The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) has hired Lester Jones, formerly of the Beer Institute, to serve as the organization’s chief economist. In his new role, Jones will examine the economic factors that impact the beer distribution industry, as well as alcohol policy regulations at the local, state, and federal levels.
McGreevy will lead the trade association’s efforts to represent the beer industry before federal and state lawmakers, as well as other regulators, when he assumes the role on June 23. McGreevy had been with the ABA since 2005 and represented the interests of non-alcoholic beverage producers, distributors and franchise companies.
SanTan Brewing will expand distribution to Texas next month, per an agreement with wholesaler Ben E. Keith Beverages. The Chandler, Ariz.-based craft brewery will launch its lineup — which includes Devil’s Ale, HopShock IPA, SunSpot Gold, Mr. Pineapple Wheat Beer and a variety pack — in both on and off-premise accounts throughout the state in June.
Brothers Kurt and Rob Widmer, the co-founders of Portland’s Widmer Brothers Brewing, took to Reddit yesterday to host an AMA, shorthand for “Ask Me Anything,” in which they answered questions posted by beer drinkers on a swath of topics. While their answers were terse in comparison to those from Brooklyn Brewery’s Steve Hindy, who hosted a session of his own in April, the pair did touch on a couple of top of mind issues.
Sales of Narragansett Beer’s recently released Del’s Shandy are “out of control,” according to Mark Hellendrung, the president and CEO of the Rhode Island-based craft brewery. “There are some stores that sold 100 cases just yesterday,” he said. “It’s nuts. We’ve got retailers going to the distributors, picking it up on off-day deliveries.”
Craft Brew Alliance’s Hawaiian-themed craft brand, Kona Brewing, today unveiled its first major advertising campaign, “Dear Mainland.” The new televisions spots will begin airing this month in urban beach communities like San Diego and Los Angeles as well as Orlando and features two Hawaiian brothers commenting on “common mainlander customs,” like multi-tasking and the brevity of happy hour.
Last week, Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.), on behalf of a bipartisan group of more than 50 Congress members, submitted a letter to FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg commending the administration’s “proper judgment in the rulemaking process by agreeing to resubmit the proposal.”
Coronado Brewing is expanding distribution into Michigan per a wholesale agreement with the M1 Group, a network of 11 distributors that operate throughout the state. Beginning today, the brewery’s core series, which includes Coronado Golden, Islander IPA, and Mermaid’s Red, will be available on draft and in bottles in Michigan.
Since marijuana became recreationally legal in Colorado earlier this year, a common fear has emerged among the brewerati: that weed might crowd out what has been up until now a near-insatiable demand for craft beer in the state. While hops and buds both carry the Cannabaceae family name, the thinking has gone that there isn’t enough room in the Centennial State for both genera. But brewers and dispensers aren’t too worried about losing business to one another.
In a trio of discussions that will illuminate the breadth of strategy types currently thriving in the craft beer marketplace, the May 29 Brewbound Session will feature emerging Boston-area brewers J.C. Tetreault of Trillium Brewing, Sam Hendler of Jack’s Abby Brewing and Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing for conversations that will drill into their specific… Read more »
Here’s some refreshing news: Brewers aren’t the only ones grappling with the definition of “craft.” A group of small winemakers, distillers and brewers joined yesterday’s opening panel discussion at the Craft Beverage Expo in San Jose, Calif., to discuss their humble beginnings, their business aspirations and the craft beverage “ecosystem.”
The controversy surrounding the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) effort to invent new rules dictating how brewers dispose of spent grains has subsided of late. To summarize the ordeal briefly, it went something like this: The FDA added language to the Food Safety Modernization Act that brewers construed as detrimental to the centuries old practice… Read more »
Maybe taxes are too high. Maybe the quality of water is too low. Maybe the rules and regulations that govern the alcohol industry are too stringent. Whatever it is, it’s in the way of the welcome mat. And at a time when communities are wooing out-of-state craft brewers looking to build new facilities, that means… Read more »
As the craft beer segment continues to evolve, understanding the criteria beer distributors use to select new brands is paramount to the future success of a craft brewery business. That’s why the upcoming Brewbound Session — held on Thursday, May 29, at the Revere Hotel in Boston — will feature inside looks at the operations… Read more »
