Brewbound Podcast

Less has been more with BrewDog’s U.S. business over the last year and a half. On the latest episode of the Brewbound Podcast, BrewDog USA chief sales and marketing officer Eric Teodoro Franco explains how the business has “done fewer things better,” leading with a focus on its core brands, which helped the brand increase volume 26% last year, to 89,084 barrels of beer, according to data from the Brewers Association (BA). “We were very, very famous and very willing to be famous for throwing a lot against the wall and seeing what would stick for many, many years,” Franco shared. “We can do that in the U.K. where you have a 50-plus share and you can develop a lot of things and trial and try new things. “In this market, we did that and it didn’t work. We’ve really taken our range plan, we’ve taken our focuses down to really doing fewer and better things.” That’s led to improved wholesaler partnerships and led to a redeployment of BrewDog’s teams to better support its core markets, Franco said. Additionally, BrewDog USA has been given the opportunity to run its operations with some autonomy from its homebase in Scotland as its U.S. leadership team has earned the trust of the global team. “We’re running things the way we need to run them,” Franco said. “Same on the food side and on the retail side of our business. “For many years, we were very much driven by what the U.K. or international bars looked like, and we would apply that narrative, if you will, or business plan to the U.S. bars. That’s gone away as well.” Franco also discusses how the exits of founders James Watt and Martin Dickie have affected the U.S. business, how the company is approaching innovation and how the company has rethought both its distribution footprint and its taproom strategy. Before the interview, Brewbound’s Justin Kendall, Jessica Infante and Zoe Lica break down the impending closure of 21st Amendment Brewery, the removal of a study from the dietary guidelines process and the challenges of making an alcoholic version of better-for-you soda. They also dig into TikTok trends and the latest grousing about Generation Z’s bar habits. Listen here or on your preferred podcast platform.

Kevin McGee used his law degree more than he expected when his family took over legacy California craft brewery Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC), including in legal battles over distribution rights. Now that the family has sold the brewery, a move announced in March, McGee is putting his degree to use full time. On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, McGee recounts recent franchise law cases and victories in the Golden State and shares his expectations for more challenges to craft brewers’ ability to switch distributors in the future. McGee, who acted as AVBC’s president and CEO, also shares when he and his family knew it was the right time to sell the brewery. He explains what brewery owners thinking about selling need to consider, how they should prepare and what the current buyer market looks like. Before the conversation, Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and senior reporter Zoe Licata discuss Anheuser-Busch InBev’s sale of its New York City wholly owned distributor to Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits and why they believe more moves are on the way. Plus, Justin and Zoe play Another Round or Tabbing Out on Spindrift pulling the plug on its spiked seltzer brand and the crossover bev-alc market. Listen here or on your preferred podcast platform.

Rupee Beer founders Van and Sumit Sharma believe they’re ready to meet Indian cuisine’s moment. On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, the brothers share their journey of launching the Indian American beer brand during the COVID-19 pandemic as an add-on purchase at their family’s restaurant. Today, Rupee has expanded distribution to 18 states – most recently California – and the Sharmas are readying for an “explosion” of Indian restaurants entering the U.S market. “We’re doing something that really directly ties it into the only story that we know, which is restaurants,” Van Sharma said. “That’s what we grew up in, more specifically, Indian restaurants.” Rupee’s beer has found its way onto menus in Thai, Middle Eastern, Persian, Latin American and Caribbean restaurants. “Anywhere global flavor, spice, those things hang out, that’s where we’re operating these days,” Van Sharma said. “Legacy brands out there definitely paved the way, but we’re doing something a little bit different, which also involves a little bit more of the local, craft American space as well.” Although the Shamras built Rupee’s business primarily through the on-premise channel, they’re now getting the attention of national retailers and they’re leaning into their chain business. Rupee is bringing new innovation to the Indian beer segment, which hasn’t seen an influx of new brands, Van Sharma added. Later in the episode, the Sharmas discuss their strategy for engaging consumers and gaining their attention in retail stores, as well as their approach to building their distribution network and where they want to go next. Plus, Justin, Jess and Zoe catch up on the latest headlines, including why it’s not time to panic despite the Gallup survey’s recent results on Americans drinking habits. They give a legal update on Uncle Nearest and the recipe agreement dispute between Schilling Cider and Incline. They also recap recent bev-alc experiences, from a growing dislike for black cherry flavors, to a sweaty trip to the Iowa State Fair. Listen here or on your preferred podcast platform.

In a Brewbound podcast, Ray Latif spoke with Chris Swersey of Hop Products Australia (HPA) and Mitch Steele of New Realm Brewing about the 2025 Australian hop crop. Swersey reported a bountiful harvest for HPA, with total production up 10% and yields increasing by 30% despite reduced acreage. This success stems from favorable weather and significant investments in productivity and technology. Their new HPA HOP Central pellet plant, which processed popular varieties like Galaxy, Ella, and Eclipse, recently achieved FSSC food safety certification. Mitch Steele praised HPA’s Galaxy hops, highlighting its consistent tropical fruit intensity. After extensive evaluation, Steele found the 2025 Galaxy crop to have a complex aroma and taste, featuring classic passion fruit, lime, and a developing peach mango character. New Realm Brewing is showcasing this hop in a “less-coast pilsner,” a crisp, light beer with an intense hop aromatic profile. About Hop Products Australia HPA is Australia’s largest hop grower. Their farms have been growing hops for more than 150 years. Rostrevor Hop Gardens and Buffalo River Valley in North-Eastern Victoria together with Bushy Park Estates in Southern Tasmania cover almost 850 hectares capable of producing more than 2,400 tonnes of hops. Collectively they grow 90% of Australia’s hops, which is roughly 2% of hops grown around the world. Their hop breeding program began way back in the 1950s when the primary focus was improving alpha acid yield. Then the dawn of the craft beer movement rolled around, and HPA began to breed flavor hops for the emerging market. Since then, they have created a number of hugely successful proprietary hops including Galaxy®, Vic Secret™, Eclipse®, Ella™, Enigma® and Topaz™. HPA’s Aussie hops are available exclusively through HAAS and their authorized distribution partners.

Ray Latif spoke with Chris Swersey of Hop Products Australia (HPA) and Mitch Steele of New Realm Brewing about the 2025 Australian hop crop. Swersey reported a bountiful harvest for HPA, with total production up 10% and yields increasing by 30% despite reduced acreage. This success stems from favorable weather and significant investments in productivity and technology. Their new HPA HOP Central pellet plant, which processed popular varieties like Galaxy, Ella, and Eclipse, recently achieved FSSC food safety certification. Mitch Steele praised HPA’s Galaxy hops, highlighting its consistent tropical fruit intensity. After extensive evaluation, Steele found the 2025 Galaxy crop to have a complex aroma and taste, featuring classic passion fruit, lime, and a developing peach mango character. New Realm Brewing is showcasing this hop in a “less-coast pilsner,” a crisp, light beer with an intense hop aromatic profile. Chris Swersey has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to beer and brewing. With more than 30 years’ experience in the industry, he has explored the diverse world of hops in all product formats, won awards at the WBC and GABF, served as Supply Chain Specialist and Technical Brewing Projects Manager for the US Brewers Association, and judged the WBC, GABF, Brussels Beer Challenge, Euro Beer Star, South Beer Cup, the Indies, and the AIBAs. Some would say he’s well versed in raw material and beer sensory. About Hop Products Australia HPA is Australia’s largest hop grower. Their farms have been growing hops for more than 150 years. Rostrevor Hop Gardens and Buffalo River Valley in North-Eastern Victoria together with Bushy Park Estates in Southern Tasmania cover almost 850 hectares capable of producing more than 2,400 tonnes of hops. Collectively they grow 90% of Australia’s hops, which is roughly 2% of hops grown around the world. Their hop breeding program began way back in the 1950s when the primary focus was improving alpha acid yield. Then the dawn of the craft beer movement rolled around, and HPA began to breed flavor hops for the emerging market. Since then, they have created a number of hugely successful proprietary hops including Galaxy®, Vic Secret™, Eclipse®, Ella™, Enigma® and Topaz™. HPA’s Aussie hops are available exclusively through HAAS and their authorized distribution partners.

With Republic National Distributing (RNDC) winding down distribution operations in California ahead of September 1 exit and consolidation continuing among craft wholesalers, this week’s Brewbound Podcast explores the fallout of both in the Golden State. Ferron Salniker, BevNET spirits editor, and Dave Infante, founder of the Fingers boozeletter, join Brewbound’s Justin Kendall and Jessica Infante to look back on how one of the top distributors in the country’s California business crumbled, the effect on smaller bev-alc producers in RNDC’s book and the trickle-down effect on craft brewers. They also explore multistate distributor Hand Family Companies’ entry into the state through the acquisitions of three craft-focused wholesalers – Stone Distributing, Classic Beverage and Scout Distribution in Los Angeles – and the formation of Sunset Distributing. Plus, Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata and Justin chat about her recent feature on the hard refresher trend and Gen Z’s aversion to carbonated beverages. Listen here or on your preferred podcasting platform.

How can brewers preserve freshness and extend their beer’s shelf life without breaking the bank? Upslope Brewing founder Matt Cutter believes he’s found the answer with BevBoost, a Colorado company that has developed a patented dual-chambered widget that the company says is “food-safe, recyclable insert that holds fresh flavor compounds, functional ingredients, vitamins or even mood-enhancing additives such as THC and CBD, and unleashes them right when a carbonated drink is cracked open.” In the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, Cutter explains why his attempts to maintain an IPA’s flavor led to the founding of BevBoost and gives Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and managing editor Jess Infante a third-grade science lesson. Cutter shares his expectations for adding shelf life to beverages, how others interested in adding the widgets to their beverages can integrate them into their systems and why he believes BevBoost is prepared to scale and meet demand. Upslope is first up, with the release of Hop-Boosted IPA, which it celebrated last week at a party that featured side-by-side taste comparisons. Before the interview, Justin, Jess and Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata discuss the latest M&A activity in Colorado, where Wilding Brands has added decade-old Denver brewery Station 26 to its roster and Ska Brewing has been sold to two families in the beer distribution business. Plus, in this week’s edition of Another Round or Tabbing Out, Zoe explains why anxiety may not be what’s driving Gen Z to close out their tabs after every order. Listen here or on your preferred podcasting platform.