News

Boston Beer’s transformation from a craft brewer to an adult beverage company, which began in earnest about a decade ago, is looking like an even better bet as traditional beer’s declines outpace those of the beyond beer segment.

Consumers wallets are feeling the strain, but it’s not stopping them from spending in on-premise retailers, National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) chief economist and VP of analytics Lester Jones shared during a webinar Thursday.

Japan’s Kirin Holdings is looking to unload bourbon brand Four Roses for $1 billion, as part of a shift toward healthcare.

Boston Beer Company’s third-quarter shipments (sales to wholesalers) and depletions (sales to retailers) declined 13.7% and 3%, respectively, the company shared today.

If you thought Skimmers, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) entrant into the vodka-based tea segment, looked a bit too similar to the space’s lead brand Surfside, you’re not alone. Philadelphia-based Stateside Brands LLC, the parent company of Surfside hard tea and lemonade, filed a complaint against A-B in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

Amid murky times for THC beverages in its home state of Ohio, the state’s largest craft brewery, Rhinegeist, is wading into the intoxicating hemp beverage category with Fuzzy Bones.

Constellation Brands’ uncharacteristically slow year may be impacting its full-year projections, but the company continues to find growth in the off-premise where the overall beer industry has not, according to the latest monthly report from market research firm Circana (data ending October 6).

Global rap star Future and Ohza founder Ryan Ayotte want consumers to drink in style with Roué, a new brand of fine wines and RTD cocktails launching this month.

One thing Josh Penney noticed after moving to Brooklyn from Los Angeles late last fall – aside from markedly less sunny weather – was a broader diversity in beer styles across brewery taprooms. “It seemed to be a wider range of things that were really appealing to everybody,” he said. “Because out on the West Coast, you might have a robust porter, but then you have, like, six different IPAs.”

At its simplest translation, the Hawaiian word aloha means both hello and goodbye – opposites in English.

In a similar vein, the idea of market retrenchment in craft beer can sometimes indicate a brewery in decline. But for Kihei, Hawaii-based Maui Brewing, it’s the opposite. The brewery is preparing to slice its mainland footprint in half because the growth in western states far outweighs any possible upside in other markets.

Of all the hurdles (self-inflicted and otherwise) facing beleaguered hydration drink brand Prime, sugar may not appear to be the most obvious. Nevertheless, the influencer-led, Congo Brands-owned company is seeking to spark a sales and popularity rebound with Prime Zero. Meanwhile, soccer superstar Leo Messi’s Más+ by Messi will shift to slim cans next year.

Sapporo-Stone Brewing’s strategy for 2026 is to double the size of Sapporo Premium while tapping into pockets of growth for incremental gains, company leaders shared during a virtual distributor meeting last week.

Check out news items initially reported in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter October 17-21, including headlines from the Brewers Association, Maplewood Brewery, Samuel Adams and more.

Craft beer ended Q3 with decelerated declines compared to the end of Q2, and some notable growth acceleration from some of the segment’s top brands, according to the latest report from market research firm Circana.