Brewbound Podcast

As far as we know, Bill Murray has never worked for a brewer or a distributor, but employees of both have probably identified with Phil Connors, the character he played in Groundhog Day who was forced to relive the same day over and over. Tech firm Groundhog thinks it has eliminated the recurring sameness of the annual business plan (ABP) process with collaborative software that ensures brewers and distributors are aligned and able to follow through on objectives. On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, founders Chris Russell and Eric Rabinovitz share the pain points they’re trying to solve and how they plan to streamline the process to avoid that Groundhog Day feeling when brands and distributors meet months later.Before the interview, Brewbound’s Justin Kendall and Jessica Infante recap the latest news, including Diageo’s plans to shutter the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, Mars backing away from its BuzzBallz collab, the end of the FTC’s price discrimination probe into Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Deschutes’ entry into hard sports drinks.Listen here or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Intoxicating hemp beverages as they appear now may vanish from the market in mid-December. A looming federal ban was delayed a month, but the industry hasn’t slowed down amid the existential threat. BevNET and Nosh senior reporter Lukas Southard joins the Brewbound Podcast to give a pulse check on the market, alternatives that may be in play if a ban goes into effect and why some states may ignore the ban altogether. “When people are being realistic … most of them concede that the December 12th deadline will pass without regulatory being in place,” Southard said. “And that brands and stakeholders in this industry are gonna need to at least bide their time into 2027 until some type of regulatory framework is put into place.”Before the interview, the Brewbound team discusses the latest news, including C4’s beer-flavored energy drink; Kroger pulling Red Bull from shelves, Tilray’s positioning of BrewDog as an Ohio craft beer brand and the Shock Top-Spirit Halloween candy corn beer collab. Listen here or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

The summer selling season wraps up this weekend with Labor Day Monday, and one of the hottest segments of the summer has been hard sports drinks. Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and senior reporter Zoe Licata dive into the fast-growing segment and how their views have shifted on it over the last year. They look at who is leading the segment now and new entrants looking to fast-follow, including Boston Beer Company. The duo also recap several rounds of layoffs, including Sapporo USA’s wind-down of the Stone Brewing-branded locations in Escondido, California; Mark Anthony’s integration of the Finnish Long Drink and coming sales team cuts; and Diageo’s ongoing $1.2 billion restructuring effort hitting its NYC headquarters. Plus, Justin and Zoe discuss low-ABV beers (and Justin cracks Sierra Nevada’s new Go-Two IPA) and Pabst’s viral stolen beer marketing campaign. Listen here.

Does every beer need a non-alcoholic (NA) analog? The Brewbound team discusses on the latest episode of the Brewbound Podcast.As Molson Coors prepares to launch an NA version of Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, Brewbound editor Justin Kendall questions whether the product is trend chasing or if consumers are clamoring for it. Managing editor Jessica Infante gets White Claw Zero flashbacks, while senior reporter Zoe Licata offers a different perspective after exploring NA ciders.The trio also analyze recent headlines, including:Samuel Adams taproom workers’ plans to unionize and Boston Beer’s response, so far;And B3 Beverage’s “complicated” partnerships, with a deal for Yards Brewing going forward and others falling through.Listen here.

Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) is leaving a big unpaid tab. The distributor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week, with liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion, and more than 100,000 creditors.In this episode of the Brewbound Podcast, Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and senior reporter Zoe Licata dive into the bankruptcy filing, as well as the fallout, with many suppliers left wondering if they’ll ever get paid back.Justin and Zoe also catch up on the other big headlines, including the Brewers Association’s (BA) 2026 mid-year report, with projected craft volume declines of 4%. They discuss why the news isn’t all bad – with a majority of respondents reporting growth – and why it’s not all good.The conversation shifts to Boston Beer’s second-quarter results and Sun Cruiser’s growing importance to the company’s bottomline. They also explore Boston’s growing fast-follower innovation strategy, including Rally Dog, a potential hard sports drink challenger brand. Plus, they touch on if beer companies might be walking back their opposition to the spirits industry’s equalization efforts.Finally, seasonal creep is here and real as pumpkin beers are already popping up on store shelves.It’s a quick, fun recap of the latest news. Listen here.

Days ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, the Brewbound team catches up on beer prices – at home and across the pond – and how Independence Day is stacking up as a heat wave sets in for much of the country.Zoe shares just how different beer prices are in the U.K., learned from her experience seeing Harry Styles and buying drinks at Wembley Stadium. Jess offers an eye on the skies from the Jersey Shore, where only one bev-alc company is flying banner ads over the beaches so far (and it isn’t a beer company). And Justin breaks out the latest grocery circular for a big meat-and-beer promo in Iowa. The trio discusses the latest headlines, including Allagash’s new Maine-centric ad campaign, the World Cup’s impact and just how much Boston misses the Tartan Army and why now is the right time for ready-to-drink (RTD) brands to explore a sale.

Mass Appeal Draught House and Grille opened on the eve of the kick-off of FIFA World Cup 2026 at its neighbor, Gillette Stadium. Hendler Family Brewing co-founder and CEO Sam Hendler joined the Brewbound Podcast to discuss how the multi-branded taproom handled an influx of guests, what Scottish fans prefer to drink (Jack’s Abby House Lager) – and what they’re not drinking. “​​The majority of the audience who's been down there on game day has been the international fan base, and House Lager has been consistently the No. 1 seller, and it's not particularly close,” Hendler said. “We're selling 6 or 7x the House Lager than we are of the top-selling IPA in that taproom right now.”Hendler shared insights into the World Cup-driven boost at the company’s Night Shift taprooms and beer gardens and how they prepared their brands (Jack’s Abby, Wormtown, Masshole Light and Sloop) to stand out in the trade during this high visibility time.In the Boston area, hosting the World Cup and thousands of spectators who have come to support their teams has been a boon for the hospitality industry, particularly beer distributors and breweries.“On the ground, the atmosphere has been fantastic. People have been showing up, people are having a great time, and they're drinking a lot of beer as it goes on,” Hendler said. “There's been so much talk in beer about winning occasions that are beyond what the beer occasion has always been, and the industry still obviously needs work to do on that, because the World Cup, unfortunately, won't last for 365 days a year forever. But it's clear that beer is a winner for this occasion, and it's been absolutely fantastic.”Before the interview, Justin and Zoe discuss the results of the Brewers Association’s annual Harris Poll of consumers’ views on craft beer, recent developments in the ongoing collapse of Republic National Distributing Company and a first impression of Keystone Light Apple.After the interview, stay tuned for a conversation with ArentFox Schiff partner Nichole Shustack, who leads the law firm’s beverage-alcohol practice. She detailed navigational options for suppliers during times of wholesaler consolidation and best practices for the creation of brand platforms. Listen here or on your preferred podcast platform.