A bevy of new advertisements for one of Boston Beer Company’s core Samuel Adams beers, Sam ’76, hit the brewery’s YouTube channel today. The commercials, which carry the tagline “I can taste my beer,” feature drinkers “finally” discovering taste in their beverage.
In the latest Legislative Update: Maine lawmakers vote to reform self-distribution and franchise laws; Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signs a law increasing the amount of beer craft breweries can sell directly to consumers; North Carolina passes legislation to sell beer and wine at college sporting events; and Pennsylvania legislators consider a lower sales tax on at-the-brewery sales.
In this week’s Last Call: The House Ways and Means Committee passed a one-year extension of the federal excise tax relief for alcohol producers and importers. Also, U.S. beer shipments declined in May, Deschutes begins selling canned drinking water, Bell’s Two Hearted tops the AHA’s best list, and more news briefs.
An effort to maintain reduced federal excise taxes (FET) on all brewers an importers could take a major step forward tonight. The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to extend tax cuts for alcohol producers and importers as part of the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2019 (H.R. 3301) extender bill.
In episode 41 of the Brewbound Podcast, Brew Gentlemen Matt Katase discusses his flagship philosophy and explains why Brew Gentleman identifies “themes” to help guide the company at the start of every year. He also shares the company’s expansion plans and contemplates the future of beer retailing.
Anheuser-Busch is reaching back into the archives for its latest Bud Light ad campaign. The world’s largest beer company yesterday unveiled updated versions of the iconic “Real Men of Genius” radio ads that debuted in 1998 and ran through the mid-2000s.
In this Distribution Roundup: Popular Vermont craft brewer Lawson’s Finest Liquids is partnering with Remarkable Liquids for statewide distribution in New Jersey; Republic National Distributing Company forms a joint venture with Young’s Market Company; MillerCoors’ Revolver brand adds distribution in three states; and more.
Lighthouse Strategies — the company behind Cannabiniers and the Two Roots line of CBD- and THC-infused non-alcoholic craft beers – is closing in on its next brewery acquisition. Speaking to Brewbound, CEO and chairman Michael Hayford said the company could finalize the purchase of a craft beer company in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. before the end of June.
A month away from its eighth anniversary, Cape May Brewing Company is quickly growing into one of New Jersey’s largest craft breweries. Last year, Cape May achieved “regional brewery” status — those breweries making between 15,000 and 6 million barrels of beer annually — increasing production by 75 percent, to 16,269 barrels, according to the Brewers Association. Speaking to Brewbound, Ryan Krill — who co-founded the brewery with his father, Bob, and friend Chris Henke in 2011 — said the company is on pace to sell as much as 23,000 barrels in 2019.
Mass Bay Brewing Company’s release of Arctic Summer hard seltzer also coincides with a search for the company’s first chief marketing officer, something co-founder and CEO Dan Kenary considers to be “the most important external hire” the 33-year-old company has ever made. Speaking to Brewbound, Kenary said interviews for a CMO are underway, and he hopes to hire someone who can “roll up their sleeves” and not “ask someone else” to do their work by the end of the summer.
An Illinois-headquarter maker of industrial, commercial and residential kitchen appliances has bought into the brewing equipment business. The Middleby Corporation today announced the acquisition of CM Brewing Technologies LLC, the parent company of California-based brewing system maker Ss Brewtech.
BrewDog USA is outpacing the overall craft segment (which is up about 2 percent), growing depletions (sales-to-retailers) 114 percent through May compared to last year. Last month alone, the company sold 51,000 cases, according to chief revenue officer Adam Lambert.
In the latest Last Call: Michigan’s Axle Brewing is searching for a buyer, as the company prepares to close its Ferndale-based taproom at the end of June. Also, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott plans to sign beer-to-go measure into law on June 15, and more industry news.
The on-again, off-again effort to improve category health through an industry-wide campaign for beer is on once again. During the Beer Institute’s annual meeting, held Tuesday in St. Louis, president and CEO Jim McGreevy said the industry’s three top trade associations — the BI, the Brewers Association (BA) and the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) — have agreed to launch a pro-beer marketing campaign this summer. Category health was just one of several themes to develop during the two-day meeting, as multiple speakers touched on the growth opportunity in home delivery of food and booze, as well as the growing number of jobs open in the manufacturing and hospitality industries.
