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Craft beer industry news.

Surfside Maker Sues A-B Over Skimmers Hard Tea Packaging

Surfside Maker Sues A-B Over Skimmers Hard Tea Packaging

If you thought Skimmers, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) entrant into the vodka-based tea segment, looked a bit too similar to the space’s lead brand Surfside, you’re not alone. Philadelphia-based Stateside Brands LLC, the parent company of Surfside hard tea and lemonade, filed a complaint against A-B in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

Threes Brewing’s Josh Penney on the Lager Renaissance and Craft’s Resilience

Threes Brewing’s Josh Penney on the Lager Renaissance and Craft’s Resilience

One thing Josh Penney noticed after moving to Brooklyn from Los Angeles late last fall – aside from markedly less sunny weather – was a broader diversity in beer styles across brewery taprooms. “It seemed to be a wider range of things that were really appealing to everybody,” he said. “Because out on the West Coast, you might have a robust porter, but then you have, like, six different IPAs.”

Maui Brewing Doubles Down on Island Roots, Scales Back Mainland Footprint and Production

Maui Brewing Doubles Down on Island Roots, Scales Back Mainland Footprint and Production

At its simplest translation, the Hawaiian word aloha means both hello and goodbye – opposites in English.

In a similar vein, the idea of market retrenchment in craft beer can sometimes indicate a brewery in decline. But for Kihei, Hawaii-based Maui Brewing, it’s the opposite. The brewery is preparing to slice its mainland footprint in half because the growth in western states far outweighs any possible upside in other markets.

Prime Hydration Slashing Sugar, Más+ by Messi Shifting to Cans in 2026

Prime Hydration Slashing Sugar, Más+ by Messi Shifting to Cans in 2026

Of all the hurdles (self-inflicted and otherwise) facing beleaguered hydration drink brand Prime, sugar may not appear to be the most obvious. Nevertheless, the influencer-led, Congo Brands-owned company is seeking to spark a sales and popularity rebound with Prime Zero. Meanwhile, soccer superstar Leo Messi’s Más+ by Messi will shift to slim cans next year.

Boston Beer Promotes Phil Hodges to Chief Operating Officer

Boston Beer Promotes Phil Hodges to Chief Operating Officer

Boston Beer Company’s chief supply chain officer (CSCO) Phil Hodges has been promoted to chief operating officer, effective immediately, the company announced after market close Monday with a press release, and 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.