Craft Beer

Craft brewers’ collective production declined 4% in 2024, to 23.1 million barrels of beer produced, the Brewers Association (BA) shared today in the release of its annual craft brewing production report. The trade group representing small and independent craft breweries described 2024’s numbers as “highlighting the new realities of a maturing market in a rapidly evolving environment.”

The craft-on-craft partnership trend has reached the Bay Area. San Francisco-based Fort Point Beer Co. and Sonoma County-headquartered HenHouse Brewing Company are merging to form Fort Point HenHouse Inc.

Family-owned, boutique craft distributor VT Beer Shepherd has sold part of its portfolio, including the distribution rights to Lawson’s Finest Liquids, and has ceased operations. Baker Distributing in Colchester, Vermont, has acquired the distribution rights to Lawson’s Finest and other brands from VT Beer Shepherd.

Monster Brewing will cease operations in Utah late next month, the company announced Thursday. Production of its Utah-based brands Wasatch Brewing and Squatters Brewing will shift to other facilities within Monsters’ bicoastal network, according to a statement from Monster Brewing president Ray LaRue.

BevNET spirits editor Ferron Salniker joins this week’s Brewbound Podcast to share the scuttlebutt from DISCUS’ annual meeting, including tariff talk, trends to watch, distributor consolidation and supplier jumps to beer distributors. Plus, Justin and Zoe share their experiences after attending Bell’s Oberon Day in Kalamazoo, Michigan and break down the latest craft-on-craft deal activity in Colorado.

Craft off-premise declines accelerated last month, which should come as no surprise to anyone keeping up with March scans and data reports. In the last four weeks (ending March 23), craft beer dollar sales declined 5.1% year-over-year (YoY) and volume, measured in case sales, fell 6.4%, in Circana-tracked off-premise channels (total U.S. multi-outlet, plus convenience), according to the market research firm’s latest monthly report.

Canadian cannabis giant Tilray Brands recorded a 1% year-over-year (YoY) net revenue decline across all its business ventures in Q3, but the latest financials are simply growing pains as the company continues to streamline and consolidate its business, leadership shared today during the company’s quarterly earnings call with investors and analysts.

Sierra Nevada’s Big Little Thing IPA is getting a second act. The imperial IPA has been reformulated as a juicy hazy IPA with the ABV amped up to 9.5% from 9%. Although Big Little Thing has been a top-30 craft brand in off-premise scans, the brand’s trends have trended down since 2023.

The Brewers Association (BA) announced the recipients of the trade group’s annual Industry Awards today, recognizing “individuals and groups that have made a significant impact on the craft beer community.”

At a time when brewers are exploring spirits and ready-to-drink offerings as avenues for incremental revenue, Michigan-based spirits producer Benchmark Beverage Company is doing something similar: bolting on beer brands to expand its portfolio.

A foreclosure filing against Lakeland, Florida-based Brew Hub caught some people by surprise last week … including Brew Hub’s CEO. Brew Hub CEO Tim Schoen cited “miscommunication” between the contract brewery’s majority investor, private equity firm Yucaipa Companies, and Live Oak Bank, for the foreclosure filing, according to an email sent to Brew Hub clients on Thursday.

This week’s A Round With … features Dave Vitt, founder and CEO of Bellingham’s own Kulshan Brewing. In the Brewbound Insider-exclusive Q&A, Dave shares how Bellingham’s beer scene has evolved, how the Kulshan team keeps coming up with unique taproom events and how to stay positive in challenging times.

President Donald Trump’s reveal of sweeping tariffs on Wednesday included a 25% tariff on all imported beer and empty aluminum cans. Those tariffs are expected to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. EDT Friday, April 4.

Another day, another Colorado craft beer deal. Longmont-based Left Hand Brewing and Aurora-based Dry Dock Brewing announced they have merged under the craft-centric, crowd-funded platform Left Hand revealed plans to build last year.