In this week’s edition of Last Call: Alvarez & Marsal reaches an agreement to sell DME Group’s main business; lawmakers threaten to limit dates for Boston beer gardens; and the U.S. House introduces the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act.

As part of its ongoing quest to help foster a more inclusive brewing industry, the Brewers Association (BA) has launched a new grant program that will provide funding to “events that increase access and awareness of craft beer to new demographics.” Announced Wednesday, the grant program will include funding for beer festivals, beer and food pairing events, ethnic and cultural heritage festivals and film festivals, among others.

Texas’ craft brewers and wholesalers have agreed to a compromise in the years-long debate over to-go beer sales at manufacturing breweries. A “stakeholder agreement” announced Wednesday evening by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, which represents the state’s nearly 300 craft breweries, and the Beer Alliance of Texas, a powerful wholesaler lobbying group, has the potential to finally legalize off-premise sales at the Lone Star State’s manufacturing breweries.

In episode 23 of the Brewbound Podcast, Jason and Todd Alström sit down for a discussion about the business of beer festivals, the future of print journalism within beer, A-B InBev’s investment in competitor beer ratings website RateBeer, and what it’s like to be at the center of a controversy that is unfolding on the BeerAdvocate forum.

Citing negative volume trends in the U.S. and Canada, Molson Coors reported a 2.1 percent decline in net sales in 2018, according to yesterday’s full-year earnings report. In 2018, Molson Coors posted nearly $10.8 billion in net sales, down from more than $11 billion in 2017.

Add Bridgeport Brewing to a growing list of Portland, Oregon-based craft beer companies that has ceased brewing or taproom operations in recent months. In a Facebook post today, the craft beer brewery, which was purchased by Texas-based The Gambrinus Company in 1995, said it had ceased brewing operations as it prepares to close its brewpub on March 10.

Startup hard kombucha producer Juneshine today announced the closing of a seed funding round that has enabled the company to acquire brewing equipment at Ballast Point’s Scripps Ranch facility in San Diego and take over the property.

In the latest Legislative Update: The Brewers of PA hires ex-liquor control chair; Nebraska lawmakers push for the highest excise tax in the nation; a Maryland bill attempts to strip the comptroller of alcohol regulatory powers; and more from the state Legislatures.

Beer volume sales got off to a strong start during the first four weeks of 2019, growing 3.7 percent compared to last year, according to market research firm IRI. The Chicago-based retail data provider, which tracks sales at major off-premise retail chains, last week reported that year-to-date off-premise dollar sales for beer at multi-outlet and convenience (MULC) stores eclipsed $2.3 billion (+6.4 percent) during the period ending January 27.

Cannabiniers, the company behind the Two Roots line of CBD- and THC-infused non-alcoholic craft beers, is on the verge of becoming the next major craft brewery acquirer. On its quest to own 500,000 barrels of brewing capacity, the San Diego-based beverage, technology and brand management company has signed letters of intent to acquire four craft breweries, including a “top-20 privately held brewery based in California”

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Union efforts begin at Anchor Brewing; Weyerbacher seeks investment; Tree House buys a farm in Connecticut; Pabst rebrands Not Your Father’s; and more industry news.

In episode 22 of the Brewbound Podcast, Russian River co-owner Natalie Cilurzo sits down for a wide-ranging conversation that examines the process of managing debt, buying out investors, building a $50 million brewery, exploring industry trends and more.

The founder of Columbus, Ohio-based Actual Brewing has been accused of multiple incidents of sexual misconduct by several former employees and beer industry professionals, according to the Columbus Alive, a weekly entertainment magazine and website operated by GateHouse Media’s Columbus Dispatch.

Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) yesterday named Matt Gilbertson, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s North American vice president of M&A, treasury and corporate real estate, to its board of directors. As part of its minority ownership of CBA, A-B has the right to designate up to two individuals to serve on the company’s board.