Top Features

Ex-Surly Employees to Open Barrel Theory Beer Company

Ex-Surly Employees to Open Barrel Theory Beer Company

Two more employees have left Minneapolis’ Surly Brewing Company, with their sights set on opening a brewery in St. Paul’s growing Lowertown neighborhood in 2017.

Brett Splinter, Surly’s former director of technology, and brewer Timmy Johnson have announced plans to open a 10-barrel brewhouse, a 90-seat tasting room and a 4,000 sq. ft. cellar dedicated to barrel-aging.

Shelton Brothers Files Lawsuit Against Craft Brewers Guild

Shelton Brothers Files Lawsuit Against Craft Brewers Guild

The latest twist in Massachusetts’ pay-for-play scandal came Friday as beer importer Shelton Brothers filed a lawsuit against Craft Brewers Guild, owned by Sheehan Family Companies, alleging that the Everett, Mass.-based wholesaler’s “unfair and illegal” practices cost its company $1.7 million in potential sales, according to the Boston Globe. The lawsuit comes eight months after… Read more »

Editor’s Note: Choice Matters, But So Does Context

Editor’s Note: Choice Matters, But So Does Context

When asked during last week’s earnings call whether or not the U.S. craft market was reaching an “inflection point,” Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Carlos Brito responded by speculating that consumers might one day “get a bit tired of so much choice.” That sound bite — which was part of a two-minute long response about the growth of craft, A-B’s activity in the segment and thoughts on how the category is continuing to evolve — would eventually get picked up by beverage industry website just-drinks.com, igniting a hailstorm of hot takes in the process.

Last Call: Revolver, Brooklyn, and Others Expand; Harriet Brewing to Close

Last Call: Revolver, Brooklyn, and Others Expand; Harriet Brewing to Close

Another member of MillerCoors’ Tenth & Blake division is setting up shop near a Major League Baseball stadium. Texas’ Revolver Brewing plans to open a brewery inside the forthcoming entertainment district being developed by the Texas Rangers and the Cordish Companies in Arlington, Texas.

Undeterred by DOJ Scrutinies, A-B Snatches Another Craft Brewery

Undeterred by DOJ Scrutinies, A-B Snatches Another Craft Brewery

Anheuser-Busch InBev today announced it would purchase Karbach Brewing Company, the fastest-growing craft brewery in Texas and the ninth to join A-B’s ever-expanding High End division. Specific financial terms of the transaction were not disc

CBA Earnings: Continued Kona Growth Offsets Steep Redhook and Widmer Declines

CBA Earnings: Continued Kona Growth Offsets Steep Redhook and Widmer Declines

Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) today released its third quarter earnings results, which were highlighted by a 12.7 percent increase in Kona Brewing shipments and a portfolio-wide net sales growth of 1.1 percent percent compared to the same period in 2015. In a press release, CEO Andy Thomas once again touted the company’s “Kona Plus” strategy — one that combines a nationwide sales effort for the Hawaiian-themed brand with a regional sales approach for strategic partners Cisco Brewers and Appalachian Mountain as well as the more established Widmer Brothers and Redhook labels.

Two Roads Embarks on $12 Million Expansion Project

Two Roads Embarks on $12 Million Expansion Project

Two Roads Brewing Company today said it would spend $12 million to expand its operations with the addition of a new 25,000 sq. ft. brewery and barrel-aging facility adjacent to its existing location in Stratford, Connecticut. Situated on 2.5 acres, the new facility — which the company said would be dedicated to the production of sour and barrel-aged beers — will feature a 50-barrel brewhouse, foeders, a coolship and space for 2,000 wooden barrels.

Constellation Brands to Buy Grupo Modelo Brewing Facility for $600 Million

Constellation Brands to Buy Grupo Modelo Brewing Facility for $600 Million

Constellation Brands, which owns the Corona and Modelo brand rights in the U.S., today announced plans to purchase the Obregon, Mexico brewery from Grupo Modelo, an Anheuser-Busch InBev subsidiary, for $600 million. In a press statement, the company said it would submit a proposal to the U.S. Department of Justice, and also noted that the brewery purchase would allow Constellation to “become fully independent from the interim supply agreement with Grupo Modelo.”

Video: Jack’s Abby Founders Discuss Growth, Competitive Headwinds at Brew Talks New England

Video: Jack’s Abby Founders Discuss Growth, Competitive Headwinds at Brew Talks New England

Before it moved into a new 67,000 sq. ft. brewing facility at 100 Clinton Street in Framingham, Mass., popular Boston-area craft brewery Jack’s Abby occupied just 15,000 sq. ft. of space in a warehouse less than one mile away from its current location. And when the company finishes building out an expanded “Springdale” taproom and barrel-aging space in a recently acquired area next door to its existing production site, it will officially be operating within a 130,000 sq. ft. footprint.