Brewbound Live 2026, the two-day business conference where brewers, distributors and retailers plan for the year ahead, is less than 30 days away. On December 9 + 10, brewers, bev-alc entrepreneurs, distributors, retailers and investors will gather at the Marina del Rey Marriott in Los Angeles for two days of market insights, industry data, 1-to-1 meetings, product sampling and the Brewbound Live Pitch Slam.
Brewbound Live 2026 at a glance
- What: Brewbound Live, a business conference for the beer and bev-alc industry produced by Brewbound, a BevNET CPG Media publication
- When: Wednesday, December 9 and Thursday, December 10, 2026
- Where: Marina del Rey Marriott, Los Angeles (Marina del Rey), California
- Who attends: Brewery owners and executives, beer, cider, RTD, spirits and non-alcoholic brands, distributors, retailers, on-premise buyers, investors and suppliers
- Highlights: Main stage sessions, NIQ market data, 1-to-1 meetings with retailers and distributors, the Brewbound Live Pitch Slam, the Brewbound Awards and Rising Stars, sampling, and the Official Party presented by Firestone Walker
- Register: brewboundlive.com
What is Brewbound Live?
Brewbound Live is a two-day business conference from Brewbound, the trade publication covering the business of beer and bev-alc. It brings brewers, bev-alc suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, investors and trade group leaders together to discuss what’s working now and how to plan for 2027 and beyond. Topics range from shifting consumer occasions and shrinking shelf space, to a reshaped distribution tier and the growth of RTDs and NA beer.
“Brewbound Live is the best forum for business leaders in the beer and adjacent drinks space to meet, share experiences, and learn from the leaders in the industry,” said Rudy Kellner, co-founder and CEO of pFriem Family Brewers.
What happens at Brewbound Live 2026?
- Main stage sessions: Brewers, distributors, retailers and advisors cover company culture, off-premise and on-premise strategy, approachable beer brands, profitable taproom growth, the move from CPG to beer, NA adult beverages, hard sports drinks, the reshuffled distribution market and Firestone Walker’s house-of-brands strategy after its acquisitions of Stone Brewing and Trumer.
- Industry data and analysis: NielsenIQ’s Kaleigh Theriault presents the beer and bev-alc trends and segments that are winning. J.P. Morgan’s Ryan Lake explains how buyers and investors are valuing bev-alc brands. Strategies 64’s Jordan Wellington covers what’s next for hemp-derived THC beverages ahead of the December 11 federal ban, and NBWA chief economist Lester Jones looks at why draft and the on-premise are driving the industry’s story in 2026.
- 1-to-1 meetings: Registered attendees can request private, 10-minute meetings with retailers, distributors and on-premise buyers on December 9 and 10. Hosts approve each request so meetings are a good fit on both sides. Confirmed hosts include Whole Foods Market, Global Partners, Eureka! Restaurant Group, Breakthru Beverage, Sunset Distributing, Heimark Distributing and Guardian Distributors.
- Brewbound Live Pitch Slam: Six emerging brands, including beer, NA beer, hard cider, hard seltzer, hard kombucha and canned cocktails, pitch to a panel of industry judges on Wednesday, December 9. Each brand makes the case for how it will bring new drinkers into bev-alc, and the winner receives a $10,000 advertising package from Brewbound.
- Brewbound Awards and Rising Stars: Brewbound announces this year’s award winners and Rising Stars on Wednesday, December 9.
- Sampling: Attendees can taste beer, RTDs, NA beer and other bev-alc products throughout the event, and meet the teams behind them.
- Networking: Breakfast, lunch and networking breaks both days, plus the Official Party presented by Firestone Walker on Wednesday evening at Firestone Walker’s The Propagator in Marina del Rey.
Who’s speaking at Brewbound Live 2026?
- Rob Tod, Founder, Allagash Brewing
- Celine Frueh, VP of Human Resources & Organizational Development, Allagash Brewing
- Dustin Hinz, CMO, Firestone Walker
- Tony Amaral, Chief Sales Officer, Firestone Walker
- Ellie Preslar, Chief Growth Officer, Sierra Nevada
- Erin Rumsey, Senior Director of Innovation & Brands, New Belgium Brewing
- Adeline Druart, CEO, Lawson’s Finest Liquids
- Andy Sauer, Founder, Garage Beer
- Tara Hankinson, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, TALEA Beer Co.
- Steve Fechheimer, CEO, Crazy Mountain
- Alex Pratt, Founder, Good Boy Vodka
- Ray Biebuyck, Founder, Girl Beer
- Ryan Kutscher, Co-Founder, Dad Strength Brewing
- Masahiro Kitano, Founder, Ikasu Brewing
- Jill Olesh, Director of Sales, Pizza Port Brewing
- Ashley Anderson, Director of On-Premise Business Strategy, Schilling Cider
- Trevor Tyler, Vice President of Beverage Operations, Eureka! Restaurant Group
- Mark Buonomo, Senior Category Manager for Beer, Wine, and Spirits, Global Partners
- Chris Steffanci, President & CEO, Columbia Distributing
- Peter Heimark, President, Heimark Distributing
- Adam Bush, Managing Partner, OMAC Beverage Advisors
- Annie McGinnis, President, National Black Brewers Association
- Lester Jones, VP of Analytics & Chief Economist, NBWA
- Kaleigh Theriault, Director of Beverage Alcohol Thought Leadership, NielsenIQ
- Ryan Lake, Managing Director, J.P. Morgan
- Jordan Wellington, Partner, Strategies 64
- Jennifer Hauke, Founder and President, Draftline Technologies
- Danelle Kosmal, Consultant, 3 Tier Beverages
Who’s attending?
Registered brands include Russian River Brewing, Deschutes Brewery, Sierra Nevada, Allagash Brewing, Fremont Brewing, Coronado Brewing, Smog City Brewing, New Realm Brewing, Icicle Brewing, Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Good Boy Vodka, Mission Craft Cocktails and more. Retailers and distributors include Whole Foods Market, Reyes Beverage Group, Sunset Distributing, Elite Brands of Colorado and Heimark Distributing, and investors include TD Cowen. Through Brewbound’s partnership with the National Black Brewers Association, Angry Horse Brewing, Soul Mega and Vine Street Brewing will also attend.
“Brewbound Live got me out of the office and into a space to absorb from sharp industry pros,” said Leah Wong Ashburn, president and CEO of Highland Brewing Company. “This conference excels in gathering leaders we want to know and learn with, in a format that makes personal connections easy.”
With less than 30 days to go, now is the time to secure your spot. Registration is required to request 1-to-1 meetings and includes access to the Official Party.
Register for Brewbound Live 2026 >>
About Brewbound Live
Brewbound Live is a two-day business conference for the beer and beverage alcohol industry, produced by Brewbound, a BevNET CPG Media publication. It brings together brewers, bev-alc suppliers, distributors, retailers, investors and industry partners for editorially led sessions, industry data, curated 1:1 meetings, product sampling and the Brewbound Live Pitch Slam.