewery has hired Anheuser-Busch InBev sales and marketing vet Dan Shannon as CEO and David Morrice as VP of sales. Dave Mevoli has joined ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktail maker Fishers Island Lemonade as chief operating officer.

The U.S. beverage industry has paid more than $1.4 billion in aluminum tariffs since 2018, when Section 232 was implemented, according to a study shared today by the Beer Institute (BI).

The California beer industry is still in a period of recovery, as total beer volume in the state declined in 2021 for the fourth consecutive year (-1.6%), Chris Shepard, senior editor of Craft Brew News at Beer Marketers’ Insights (BMI), said in his keynote speech last week, kicking off the California Craft Brewers Association’s (CCBA’s) members conference in San Diego.

Boston-headquartered fruited hard seltzer maker Willie’s Superbrew has laid off most of its staff and is considering a sale of the brand, according to Good Beer Hunting.

The Brewers Association (BA) will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) & BrewExpo America in Minneapolis, the trade association announced Friday.

Two weeks after a jury sided with Stone Brewing in its trial against Molson Coors, the Escondido, California-headquartered craft brewer is tangled in another trademark infringement lawsuit – this time as the defendant. The founders of Laurelwood Brewing have bought back the distribution and brand rights of the Portland, Oregon-based company from Eugene, Oregon-based Ninkasi Brewing, The Oregonian reported Wednesday.

Wings & Arrow, the brand house of Ashland Hard Seltzer and Villager Spirits canned cocktails, has closed a $10 million funding round, which will help support production of its existing and upcoming beyond beer offerings.

The California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) is “getting very aggressive” on legislative initiatives in 2022, Chris Walker, the trade group’s lobbyist, said Monday at its members conference in San Diego.

Modern Times Beer’s bank has “commenced litigation” that is expected to “result in a court-ordered receivership sale” of the San Diego-headquartered craft brewery, according to a blog post on Modern Times’ website.

Societe Brewing is expanding its distribution footprint into Northern California, beginning April 11. The San Diego, California-based brewery now distributes in all key California markets through “100% independent distributors,” Societe founder and CEO Doug Constantiner announced Monday during the California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) Members Conference.

Anthony Spina and Matt Sievers – who’ve worked on brands such as Mark Anthony Brands’ White Claw and Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Pabst Blue Ribbon – have launched their own endeavor: Primer Electrolyte Charged Hard Seltzers.