Craft beer industry news.
It took some time, but Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) has officially entered the craft beer business, today announcing the $1 billion acquisition of San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits. It’s a blockbuster transaction — the largest ever in craft — and represents an astonishing $3,500 per barrel multiple, as Ballast Point is expected to produce 290,000 barrels in 2015.
Constellation Brands is officially entering the craft beer category, and in a big way. The Corona and Modelo maker today announced it would acquire San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing for a whopping $1 Billion. “The purchase price values the acquisition multiple of the projected calendar 2016 Ballast Point EBITDA in the mid-to-high teens range,” Constellation said in a press statement.
Magic Hat Brewing Company recently released sixth barrels of one of its most celebrated holiday beers outside of Vermont for the first time ever. Feast of Fools, a festive raspberry stout, earned high marks from The Bros at Beer Advocate, as well as its cult-like following of passionate beer drinkers. Due to demand, last year, limited bottles were shipped nationally for the first time ever and sold out quickly.
Liquidity options are plentiful for owners of craft breweries: strategic sale, private equity, management buyout, family transfer, leveraged recapitalization. Which path should you take? Harpoon, New Belgium, Odell, Left Hand and many others walked a different path. These breweries chose to implement an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). ESOPs can be a great exit strategy for craft brewers. Outlined below are the top five reasons why craft brewers should consider an ESOP.
After teasing broader East Coast distribution in September, Maui Brewing has officially expanded its reach throughout Florida, New York and Massachusetts, the company announced Tuesday. Meanwhile, Seattle’s Fremont Brewing is making its first significant foray outside of Washington, extending its relationship with Columbia Distributing to include Oregon, the company announced today.
BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon’s oldest brewery, announced today that Long Ball Ale won gold in the English-Style Gold Ale/Summer Ale category at this year’s European Beer Star Awards held in Doemens Brewing Academy in Gräfelfing, near Munich, Germany. Long Ball Ale, dry-hopped with Meridian hops from Willamette Valley, is a golden ale with refreshing lemon notes crafted by Brewmaster Jeff Edgerton.
Announcing Night Ryder, an Imperial Black Rye IPA from BarrelHouse Brewing Co.. One of their most popular seasonal releases, Night Ryder is brewed with local spruce tips and a hefty amount of dark malts and rye making this creation quite unique.
There’s no doubt, it’s the season of the stout. With their final Crown Series offering of 2015, Coronado Brewing Company is rounding out the year with a bang and launching Stupid Stout. This Imperial Stout is worth its weight in gold and has garnered a 97 overall score on RateBeer.
2015 has been an eventful year for this Spokane brewery, and in true No-Li fashion, they’re making sure to end it with a bang! Hitting the market today are the beautiful and brand new six-pack cans of No-Li’s flagship brew, Born & Raised IPA.
Heavy Seas Beer is the latest locally brewed beer to be featured on a Carnival Cruise Line ship. Based in Baltimore, Heavy Seas is now served on Carnival Pride, which sails seven-day cruises year-round from the Port of Baltimore.
Mims Distributing Company, a wholesale beverage distributor in North Carolina, has added Southbound Brewing Company to its lineup of brewing partners. The Savannah, Georgia-based brewery opened in May 2013 and aims to cater to the tastes of the South by bringing the craft beer revolution to Savannah’s back door.
On December 8, 2015, Heavy Seas Beer will celebrate its 20th year of brewing craft beer in Baltimore. To commemorate, the brewery will release an anniversary ale and host special events in Baltimore and other markets.
Lovers of Michigan craft beer will be celebrating the holidays this year with another 12 days of Milkshake Stout. Thanks to Rochester Mills Beer Co. and a host of premium craft beer bars and restaurants throughout Michigan, Ohio and Florida who will be hosting this progressive tap takeover event, December 9-20, 2015. Admission is free at all locations and open to the public, ages 21 and up.
MicroStar Logistics, the leading diversified keg solutions provider, has begun its latest investment in keg quality and has broken ground on a major expansion of their flagship Keg Quality Services Center. The 105,000 square foot Green Bay, WI facility will provide world-class keg repair and maintenance services for brewers ranging from startups to the largest in the world.
