A Texas legislator is aiming to boost support for small craft brewers in his state, which is dominated by Spoetzl Brewery, makers of Shiner Bock, and beer giants Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors.

Dancing around the hammer of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) and Constellation Brands, Inc. have announced a revised agreement to ABI’s proposed acquisition of Grupo Modelo. The companies hope new details in the agreement will persuade the DOJ to drop its lawsuit, which aims to block the acquisition.

Brewbound.com today announced that it will host its next in an ongoing series of BrewTalks at the Great Lost Bear in Portland, Maine. New England-based beer industry professionals are invited to attend the free event, which will begin at 7 P.M. on Wednesday, Feb. 20. Launched in January, the Brew Talks series is a set… Read more »

A Colorado state senator has pulled the plug on a proposed bill that would allow grocery and convenience stores in the state to sell craft beer, according to coloradoan.com. Sen. Kevin Priola (R-Henderson), the sponsor of the bill, stated that the legislation lacked support from the craft beer industry as well as from the House Business, Labor and Economic Workforce Development Committee, which was scheduled to hold a hearing on the bill yesterday.

The Brewbound New Beer Guide has been added as a supplement to the digital Jan/Feb issue of BevNET magazine. The guide features over 300 new and seasonal beers from over 115 craft breweries.

A recent agreement ending a U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) action against controversial flavored malt beverage maker Phusion Projects, LLC could have future implications for the craft beer industry. On Tuesday, Phusion agreed to change its packaging and add an additional label statement about its alcohol content on cans and bottles of its Four Loko product.

Taking interaction with beer nerds to another level, Flying Dog Brewery’s Stove Toppers series offers something a 6-pack and social media can’t replicate: the chance to make their beer at home.

Consumers hoping to locate their favorite craft beers have a new tool courtesy of World Class Beer (WCB), an association of craft and specialty beer minded distributors. WCB last week announced the release of its “Craft Beer Locator” app, which is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices and boasts location information for 100,000… Read more »

When it comes to stacking awards from the Vail Valley Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau (VVP), Crazy Mountain Brewery is tough to beat. Earlier this month, the VVP honored the Vail, Colo.-based brewery as the Mid-Size Business of the Year, an award given to a company that demonstrates ethical business practices, professionalism, and strong community involvement.

Brewbound is pleased to announce that Simon Thorpe, the president and CEO of Duvel Moortgat USA and Brewery Ommegang, will be joining the Brewbound Session conference taking place on May 2 in Boston. The full-day event is geared towards the strategic development of craft beer businesses. It will be held at the Revere Hotel in… Read more »

With new distribution in Northern California, a recent brewery expansion, and plans to dramatically increase production in 2013, Hangar 24 Brewery is flying fast and thinking big. The Redlands, Calif.-based brewery debuted in the San Francisco market in January, marking the largest expansion in its distribution since launching in 2008.

The country’s third largest craft brewery, New Belgium Brewing, is expanding its distribution footprint. Company spokesman Bryan Simpson told Brewbound.com that beginning in July, New Belgium will distribute its beer in Florida. “Florida is a great craft beer market,” Simpson said. “It was the right market for the amount of volume and capacity the brewery… Read more »

Small brewers would receive a significant reduction in federal excise taxes under a bipartisan bill introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s the third time that Reps. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa) and Richard E. Neal (D-Mass) have introduced the legislation, House Bill 494, the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce (Small BREW Act). The Brewers Association applauded the introduction of the bill.

The Goose has landed. Nationwide. Goose Island, the Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned, Chicago-based brewer that last August announced its intent to extend distribution nationally in 2013, has made its core offerings available on draught across the country. The company said draught availability of its 312, IPA, Honker’s and Mild Winter beers are part of a phased rollout that will include the nationwide release of bottle products later this spring.