Brewbound Podcast

Fishers Island Lemonade founder Bronya Shillo shares why she sold the nearly decade-old brand to Spirit of Gallo, the spirits division of E. & J. Gallo. The show turns into an unofficial M&A episode as the Brewbound team discusses FX Matt’s planned acquisition of Flying Dog Brewery, and the founders of Appalachian Mountain Brewery buying back the North Carolina craft brewery from Anheuser-Busch InBev. Justin, Jess and Zoe also break down the latest headlines, including Massachusetts revoking Gopuff’s liquor license for allegedly selling and delivering alcoholic beverages to underage drinkers, beer’s economic impact, and the Human Rights Campaign suspending A-B’s perfect score due to its handling of the Bud Light controversy. Plus, the team plays Another Round or Tabbing Out. Listen to the conversation on popular podcast platforms, including iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback or ideas for the podcast? Email [email protected].

Jeffrey Stuffings, co-founder of Jester King, discusses a bill in the Texas Senate that would fine businesses $10,000 for hosting “sexually oriented performances” – which includes drag events, if people under age 18 are present or on public property – and shares why the Austin, Texas-based brewery is encouraging its followers to oppose it. Although the proposed law does not apply to establishments that are 21+, many breweries and restaurants that host drag shows are family-friendly and would like to stay that way. Stuffings explains how Jester King has built an inclusive space and why he sees the legislation as an example of “fear of the other.” Dave Infante, editor of independent drinks newsletter Fingers, joins the conversation to share why brewery owners hosting similar events need to be prepared for potential backlash in this overheated political environment. The Brewbound team also breaks down the latest headlines, including conservatives’ call to boycott Bud Light following the brand’s influencer activation with Dylan Mulvaney, a influencer who documents her life as a transgender woman; Deschutes’ big bet on non-alcoholic beer; recent small brewery mergers in California; and Mikkeller ceasing ops in the U.S. and BrewDog shutting its Pittsburgh outpost. Listen to both conversations in-full in the episode above, and on popular podcast platforms, including iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback or ideas for the podcast? Email [email protected]

3 Tier Beverages consultant Stephanie Roatis shares the beverage alcohol segments trending up (hint, Dry January did all right) and those on the downward swing in her quarterly 3 Up, 3 Down report. In addition to soaring off-premise sales for non-alcoholic beer, imperial ciders – those clocking in at 8% ABV and above – also recorded an impressive amount of growth in scan data, as did cider producers at the regional level, Roatis said. “Cider had a super transformative 2022 – we saw a lot of the dollars shift into regional players and move away from companies like Ace and Redd’s,” she said. “Cider experienced a volume decline of about 8% last year, but regional cider saw their off-premise dollars grow 22 points since 2018. So now regional players, largely in the Pacific Northwest, are making up about 54% of the category.” On the down side of the 3 Up, 3 Down report, craft beer was flat, buoyed only by two styles: IPAs (+4.78% in the 13 weeks ending January 28) and American wheat (+1% in the same period). Eight of the segment’s top 10 styles declined in dollar sales. In addition to Roatis’ report, the Brewbound team analyzes the Drake’s-Bear Republic craft-on-craft merger, breaks down Boston Beer’s full-year earnings report, questions why one of the largest craft breweries in the U.S. isn’t making non-alcoholic beer a focus, and calls for a moratorium on the use of “drinkable.” 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].

Marketing and ad executives break down the winners and losers of this year’s beverage-alcohol Super Bowl ad battle. Deb Gabor, CEO of Sol Marketing, and Mario Natarelli, managing partner of MBLM, each share an industry insider’s view on the ads for Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light, Michelob Ultra, Crown Royal, Remy Martin and more. Also, Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata explains the BORG (Black Out Rage Gallon) trend of mixing water, vodka and flavor packets into a gallon jug. 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].

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].

Leadership development speaker, coach, and consultant Sarah Bettman joins the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the diversity, equity and inclusion topics facing beverage alcohol companies and how they can avoid just “checking off boxes.” “The key for us and for leaders is to learn about difference, learn about people who are having different experiences that you may never understand,” Bettman said. Before the conversation with Bettman, the Brewbound team breaks down the top news stories, including Sazerac suing RNDC for allegedly not paying its invoices, the rebrand and reformulation of New Belgium’s iconic Fat Tire, Molson Coors’ Super Bowl ad playbook, the Brewers Association increasing membership dues for the first time in 18 years and other topics. Jess and Justin also provide a road report from Beer Business Daily’s Beer Industry Summit, with takeaways on convergence, consolidation, rationalization and much more. 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].

As the popularity of pickleball grows across the country, so has beer producers’ interest in the game. At the intersection of beer and pickleball is an up-and-coming chain of restaurants dedicated to the sport. Chicken N Pickle started in North Kansas City and has branched out to six additional locations across the U.S., with more on the way. What do beverage-alcohol producers need to know about getting on tap and in the cold box at the restaurant chain? Chicken N Pickle mixologist Tim Holmes and director of strategic partnerships Matt Besler discuss with the Brewbound team. 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].