It’s hard to call it a homecoming when you never really left, but that’s exactly how 21st Amendment’s Dave Wilson views his recent appointment as partner and president with the San Francisco-based craft beer company. Over the last three years, Wilson has literally worn two hats. At industry events, he’d sometimes wear both a 21st Amendment embroidered hat and a Crux Fermentation shirt.
One prominent Sunshine State craft brewer is considering a major expansion, but he’s worried that an ongoing legislative wrangling over the state’s growler-fill laws might actually force him to move the project out of the state. Joey Redner, the founder of Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Fla., told Brewbound that the company is unable to… Read more »
Florida craft brewers came closer to finding a bill that would suit them when it comes to providing growler fills to consumers yesterday after lawmakers made sweeping changes to a previously-submitted version.That bill, a revised version of House Bill 1329, remains unlikely to make it out of committee this year, however.
Continuing to move out of what was once a customer base lying almost entirely in the Midwest, Bell’s Brewery today announced plans to expand distribution into Southern California in early May. The Michigan-based craft brewery has signed a wholesale agreement with Craft Beer Guild Distributing of California, an extension of L. Knife & Son’s growing… Read more »
Take note craft brewers — Corona is coming after your draft lines. Following a successful test run in six cities during 2012 and 2013, Constellation Brands — which owns the Corona and Modelo brands, among others — said it plans to strengthen its presence at the tap with the expansion of Corona Light draft to 35 additional U.S. markets.
It has been said that in the contentious climate of American politics, a couple of beers between officials might just kick-start mediation, but that could all depend on the strength of the brew. Considering the Oregon delegation’s ascension to the caucus’ leadership ranks in both chambers, chances are, it just might be a Deschutes that… Read more »
The craft brew train kept on rolling in 2013 as production from the country’s smallest beer makers grew 18 percent, according to data released today by the Brewers Association (BA). As part of its annual report on the U.S. craft beer industry, the BA — which represents the interests of small and independent brewers —… Read more »
It’s an issue that a number of craft brewers have grappled with over the past year, and one that is often misunderstood: trademark ownership and infringement. According to Craig Rashkis, an attorney with Farwell Rashkis, LLP, trademarks can be “a word, phrase, design, logo, or any combination thereof that distinguishes the source of a product or goods” from another source. In beer, common trademarks include the name of the brewing company, a beer and label artwork.
Victory Brewing Company hit the ground running in February with the launch of its second brewery, but in recent weeks, the installation of a used bottling line has proved a royal aggravation. “Last week was extremely painful,” said brewery co-founder Bill Covaleski. “This 12-year-old piece of equipment has worked great for 12 years. You assemble… Read more »
Amid growing controversy over an ongoing ban against gay and lesbian rights activists’ marching in South Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Boston Beer Company today announced that it has dropped its sponsorship of the event. Jessica Paar, the company’s senior public relations manager, sent a statement to Brewbound explaining the decision:
Green Flash Brewing bottles are about to get a new look. Beginning in April, the San Diego, Calif.-based craft brewery will begin shipping redesigned 4-packs and 22 oz. bottles, in an effort to draw “increased attention to the beer name and beer style.” Green Flash co-founders Mike and Lisa Hinkley said the new look features… Read more »
From 30,000 feet, America’s craft beer landscape looks pretty invulnerable. Craft has experienced eight straight years of double-digit dollar sales growth, breweries are opening at a rate of more than one per day and waves of new SKUs are washing over retail shelves and flowing through tap lines. But at the state level, there are… Read more »
Want to be sure that a bona fide, Brewers Association-defined “craft brewer” produced the beer you’re buying? Now there’s an app for that. But don’t expect any Craft Brew Alliance employees, and especially the company’s outspoken CEO, Andy Thomas, to be downloading the app anytime soon.
Despite posting record depletion growth of 11 percent and net sale growth of 6 percent last year, Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) said it was unhappy with its gross margin performance, which declined 150 basis points in 2013. During the company’s earnings call, held earlier today, Thomas explained how CBA plans to expand its gross margin rate by upwards of 700 basis points over the next five years.
