Boston Beer Company - Samuel Adams

The critical summer selling season is underway, and total beer, cider and FMB sales are off to a strong start. According to market research firm Nielsen, dollar sales of beer/cider/FMBs grew 4.9 percent in off-premise retailers during the Fourth of July holiday week (ending July 6) compared to the same timeframe last year. Hard seltzer was largely responsible for driving the nearly 5 percent growth this Independence Day, accelerating sales 147 percent, Nielsen reported.

The nearly decade-long debate over Massachusetts’ controversial franchise laws resumed Monday, as the state’s craft brewers and beer wholesalers packed a meeting of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. Brewers and wholesalers remain divided on how to reform strict franchise laws, which brewers claim lock their businesses into nearly unbreakable relationships with wholesalers. Each side presented revised proposals, which they argued would benefit each other.

Arlington Capital Advisors, LLC, a leading consumer-focused investment bank, announced today that its principals acted as lead financial advisors to Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Inc. in its merger with The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM), which closed on July 3, 2019.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Smuttynose and Hop Valley shuffle executives; Boston Beer and Dogfish Head’s merger closes; Deschutes Brewery adds distribution in Indiana, New Jersey; Reyes Holdings sells Reinhart Foodservice for $2 billion; and more news.

A bevy of new advertisements for one of Boston Beer Company’s core Samuel Adams beers, Sam ’76, hit the brewery’s YouTube channel today. The commercials, which carry the tagline “I can taste my beer,” feature drinkers “finally” discovering taste in their beverage.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: There Colorado breweries are set to close; Sierra Nevada asks breweries to honor their Camp Fire pledges; U.S. beer shipments decline in April; Boston Beer delays its downtown Boston taproom opening; and more news.

Calfornia’s sweetest season kicks off in April, and Angel City is letting those strawberries shine, with their limited-release Strawberry Gose. Starting this Wednesday, May 15, 6-packs of 12 oz. cans will be available from the brewery and on-tap around town at select bars and restaurants.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Brewers Association CEO Bob Pease weighs in on the Boston Beer-Dogfish Head deal; Rob Tod wins a James Beard award; Bell’s and Loveland head to arbitration; the Texas Senate strips to-go-sales amendment from a bill; and more industry news.

Eight years ago, Dogfish Head and Boston Beer Company teamed up to brew a collaboration beer for the annual SAVOR craft beer and food pairing experience. Today, the two companies announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement valued at about $300 million. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter. As part of the transaction, Dogfish Head co-founders Sam and Mariah Calagione will receive about 406,000 shares of Boston Beer stock (NYSE: SAM), valued at $314.60 per share, making them the largest non-institutional shareholders in the company, behind Boston Beer founder Jim Koch.

For the third consecutive year, Pennsylvania produced more craft beer than any other state in the nation, Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson shared during the Brewers of Pennsylvania’s annual Meeting of the Malts gathering in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Boston Beer Company’s first-quarter shipments increased 32.5 percent, to a record 1.1 million barrels, in an effort to supply its wholesalers with about six weeks of Truly Hard Seltzer ahead of the summer selling season.

The brewers at Samuel Adams today announce the release of a new recipe for Summer Ale – the first recipe change in twenty-three years. The new Summer Ale has all the flavor drinkers know and love with a boosted citrus profile and scaled back earthy, spice note for a lighter and brighter taste.

Angel City Brewery has developed Cold Brewski, a new gluten-free hard coffee.

In this week’s Last Call: Boston Beer CEO’s 2018 compensation hits $20 Million; New Belgium opens remodeled pub at Denver airport; 7-Eleven tests upscale store; Amazon seeks alcohol policy manager; New York State Liquor Authority fines Shmaltz; and more industry news.