Legislative, Government Affairs & Legal Updates

Stay informed on the latest beer industry, legislative, government affairs and legal news, including updates on the Brewers Association and NBWA. Understand the evolving beverage alcohol regulatory and legal environment that can directly impact your distribution, retail efforts, intellectual property, packaging and ingredients.

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Featured Legislative, Government Affairs & Legal Updates Content

Craft Navigating a ‘Perfect Storm’ of Waning Consumer Demand, Distributor Disinterest and Dried-Up Draft Sales

Craft Navigating a ‘Perfect Storm’ of Waning Consumer Demand, Distributor Disinterest and Dried-Up Draft Sales

Craft beer has entered “no to negative growth territory,” Brewers Association (BA) chief economist Bart Watson said during a year-end webinar last week. “We were in double-digit growth as recently as 2014, 2015, and then we moved into kind of a more developed, slow, single-digit growth rate,” Watson said. “COVID hit, and we had the worst year in craft history in 2020 with a partial bounce back in 2021.

Incoming NBWA Chairman: ‘We Must Control Our Own Destiny’

Incoming NBWA Chairman: ‘We Must Control Our Own Destiny’

Incoming National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) chairman Jim Fabianao II stressed that distributors “must control our own destiny,” in his first speech during Tuesday’s Annual Convention general session in Las Vegas.

Additional Content

CBC Keynote: Uncle Nearest’s Fawn Weaver On Why Staying Small Wasn’t an Option

CBC Keynote: Uncle Nearest’s Fawn Weaver On Why Staying Small Wasn’t an Option

Uncle Nearest Distillery founder and CEO Fawn Weaver disregarded the advice of the spirits industry’s old heads on the way to building a billion-dollar brand, she shared during her fireside chat with Crowns and Hops Brewing co-founder and CEO Beny Ashburn on the opening day of the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Las Vegas.

A Round With … Brewers Association CEO Bob Pease on CBC, Craft Slowdown, Trade Group’s Transition

A Round With … Brewers Association CEO Bob Pease on CBC, Craft Slowdown, Trade Group’s Transition

Ahead of the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC), which officially kicks off today (Monday, April 22), Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bob Pease shared his thoughts on the largest gathering of craft brewers, the turbulent times the trade group’s members are facing, the organization’s own changes and conversations he and Dr. J Jackson-Beckham have taken part in regards to the 2023 event.

Craft Brewers Conference Primer: A Pre-Conference Reading List

Craft Brewers Conference Primer: A Pre-Conference Reading List

Before you head to Las Vegas for the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference, we’ve put together a primer of Brewers Association (BA) stories (and one video) from the past six months to help you prepare. Consider this the CliffsNotes version.

Proposed Colorado Bill Would Double Bev-Alc Taxes to Fund Addiction Recovery Efforts

Proposed Colorado Bill Would Double Bev-Alc Taxes to Fund Addiction Recovery Efforts

A pair of alcohol-adjacent bills have been introduced in the Colorado Legislature. One (SB24-181) seeks to create a tax on beverage-alcohol products distributed in the state to fund “alcohol and related substance use disorder prevention, early intervention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery services” across Colorado.

Brewers Association Reveals 2024 Award Winners

Brewers Association Reveals 2024 Award Winners

The Brewers Association (BA) announced the recipients of its 2024 awards yesterday, recognizing individuals for their contributions to the craft brewing industry.

Comment Period Deadline Approaches on Potential Alcohol Beverage Labeling and Advertising Changes

Comment Period Deadline Approaches on Potential Alcohol Beverage Labeling and Advertising Changes

The deadline to file written comments in the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s review of potential rules and regulations changes for alcoholic beverage labeling and advertising is set to expire this Friday (March 29). Among the changes under consideration are mandatory disclosures for alcohol content, nutritional information, ingredients and major allergens.

CCBA Legislative Update: Beer Catering Permits, Amazon’s Tied House Challenge

CCBA Legislative Update: Beer Catering Permits, Amazon’s Tied House Challenge

California craft breweries may soon have an easier time selling their beer at special events beyond their taproom walls, thanks to the California Craft Brewers Association’s (CCBA) sponsored bill in 2024. AB 2174 would “authorize a licensed beer manufacturer to apply for, and the department to issue, a beer caterer’s permit for the sale of beer manufactured by or for the licensee for consumption at specified locations and events, including, among others, conventions, sporting events, and trade exhibits.”