Lone River Ranch Water announced the expansion of their distribution in 21 states this summer.

Brewbound’s Justin Kendall and Jess Infante discuss the program, dive into the news and then offer a listen to Brewbound.com’s paywall with an interview with Stone Brewing CEO Maria Stipp, which was first offered to subscribers as a Brewbound Frontlines video show.

Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Carlos Brito will step down after 15 years at the helm of the world’s largest beer manufacturer, effective July 1, and North America zone president Michel Doukeris will supplant him, the company announced today.

The Beer Institute (BI) has named Troy Wittek as director of research for the national trade association; the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) has named Erin Donar as VP of communications; Josh Halpern is the new CEO of Shaquille O’Neal’s fast casual fried chicken restaurant Big Chicken and Beer Park; and more people moves.

Steve Crandall, the co-founder of Devils Backbone Brewing Company, has died at the age of 64, nearly three years after being diagnosed with cancer.

The Yuengling Company LLC, the joint venture formed last year between D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. (DGY) and Molson Coors Beverage Company, announced it will enter the Texas market this fall through Molson Coors-aligned wholesalers.

Dogfish Head Miami will open May 21, occupying the Wynwood taproom previously housing Boston Beer subsidiary Concrete Beach Brewery, which closed in September 2020.

New hard seltzer offerings continue to play a “vital role” in driving growth of the booming segment, while several core SKUs keep “churning out growth,” Bump Williams Consulting found in the firm’s latest analysis of the $4.1 billion and climbing hard seltzer segment.

The average price for a case of beer sold in off-premise retail chains has increased $1.32, to $26.47 year-to-date through April 18, compared to the same period last year, according to data shared by market research firm IRI. Segments with the biggest price bumps in 2021 include cider (+$1.76 per case, to $43.27), flavored malt beverages (+$1.28 per case, to $35.55) and imports (+$1 per case, to $33.36).

Cannabis firms Tilray, Inc. and Aphria, Inc. announced today the completion of their previously agreed upon merger, creating what they say will be “the world’s largest global cannabis company.”

Legal drinking age New Jerseyans who get their first dose of one of the available vaccines can show their vaccination card at one of 13 participating breweries across the state for a complimentary beer. The Brewers Guild of New Jersey collaborated with the state on the “Shot and a Beer” program, part of the larger “Operation Jersey Summer,” which aims to vaccinate 4.7 million New Jerseyans by June 30.

With projections predicting continued segment growth for RTDs, anyone looking to enter the space will face a competitive landscape. But by studying brands who have either launched during the pandemic or have weathered the storm without faltering, there are plenty of opportunities for new premixed canned cocktails to thrive.

Registration for the Brewers Association’s (BA) annual Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and BrewExpo America opens Tuesday, May 4, and the trade group has provided an overview of safety measures for the trade show.

Minnesota brewers’ efforts to remove a ban on growler and beer to-go sales for larger craft breweries have fallen short; meanwhile, legislation that would allow Texas restaurants to continue to sell beer, wine and mixed drinks with takeout orders is now in the hands of Gov. Greg Abbott; and more news from the states.