Brewbound Podcast

With another Dry January in the books, how do non-alcoholic beer producers keep up the momentum? Partake Brewing founder and CEO Ted Fleming and Lagunitas CMO Paige Guzman share what’s next for the growing segment and discuss increased competition and what growing retailer support means for NA beer and similar offerings such as hop water. “To see these other companies come in is a testament to what Partake has done and some of the other early companies in non-alc of proving there is a market here,” Fleming said. “For the long-term, it’s good. For the short-term, there’s going to be a lot of noise. There’s definitely some concerns about whether some products are pasteurized and some are not. We’re definitely 100% of our product is pasteurized.” Over time, Fleming anticipates a “weeding out” of brands. “Right now, it’s a bit of a noisy category but in the long-term it’s going to be good to have that variety on shelf and that choice for consumers,” he added. “Any company that puts consumers first is going to do well.” Meanwhile, Guzman noted a growing interest among retailers this January. “In our category, it’s kind of hard to do anything until the retailers are on board, and we saw more non-alc, Dry January portfolio programs or industry-wide programs than we’ve seen before,” she said. “We saw a lot of major retailers putting big space in their ad circulars and displays as well.” All of those efforts, plus marketing investments from suppliers, are helping build awareness for non-alc producers. “As you invest in awareness and visibility tactics with consumers, you’re solving a problem that’s out there, and that’s where the magic happens,” Guzman said. Also in this episode, Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata provides a field report from the 2023 CiderCon conference in Chicago. 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].

Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) has taken a minority stake in non-alcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing Company, following a $50 million investment in the brand. Athletic co-founder Bill Shufelt shares why KDP was the right partner, what the investment will go toward, and how the company is pacing toward the end of 2022. The Brewbound team discusses Athletic’s KDP deal, as well as the sale of Montauk Brewing to Tilray, and the closing of Maui Brewing’s acquisition of Modern Times and the shuttering of the San Diego brewery’s Anaheim taproom (the one with the pool). 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].

Convergence is all the rage as big beverage companies (Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Monster) dive into bev-alc and lean into becoming “total beverage” producers. Nik Modi, managing director for RBC Capital, and Marty Caballero, editor for BevNet (Brewbound’s sister publication), join the Brewbound podcast to discuss the latest beverage partnerships, what has caused the trend, and if a “complete collapse” of the lines between bev-alc and non-alc is ahead. RBC Capital has been writing about beverage convergence since 2016, and Modi noted he was surprised the large partnerships that are occurring didn’t happen sooner. He credits part of the reason why it’s happening now to companies with large market share in their core beverage categories needing to look elsewhere for growth. “It’s about increasing your use occasions and being more dynamic,” Caballero added. And the blurring lines between beverage categories is just the beginning. “If you were going to ask me what is going to happen in 2032, do I think that we’re going to see combinations of beverage and food companies? Absolutely, no question,” Modi said. “And I think cannabis potentially could bind them.” In this episode, the Brewbound team discusses some of this year’s Super Bowl ads, their fear of robots, and Twisted Tea’s new year-round marketing strategy. 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].

Midway through Dry January, three craft brewers discuss their new non-alcoholic offerings and why these new products make sense both this month and the rest of the year. Deschutes’ Veronica Vega, AleSmith’s Brandon Richards and Notch’s Chris Lohring join the Brewbound team to talk about their N/A beers and the development behind them. 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].

From left: Bourcard Nesin and Donn Bichsel The Brewbound team breaks down the new partnership between Boston Beer Company and PepsiCo to produce Hard MTN Dew in a conversation featuring guests 3Tier Beverages founder and CEO Donn Bichsel and Rabobank beverage analyst Bourcard Nesin. The deal marks the second time this summer that the maker of Samuel Adams, Dogfish Head, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea and Truly Hard Seltzer has formed a partnership with a major player outside of the beer category, following its joint venture with Beam Suntory to produce Truly-branded spirits, among other crossover offerings. Hard MTN Dew, scheduled to launch in early 2022, is the newest of several collaborations between non-alcoholic beverage producers and beer companies. It will join products such as Topo Chico Hard Seltzer from Molson Coors and Coca-Cola, and SunRise Hard Seltzer from Heineken USA and AriZona Iced Tea maker Hornell Brewing. “The bigger story here is the appetite for soft drinks players to move into beverage alcohol, as well as bigger players moving into spirits, and spirits players moving into hard seltzer and, really, what does that mean for everyone else in the industry and consumers as well,” Nesin said. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. New episodes of the Brewbound Podcast are published every other Thursday. Check Brewbound’s upcoming events schedule for future podcast episodes and streaming video programming. Email [email protected] with questions and feedback.

This week’s edition of the Brewbound Podcast features a conversation from the first virtual Brew Talks meetup of 2021 about the road to recovery a year into the pandemic. Guests include: Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head co-founder; Julie Verratti, co-founder, Denizens Brewing; Associate Administrator of Field Operations, U.S. Small Business Administration; John Lane, co-owner, Winking Lizard Tavern; Amy Gutierrez, category manager – Beer & DSO Beverage, BevMo! The panel discusses how their businesses are performing a year later, the challenges and opportunities ahead, the government assistance available to small business owners, and much more. Before the featured conversation, Brewbound’s Justin Kendall and Jess Infante discuss Boston Beer Company’s north of the border foray into cannabis. Editor’s Note: The news portion of this show was recorded before the fallout from widespread reports of harassment, abuse and toxic workplaces within the beer industry came to light. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. New episodes of the Brewbound Podcast are published every other Thursday. Check Brewbound’s upcoming events schedule for future podcast episodes and streaming video programming. Email [email protected] with questions and feedback.