Brewbound Podcast

A new year brings the return of legislative sessions across the country and a new agenda for leaders of state brewers guilds. Texas Craft Brewers Guild executive director Caroline Wallace and Iowa Brewers Guild executive director Noreen Otto share their priorities in 2023, including advocating for direct-to-consumer sales, protecting existing privileges, working with wholesalers and much more. Plus, the Brewbound team discusses the (over)hype of the Super Bowl ads, the findings from the Brewers Association’s annual packaging report and distribution moves. Listen to the full interview in 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 regroups in the New Year to discuss Fireball-maker Sazerac’s big distribution move from RNDC to several beer distributors, including Reyes, Andrews, Faust, Keg 1, among others, as well as total beverage alcohol houses Johnson Brothers, Southern Glazer’s, Breakthru and more. Jess, Zoe and Justin also review Drizly’s predictions for 2023, Athletic Brewing’s seven-figure investment ahead of of Dry January, and the closing of Roadhouse’s deal for Melvin Brewing. Listen to the full interview in 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].

Nearly four months after the completion of the sale of Stone Brewing to Sapporo, Stone CEO Maria Stipp joins the Brewbound Podcast to share how the integration process is progressing, when the first Sapporo beers produced at Stone’s U.S. facilities will hit the market, the expansion of the Buena family into spirits-based canned cocktails, and what’s next in 2023. Stipp told Brewbound that the two companies got off to a “fast start” with the integration process, which started with sales and marketing. Stone will begin brewing Sapporo beers at its facilities in Escondido, California, and Richmond, Virginia, in December. Stipp said the brewery has achieved flavor match with the Sapporo’s beers imported from Japan, and she expects the first Stone-produced Sapporo beers to begin hitting retail shelves by Q3 2023. Although wholesaler alignment is typically a next step following the sale of a brewery, Stipp reaffirmed that the craft brewery’s beer will continue to be distributed by Stone Distribution in Southern California. (Stone Distribution was carved out of the sale of the brewery operations.) Stipp added that in markets like Chicago and Florida, the Stone brand has been traded for the rights to Bell’s Brewery’s brands, as New Belgium works to align distribution of those two brands. Stipp stressed that continued growth for the Stone beer brands outside of the combination with Sapporo remains important moving forward. “We’re looking at continued growth for Stone,” Stipp said. “We’ve got a solid three-year plan on what we’re looking to do and how to accomplish that. We have focused on our core brands … over the last couple of years, which is somewhat different from how Stone has operated in the past. We’re putting in a lot of time and effort on our brand families, with Delicious and with Buena. And it’s working, and we’ve been very disciplined in our pricing approach as well.” Stipp added that Stone has had to acknowledge that there are consumers who have either never tried its beer or who have not had it recently. “We know that by adding Buenaveza [Salt & Lime Lager], we brought in new fans,” she said. “And that’s good news, and so we want to continue to do that, but we also want to make sure that we don’t forget about our core consumer, the people who have been there for us for years. Among the priorities for Stone in 2023 are a refreshed Delicious brand family and the Buena family, which has been extended beyond the lager brand to include Buenavida Hard Seltzers and Buenafiesta, a line of spirits-based canned cocktails recently launched in the Southern California market. Those brands are about opening the Stone brand up to “new fans.” “We’re really being thoughtful about what we’re bringing in that’s new, to not only have the craft beer drinker be excited but to maybe people who don’t drink IPAs or other kinds of craft beer,” she said. “We’ve made Buenaveza our No. 1 priority for the last few years, and it’s become our No. 3 brand overall and our No. 1 draft brand,” she continued. “This coming year, we’ve pivoted to refreshing our Delicious IPA brand with new packaging, a new look, and a mix pack with two additional flavors. And that will be a big driver for us in 2023.” Listen to the full interview in 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 discusses the closure of TRU Colors, the craft brewery that hired rival gang members to work together but whose mission was marred by violence. The team also looks at two big distribution deals — Reyes entering its 10th market and Scout and Columbia teaming up in Idaho — and Allagash’s future plans to move its taproom. Listen to the episode above or on popular platforms iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

Modern Times is on the edge of entering receivership to begin a court-ordered sale process. Jack O’Connor, a partner with Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Helsinger in Chicago, joins the Brewbound Podcast to explain the process. “Banks are in the ‘getting paid business.’ They want to recoup the investment that they’ve made,” O’Connor said. “In this case, generally speaking, if you’re looking to conduct a going concern sale, your bank is there being supportive, hopefully saying this is a management team that can take us forward as long as we can find a buyer. What it does mean is that they don’t necessarily trust the company to repay its loan or make it whole on terms that it likes.” The Brewbound team also discusses the latest news, including the latest Stone legal wranglings, CBC and more. 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 discusses the latest news, including a law making its way through the Utah Legislature that will require several hard seltzer brands to be sold in state-run liquor stores. The team also discusses the launch of Athletic Lite, a 25-calorie non-alcoholic beer, distribution moves in Minnesota and Vermont, and fundraising efforts for Ukraine. Plus, Jess goes to a tap takeover. 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 Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is scrutinizing sports sponsorships struck by bev-alc producers and distributors. How can brewers play in this space without running afoul of the government agency? McDermott Will & Emery’s Alva Mather and Nichole Shustack offer their opinions on the Brewbound Podcast. “There’s a reason the TTB is focused on sponsorship deals at large venues,” Mather, the head of McDermott Will & Emery’s Alcohol Regulatory & Distribution Group, said. “I don’t have a crystal ball, but I will tell you from where I sit that is absolutely going to continue to be an area of focus for them.” Shustack, legal counsel with McDermott Will & Emery, added that suppliers and wholesalers really should be wary of “pouring rights.” “So there’s pouring rights and then there’s advertising rights,” she explained. “And where we’re seeing suppliers and wholesalers get tripped up is when those two kind of cross over.” 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 for the new year? Email [email protected].