Brewbound Podcast

Isaac Arthur and Cody Fague, the founders of Indianapolis-headquartered CODO Design, break down the beer branding trends to watch in 2022 and beyond, following the release of their annual branding trends review. Arthur and Fague offer insights into brand refreshes, design and packaging trends, brand architecture and much more. Listen to the episode below or on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Follow this link to read CODO’s 2022 Beer Branding Trends,  or listen to their overview podcast here, followed by a Q&A podcast here. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for Brewbound Podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

The Worldwide Brewing Alliance represents more than 80% of the world’s beer production. President and CEO Justin Kissinger and advisor Dan Kopman join the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the global trade group’s mission, as well as the challenges facing the beer category, which has lost 12% share of total ethanol to spirits over the last two decades. As the regulatory environment has loosened for spirits makers, they’ve gained greater market access. “There were differentiated alcohol policies between beer and hard liquor that date back hundreds of years, and in the U.S. date back to Prohibition,” Kopman said. “And there was a reason for these things. So why did policymakers coming out of Prohibition want to treat beer differently to hard liquor? First and foremost, they’re made very differently. The economic basis for them is very different. The employment platform is vastly different. It costs a lot more money and takes a lot more people to deliver beer to consumers than it does hard liquor.” “What you can see in the story in the U.S. in terms of share shift, what I think you can see in other environments is the regulatory environment that you operate in matters and it can influence what can happen in the business,” Kissinger added. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

Following the Brewers Association’s (BA) annual Craft Brewers Conference, general counsel Marc Sorini and federal affairs director Katie Marisic join the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the trade group’s legislative agenda and what’s on the regulatory horizon for the craft beer industry. The conversation centers on the spirits industry’s push to achieve parity between spirits-based, ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktails and beer, both in taxation and market access. Although equivalization has been making headlines lately, it’s nothing new, Sorini said. “We’ve seen in 20 years the palette has shifted and if the palette shifts to places where beer is disadvantaged, where beer isn’t going to play, it’s a very existential threat to not just a small number of companies but all of our members,” he said. This year, the BA is emphasizing its focus on the USPS Shipping Equity Act (H.R.3287/S.1663), which would allow the postal service to ship alcoholic beverages the way that private carriers such as UPS and FedEx do. The legislation would only apply in states where direct-to-consumer shipping of bev-alc products is currently legal. “The Postal Service was built to send mail to all of us, and the private carriers don’t always necessarily fulfill that role, or if they do, it might be cost prohibitive,” Marisic said. “We would like to see the Postal Service be allowed to compete in that market.” In addition to their conversation with Marisic and Sorini, the Brewbound team also hosts Selling Craft Beer’s Sean McNulty to discuss recent news including Boston Beer’s Canadian cannabev, Minnesota finally freeing the growler and Anderson Valley’s vow not to raise price for six months. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

Molson Coors appointed Jeff Agase to lead its craft beer division, Tenth & Blake, on May 11. Agase joins the Brewbound Podcast to share his vision for the division, where it fits within Molson Coors’ premiumization efforts, and how the company views M&A. Agase ticked off three priorities for the division, which he will take over June 1 after serving as VP of distributor network development. “For one, we certainly want our regional craft breweries to outpace their respective competitive sets in their territories,” he said. “The second would be to return Leinenkugel’s, which is the biggest piece of our business overall and certainly our longest standing piece of business, to sustained revenue growth. … We look forward to sampling more and more consumers with Hop Valley beers, in particular the Stash series.” Also in this week’s episode, the Brewbound team discusses the latest news, including the end of the “Keep It Juicy” trademark infringement lawsuit, a couple of acquisitions, a bunch of closings, including the only U.S. trappist brewery, and legislative moves in Vermont, Minnesota, and Alaska. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

The Brewbound team recaps the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference and shares their big takeaways from the gathering of 10,000 beer industry professionals in Minneapolis. Justin, Jess and Zoe discuss the push on direct-to-consumer sales, focus on brewery cultures and the overarching themes of positivity and back-to-business mentality of the show. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].  

Leaders within the craft cider industry break scan data misconceptions and share how regional cideries are growing in 2022. American Cider Association executive director Michelle McGrath, Schilling Cider co-founder and CEO Colin Schilling, Swilled Dog Hard Cider & Spirits co-founder and CEO Brooke Glover, and ANXO Cider co-founder and president Sam Fitz discuss the state of the industry, convergence trends, retail gains and much more. This interview was originally released as an exclusive to Brewbound Insiders, as part of the Frontlines video series. Also in this episode, the Brewbound team counts down to the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference, discusses Truly Vodka Seltzer, and bids farewell to Beer Institute president and CEO Jim McGreevy. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

WWE legend “Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and El Segundo Brewing Company leaders Rob Croxall and Tom Kelley share how their partnership on the Broken Skull line of beers works, the bump the beers received following this year’s WrestleMania, why their collaboration feels organic and the future of the brand. “I’ve drank everybody’s beers in the past, and I’ve been drinking beer my whole life, and I don’t speak technical beer language, but we’ve given those other brands a little bit of a rub by using their beers,” Austin said. “So to go out there and drink our own beer was very satisfying.” Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].