Reuters: Lagunitas Exploring “Strategic Options”

Reuters: Lagunitas Exploring “Strategic Options”

It seems there’s always another rumor of a top-50 craft brewery sale. Today, Lagunitas made a Reuters headline that suggested the country’s fastest-growing craft brewery is currently exploring “strategic options, including the sale of an equity stake.” Citing “people familiar with the matter,” the news outlet said the company is working with Wells Fargo &… Read more »

Ballast Point Set to Launch Ready-to-Drink Canned Cocktails

Ballast Point Set to Launch Ready-to-Drink Canned Cocktails

How do you stand out from the 94 different beer companies fighting for attention in San Diego’s crowded craft scene? You reach for the hard stuff. Living up to its unofficial “we make what we like to drink” motto, this month Ballast Point will introduce four new, ready-to-drink canned cocktails that feature the company’s distilled spirits, including Three Sheets Rum, Fugu Vodka and Old Grove Gin.

Cicerone Program Adds ‘Advanced’ Certification Level

Cicerone Program Adds ‘Advanced’ Certification Level

The Cicerone Certification Program, the world’s top certification program for beer servers and other industry professionals yesterday announced the creation of a new advanced level course for those looking to further their knowledge on beer flavors, styles and service.

Brew Talks Returns to Portland on August 19

Brew Talks Returns to Portland on August 19

After connecting with nearly 200 beer industry professionals at our Brew Talks CBC event earlier this year, we knew we had to get back to Portland, Ore. for another evening of business discussion and networking. That’s why we’re so excited to announce our return to the City of Roses on August 19 for round 2 of Brew Talks, this time hosted by Widmer Brothers Brewing at the home of the Portland Timbers — Providence Park.

Columbia Distributing Expands to California with Acquisition of Mesa Beverage

Columbia Distributing Expands to California with Acquisition of Mesa Beverage

The prominent Pacific Northwest beverage wholesaler Columbia Distributing will expand into California with the acquisition of Mesa Beverage Co., the company announced Friday. Columbia, which, although based in Portland, Ore. is owned by San Francisco family office The Meritage Group, said it would purchase all assets of the 4-million case Santa Rosa, Calif. wholesale

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Founder Plans to Sell Stake, Retire

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Founder Plans to Sell Stake, Retire

David Logsdon, a lifelong beer industry entrepreneur and the founder of Oregon’s Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, has agreed to sell a significant stake in his brewery to three new partners, Brewbound has learned. Reached by phone, Logsdon said that he and the company’s five additional partners have verbally agreed to a deal that would reshape the company’s current ownership structure.

Boston Beer Depletions Up, Samuel Adams Brand Family Down

Boston Beer Depletions Up, Samuel Adams Brand Family Down

Boston Beer Company today reported second quarter net revenues of $252.2 million, indicative of a 9 percent increase over the same time period last year. Depletions grew as well, up 6 percent and 7 percent from comparable 13- and 26-week periods in 2014.

IRI: Craft Sales Up 22 Percent Over Last Four Weeks

IRI: Craft Sales Up 22 Percent Over Last Four Weeks

Staring at IRI’s latest spreadsheet isn’t exactly the most exhilarating way to spend a Thursday afternoon, but it can reveal some pretty interesting nuggets. Take this one, about Not Your Father’s Root Beer (NYFRB): The brand that everyone seems to be talking about, nonstop, is now the 11th best-selling “craft” product in IRI’s multi-outlet and convenience store (MULC) universe (which includes grocery, drug, Wal-Mart, club, dollar, mass-merchandiser and military stores).

Deschutes Promotes Former Tour Guide to Brewmaster

Deschutes Promotes Former Tour Guide to Brewmaster

Deschutes Brewery has named Veronica Vega, who started her career with the company in 2006 as a tour guide, its new brewmaster. In the position, Vega will head up the brewery’s research and development initiatives, alongside fellow brewmaster Brian Faivre, who leads Deschutes’ technical brewing operations, the company said.

Calagione: A-B Kicked the Tires

Calagione: A-B Kicked the Tires

When your brewery has experienced double-digit growth for the last 17 consecutive years, you’re bound to field a few offers. So it should come as no surprise, then, that the world’s largest brewery recently tried to arrange a formal sit down with one of craft’s most revered “indie” brewery owners: Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione.

Night Shift Expands Boston Area Facility

Night Shift Expands Boston Area Facility

As Night Shift Brewing continues to carve out its own niche in the Greater Boston craft beer scene, the brewery is spending much of its fourth year in operation expanding capacity and beautifying its facility.

Dogfish Head Hires New VP of Sales

Dogfish Head Hires New VP of Sales

It took more than eight months, but Dogfish Head has finally found its new vice president of sales. The company today announced that Todd Bollig, who most recently spent 16 years with Constellation Brands, will fill the long-vacant position left behind by Adam Lambert, who departed the company last November to pursue a new opportunity with New Holland Brewing.

Great Divide to Open Brewery in Emerging Denver Neighborhood

Great Divide to Open Brewery in Emerging Denver Neighborhood

Yet another established craft brewery is setting up shop in Denver’s flourishing River North neighborhood. This time, it’s Great Divide, which is scheduled to officially open its ‘Barrel Bar,’ a 30 to 40-person taproom with patio space for a 100 more along the South Platte River, on July 31. But that’s just the start of the project.