In part two of our three-part series on branding considerations for craft breweries, Isaac Arthur, a partner and designer at CODO Design in Indianapolis, Indiana, explains how a well-funded startup might approach its branding process.

In July, Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg promised to assemble a task force that would examine the state’s decades-old liquor laws. Three months later, additional details have emerged on what that group will look like, and what it will be asked to accomplish. “According to the treasurer’s office, it will be an autonomous body, free of all control, including the long reach of Bill Kelley and the wholesalers and the brewers,” John Connell, a Boston-based alcohol attorney who represents clients across all three tiers of the industry, told a room of more than 150 beer industry professionals attending last night’s Brew Talks meetup at Jack’s Abby.

The overall economic impact of the Oregon Brewers Festival has declined for the second consecutive year. The 2016 edition of the five-day festival, one of the oldest and most well-attended in the U.S, generated $29.3 million in economic impact, a three percent dip from the previous year.

It’s been nearly one year since we last invited a guest to contribute to the Brewbound Voices column, but we’re excited to pick things back up with a three-part series on branding considerations for three types of beer companies: bootstrapped breweries-in-planning, well-funded startups and firmly-established players who are looking to rebrand.

Portland, Oregon’s Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider has completed a multi-faceted financing round led by hometown firm, Hawthorne Capital, the company announced Friday. As part of the transaction, Hawthorne Capital will acquire an undisclosed stake in the five-year-old company and receive seats on the board, founder Nat West told Brewbound.

Another day, another craft beer recall. Real Ale Brewing Co. announced Tuesday that it was issuing a “precautionary recall” of 11,000 cases — about 800 barrels — of two of its year-round brands due to a potential glass defect.

After raising more than $3 million in growth capital from a group of private investors earlier this year, Fort Point Beer Company has embarked on its next round of fundraising.

Times are tough for the country’s second-largest craft beer maker. In its third-quarter earnings, released after the market closed on Thursday, Boston Beer Company reported 14 percent revenue declines and 12 percent shipment declines, compared to the same period last year.

Taking place at the Jack’s Abby brewery (100 Clinton Street, Framingham, MA. 01702), the Brew Talks event will bring together New England brewers, distributors and other industry professionals for a night of open, honest discussion on the craft beer marketplace. The evening’s feature panel discussion will examine the current alcohol laws in Massachusetts and look at a variety of legislative issues, including franchise law reform, licensing clarification efforts, pay-to-play concerns and even marijuana legalization initiatives.

After 13 years at one of the country’s highest-profile craft breweries, Dogfish Head CEO Nick Benz will depart the organization at the end of the year, the company announced today. Brewery founder and chairman Sam Calagione will takeover as CEO following Benz’s departure.

Terrapin Beer Co. is planning to open a microbrewery and restaurant at The Battery Atlanta, adjacent to SunTrust Park, the new home of the Atlanta Braves.

Revolution Brewing yesterday issued a recall of more than 10,000 barrels of beer packaged between Aug. 3 and Oct. 11 due to off-flavors that developed in six of the company’s more popular products. In an interview with Brewbound, brewery founder Josh Deth speculated that a majority of the recalled product had already been consumed, but said that the company would likely be forced to remove at least 3,000 barrels of beer from distributor warehouses and retailer shelves. If that’s the case, Revolution could miss out on about $1 million worth of sales to wholesalers and the company will also incur charges to destroy the damaged product.

For the first time in eight years, Harpoon Brewery has expanded its distribution footprint. The Boston-based craft brewery announced Monday a pair of deals to put its beer into Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In the same week that Anheuser-Busch InBev finalized its takeover of SABMiller, the world’s biggest beer company also announced the purchase of two major U.S. homebrew ingredient and supply companies.