Craft beer industry news.
The cracks in the facade of beer’s improved performance in 2026 have begun to widen, according to the latest monthly report from market research firm Circana. Year-to-date (YTD) through May 17, beer category dollar sales increased 0.3% at multi-outlet grocery, mass retail and convenience stores (MULO+C) tracked by Circana.
The Reyes Beverage Group’s 50th year is its biggest yet. The nation’s largest beer distributor completed the biggest acquisition in company history last week for 11 RNDC markets, making it the No. 3 wine and spirits distributor in the U.S. And the company’s dealmaking ambitions aren’t close to done – in and out of beer.
Atwater Brewery will soon be back in familiar hands. The Detroit, Michigan-based craft brewery’s former owner Mark Rieth has signed a “definitive agreement” to reacquire Atwater from Tilray Brands.
Ready-to-drink canned cocktail brand Carbliss is open to potential acquirers, co-founder Adam Kroener made clear Wednesday at Beer Marketer’s Insights spring meeting. “Everything’s for sale,” Kroener said during a panel conversation that included SpikedAde co-founder and CEO Jason Cohen and Happy Dad co-founder and CEO Sam Shahidi.
Was craft brewers’ 2025 less bad than we thought? The Brewers Association issued a revision to its annual production report. We’ll cover that, plus, interviews with Victory Brewing co-founder Bill Covaleski and director of brewing operations Joe Slavick, as well as Odell Brewing CEO Eric “Smitty” Smith.
Bev-alc trends remained consistent leading up to Memorial Day, as single-digit, year-over-year (YoY) declines persisted in the latest weekly scans report from market research firm NIQ.
Check out news items initially reported in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter June 1-3, including headlines from Blake’s Beverage, Lone Tree Brewing, Long Trail, Bero and more.
Draft continues to claw back the share of total beer it lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting on-premise closures and consumer shifts.
Craft beer continues to battle against the narrative that the segment is dying. A core adversary in that mission is that the legacy brands that helped create the segment are the ones driving declines, according to new data shared by consulting firm 3 Tier Beverages.
A U.S. District Court has entered a $175.5 million amended final judgment – plus $15.5 million in pre-judgment interest – against Boston Beer Company for allegedly failing to purchase contracted minimums of aluminum cans from Ardagh Metal Packaging USA between 2021 and 2025, according to a June 1 8K filed by Boston Beer.
Small and independent craft brewers’ output declined 4% in 2025 – more than 25% less than was previously reported by the Brewers Association (BA). The BA issued a correction of its 2025 Beer Industry Production Survey (BIPS), which was published last month, after receiving “revised production figures for a small number of regional craft brewers,” a BA spokesperson said in a statement shared Tuesday with Brewbound.
Entering its third summer, Right Coast Spirits’ Italian Ice is riding high. The ready-to-drink (RTD) bottled cocktail more than doubled year-over-year (YoY) during summer 2025, increasing volume 101% compared to summer 2024, Right Coast director of commercial strategy Jon Schwartz told Brewbound.
It rained on many Memorial Day parades in the literal sense during the long weekend, but the less-than-ideal weather figuratively rained on the beverage-alcohol industry’s metaphoric parade too, according to the latest weekly report from market research firm Circana.
As category definitions shift and consumers reconsider what, when, and where they want to drink, BevNET Live NYC 2026 (June 10+11) will bring together some of the industry’s most consequential voices – including Athletic Brewing co-founder and CEO Bill Shufelt and a panel of cannabis beverage leaders navigating a pivotal moment in the category’s future.
