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. Here’s a look at the most popular episodes of the year, in reverse order.
10. Jester King Speaks Out About Anti-Drag Bill in Texas
As the controversy around Bud Light’s partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney heated up, craft breweries came under fire for hosting drag shows.
Jeffrey Stuffings, co-founder of Austin, Texas’ Jester King, shared why his brewery was encouraging its fans to oppose a bill in the Texas Senate that would fine businesses $10,000 for hosting “sexually oriented performances” – which includes drag events, if people under age 18 are present or on public property.
Dave Infante, editor of independent drinks newsletter Fingers and VinePair columnist, joined the conversation to share why brewery owners hosting similar events need to be prepared for potential backlash.
9. Tomme Arthur on Growing The Lost Abbey By Scaling Down
The Lost Abbey’s Tomme Arthur explained why his revered brewery is in process of scaling down in order to secure its future. The conversation was especially pertinent given smaller craft breweries’ struggles in 2023.
8. Farewell to Anchor (For Now)
A week after Sapporo announced plans to shut down historic Anchor Brewing and liquidate the business to pay off creditors, the Brewbound team and Dave Infante discussed the effect on the brewery’s union workforce and what’s next for the San Francisco institution, including how likely it is to be saved as a turnkey operation.
Plus, Justin and Zoe chatted with Paradox Brewery’s Devon Hamilton and Katie Etherton about the 10-year-old New York craft brewery’s brand refresh and reinvention.
7. The Aftermath of Dry January, Plus CiderCon Road Report
Partake Brewing founder and CEO Ted Fleming and then-Lagunitas CMO Paige Guzman discussed what’s next for adult non-alc offerings following the 2023 Dry January, as competition increases and more retailers adopt NA products.
Also, Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata provided a field report from the 2023 CiderCon conference in Chicago.
6. Sarah Bettman on the DEI Topics Facing Beverage Alcohol Companies
Leadership development speaker, coach and consultant Sarah Bettman explored the diversity, equity and inclusion topics facing beverage alcohol companies and how they can avoid just “checking off boxes.”
5. Rhinegeist Leaders Discuss Leadership Shakeup, Path Forward
In a year of leadership changes, Rhinegeist co-founder Bryant Goulding and interim CEO Adam Bankovich discussed the leadership overhaul at the Cincinnati craft brewery. They shared their vision for the brewery’s next phase, which would later be fully fleshed out when Bankovich was officially named CEO and keynoted the 2023 Brewbound Live business conference.
4. What’s Up – and What’s Down – in Beverage Alcohol to Start 2023?
Following Dry January, 3 Tier Beverages consultant Stephanie Roatis shared how the month of abstinence performed in this episode. Roatis also discussed the rise of imperial ciders and the upward trajectory of regional cider brands.
The Brewbound team also dished on the Drake’s-Bear Republic craft-on-craft merger, broke down Boston Beer’s full-year earnings report and called for a moratorium on the use of “drinkable.”
3. A Rough Week For Acquired Craft Brands, Plus, How PPP Funds Helped Breweries
The Brewbound team discussed the fallout of Anheuser-Busch InBev shuttering operations of Platform Beer Co. in Ohio and laying off employees at other Brewers Collective brands. The episode also featured economist Aaron Staples, who broke down the effect the Paycheck Protection Program had on the craft beer industry.
2. Octopi Has 8 Arms in the Contract Brewing Game
Contract brewing no longer carries the stigma it does in the craft brewing industry. Isaac Showaki, founder and president of Wisconsin-based contract brewer Octopi Brewing, shared that his facility is targeting 7 million cases in 2023, and a lot of that product isn’t beer.
1. Early 2023 Beer Trends with Bump Williams Consulting
Data is tops with Brewbound Pod listeners. After the first quarter of 2023, Bump Williams Consulting’s Dave Williams ad Brian “BK” Krueger joined the pod to discuss early year retail trends, how competition was playing out in the cold box, the accelerated life cycle of brands and how Dry January and the Super Bowl shook out.
Worth a re-listen as we head into 2024 to look back at what changed over the course of the year.