From the continued rise of the espresso martini to savory cocktails, 2023 was a year of bold flavors at the bar, so what’s in store for 2024? We polled experts in spirits, flavor innovation and mocktails about what trends are on tap for cocktails and ready-to-drink versions.
Tree House co-owners Nate Lanier and Damien Goudreau are denying allegations against them, filed in November by a minority shareholder, including claims they have misused company funds, failed to offer shareholder dividends, withheld tax documentation and more.
The deal environment within the craft brewing industry is “a bit slow” with “a lot of volatility, a lot of uncertainty,” which isn’t very conducive to dealmaking, Arlington Capital Advisors managing director Ryan Lake shared during the 2023 Brewbound Live business conference earlier this month.
Overall beer ordering contracted again in December after spending one month in expansion territory, according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI).
While the amount of bars and restaurants in operation has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, beer’s on-premise business has yet to bounce back, with keg volume expected to be 2.5 million barrels below where it should be by the end of 2023, according to the Brewers Association.
BuzzBallz founder Merrilee Kick, BeatBox Beverages co-founder Aimy Steadman and Stateside Vodka CEO Clement Pappas explore 4th category trends and opportunities, their growth philosophies and insights into their strategies. All panelists helm ready-to-drink brands with explosive growth.
After a category-wide downturn this year, one global spirits company is championing its portfolio of ready-to-drink cocktails as the silver lining of 2023.
Amid a sea change of top positions within craft this year, leadership at Rhinegeist Brewery explored the transition at the top of the Cincinnati, Ohio-headquartered craft brewery at the 2023 Brewbound Live business conference in Marina del Rey, California.
New hard tea and hard lemonade brands continue to populate shelves, while the No. 1 hard tea brand continues to grow its share, despite being more than 20 years in the game.
Chief economists Bart Watson (Brewers Association) and Lester Jones (National Beer Wholesalers Association) spent much of the past couple years staving off fears of a recession and preaching about how beer is “economically resilient.”
This week’s Brewbound Podcast features interviews with two of our 2023 Brewbound Award Winners: Maui Brewing co-founder Garrett Marrero and National Black Brewers Association executive director Kevin Asato.
Schilling Cider continues to grow, despite abstaining from adding new markets for the immediate future, and making just one distribution change in 2023.
The Brewbound Podcast this year featured conversations with industry leaders on hot topics to strategies for navigating craft brewing’s mature era. The Brewbound team of Justin Kendall, Jess Infante and Zoe Licata discussed the closure of Anchor Brewing, data trends in craft and non-alc, leadership changes and refocused strategies. Those stories and more were reflected in the most listened to Brewbound Podcast episodes of 2023.
The beer distributor route-to-market has served fourth category brands like BeatBox and Stateside Vodka’s Surfside hard tea and lemonade, but getting in front of the right buyers in the fast-changing category is still “messy.”
