Beyond Beer

Research from three different studies in the U.S. and Canada shows there may be more interaction between cannabis and alcohol consumption than previously believed, according to analysis of the studies by financial services firm Bernstein.

Allagash Brewing is launching its first non-alcoholic (NA) offering this week with the release of Allagash Hop Water. Hop Water will exclusively be sold in 12 oz. can 6-packs at the brewery’s tasting room in Portland, Maine, starting later this week.

The latest installment of Brewbound’s A Round With – a weekly Insider-exclusive Q&A series with industry leaders – features Chandra Richter, head of product development at Sprinter, the Kylie Jenner-backed line of ready-to-drink (RTD) vodka sodas.

Five years ago, hard kombucha was expected to become the next big “fourth category” product, building off the initial momentum of hard seltzer, but promising bolder flavors and potential gut health benefits.

Mocktail Club, maker of a line of non-alcoholic canned cocktails, announced Monday it has received an investment from spirits industry capital and brand building firm Pronghorn, aimed at helping the Arlington, Va.-based business expand across the country.

Schilling Cider has no plans to jump on the hard tea train, but the Pacific Northwest cidery still plans to meet similar consumer demand with its latest product launch: Schilling Hard Lemonade.

The once-booming flavored malt beverage (FMB) segment is “showing some concerning declarations over recent weeks,” Bump Williams Consulting (BWC) founder Bump Williams noted in a recent report. FMB volume gains dropped by half – from +2.2%, to +1.1% – from the four-week period to the one-week period ending May 18, according to NIQ retail measurement data cited by BWC.

Jinx Drinx is a new ready-to-drink cocktail that that comes in a pouch with patent-pending packaging that includes a sealed-in straw to mitigate drink tampering and drink and drug-facilitated sexual assault.

Pabst Brewing has taken its El Jimador Spiked Bebidas tequila-inspired flavored malt beverage (FMB) national, in just one of its several beyond beer innovation expansion plans for 2024.

Uncle Nearest, the country’s largest Black-owned distillery, is widening its reach across spirit categories in announcing a deal to acquire Square One Organic Spirits, the company announced today.

Ask any THC or non-alcoholic alternative beverage founder about their biggest obstacle to breaking into widespread distribution and the answer is almost always the same: education.

In this latest installment of 3 Up, 3 Down, 3 Tier product team consultant Stephanie Roatis shares a trio of insights on industry growth and three underperforming areas ahead of the summer selling season, with NIQ data through April 20, 2024.

Married duo Camillia and Dave Bailey fell in love with tepache, a beverage made from fermented pineapple, while traveling in Mexico City in 2018. Fast forward to 2022, and the pair launched Crooked Owl Hard Tepache, a 5% ABV version of the beloved beverage that is “naturally probiotic,” shelf stable, gluten free and 100 calories per can.

Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners is the latest group to invest in ready-to-drink brand The Finnish Long Drink, the company announced today.