Dear Client:    Earlier this month came news that the young craft beer platform, Made by the Water, was scrapping plans to turn its New Orleans-based Faubourg production facility into a regional brewing hub [see CBD 11-14-2023].  Now, local paper, The Times Picayune, has more detail on why: The outlet – which talked to company executives, … Continue reading “Why Made by the Water is On the Hunt for a New Production Home”

Dear Client:    An oft-repeated comment made by HOP WTR co-founder and CEO, Jordan Bass, in our recent catch up on the brand is how they’re seeing “more and more mainstream acceptance” with the product, which will lead to some new pushes in convenience (read on). Back to Jordan’s claim of “more and more” acceptance, well, … Continue reading “HOP WTR to Test Convenience Waters”

Dear Client:    Top five craft brewer, Gambrinus Co., is tossing its lasso into the non-alc beer ring, hoping to catch a piece of the growing segment with a new line from Shiner, dubbed Shiner Rode0. The line represents Shiner’s “first-ever non-alcoholic series,” and is now debuting nationally with its first release, Rode0 Golden Brew.   “Styled … Continue reading “Gambrinus Rides into Non-Alc Arena with Shiner Rode0”

Dear Client:    Legacy southeastern craft brewer Abita Beer, nearing its 40th birthday, has seen it all.  As VP of sales Leo Basile put it on a recent call with CBD, they aren’t worried about the “mature” craft beer market that is still seeing down sales, as “we’ve seen this before and we’ve weathered the storm.”  … Continue reading “Abita Leaning in On Core Beer Next Year”

Dear Client:    Playing on its recently launched double IPA line, Gummies, [see CBD 07-06-2023], Tilray-owned SweetWater Brewing is building out the brand family with “Half-A-Gummie” IPA, a “more session-friendly” take on the fruit-forward series.  While the original and higher octane Gummies offerings are playing in the uber popular 19.2 oz package size, Half-a-Gummie will be … Continue reading “SweetWater Launches Cheekily Named “Half-a-Gummie” IPA on Draft”

Dear Client:    After selling a number of craft brands to Tilray earlier this year, one might wonder how Anheuser-Busch now views the craft category. Do they still see a future there? They do. A “vibrant future” in fact, as high-end president Andy Thomas said at the Beer Marketer’s Insights Seminar this week. The fact of … Continue reading “Andy Thomas Foresees Another Golden Age for Craft”

Dear Client:    Chicago-based Hop Butcher For The World prides itself on brewing, canning and delivering its beer fresh, within a matter of a few days.  Unsurprisingly, the tight timeline can become a “panic attack-type headache” for co-owner Jeremiah Zimmer and his team. When your editor caught up with Jeremiah, he was troubleshooting what is arguably … Continue reading “Hop Butcher For The World on Delivering Beer that is “Maximum Three Days in a Can””

Veteran CPG analyst Kaumil Gajrawala has recently joined Jefferies and this week initiated coverage on Beverages, HPC and Healthy Living stocks. What CBD most cares about? His take on Boston Beer.  Kaumil finds that while “peaks and valleys have defined Boston Beer’s story,” at present, it’s “difficult to pinpoint where the business is in its … Continue reading “Jefferies on Boston Beer: Tea Growth Helping Offset Truly Declines, But Boston Needs to Find Next Innovation Star”

Dear Client:    St. Louis’ oldest craft brewery, Schlafly Beer, is undergoing a change in leadership. The brewer confirmed to CBD today that vice chair, David Schlafly, is set to take over the CEO role from Fran Caradonna, who is transitioning to “a consultancy role for the company.” The Riverfront Times first reported the changes this … Continue reading “There’s a New CEO at Schlafly Beer”

Dear Client:    A few things drive the current bev alc landscape: Consumers drink across categories. Premiumization is a long-term trend. RTDs and convenience are king (even spirits would be flattish, if you take out the RTD segment).  But interestingly, a Circana data deep dive from sister publication Wine & Spirits Daily shows some interesting pivots … Continue reading “Grokking Interesting Tequila and Whiskey Trends”

Dear Client:    After an “extensive” search and interview process that saw both internal and external candidates, New Belgium Brewing has selected a familiar face to lead the company into its “next chapter.” Indeed, Shaun Belongie, who has been the CMO of New Belgium for the past five years, will take the reins as the company’s … Continue reading “New Belgium Names Shaun Belongie as New CEO”

Dear Client:    Craft beer wants a piece of the success Chelada style beers are bringing to large brewers. Enter the latest play by Petaluma, CA-based Laguintas: a Chelada duo including Limón y Sal and Spicy Michelada (h/t MyBeerBuzz for unearthing the label). Interim CMO Hannah Dray tells CBD they are planning to run a small … Continue reading “Lagunitas Dives into the Chelada Game”

Dear Client:    Minneapolis-based Indeed Brewing Company is ushering in a new era for the brewery’s leadership, naming 10-year company vet and former director of experience, Ryan Bandy, new Chief Business Officer. Ryan will take over leading the company, effective November 20. He comes into the role at a time when Indeed expects to be flat … Continue reading “Indeed Brewing Looks Within for its New Leader, Naming Ryan Bandy as its New Chief Business Officer”

Dear Client:    While there was little to no detail provided on CANarchy in Monster’s third quarter earnings yesterday, moves are brewing with the craft portfolio… Reports surfaced yesterday that Oskar Blues’ brewery/taproom in Austin had closed, with local outlets highlighting how the brewer’s ties to its Austin outpost had been scrubbed off the web (no … Continue reading “Oskar Blues Closes Austin Outpost”

Dear Client:    A new report makes the claim that the U.S. hemp industry in 2022 was larger than total legal sales of medical and adult-use cannabis and about equal to craft beer sales nationally.  Research firm Whitney Economics published the report in late October, “offering a comprehensive assessment of the hemp industry that’s evolved since … Continue reading “Report: Sales of Hemp-Derived Cannabinoid on Par with Craft Beer”