Dear Client:  The Industry Review issue from The Brewers Association’s New Brewer magazine has hit, giving us a better peek at who did what in craft last year.  Strapped with these numbers for thousands of craft brewers, there’s certainly lots to get to; but for now, we’ll draw your attention to growth stories at the … Continue reading “The Standout Regional Craft Players From 2022”

Dear Client:  As CBD reported earlier this week, New York contract/craft scion F.X. Matt is acquiring the well-known Mid-Atlantic Flying Dog brand. The deal is slated to close around August 1.  The two have long collaborated, with 135-year-old F.X. Matt already producing some Flying Dog, and the two going “in” together, along with Harpoon, on … Continue reading “The Rationale Behind the F.X. Matt Flying Dog Deal”

Dear Client:  When we chatted with Bell’s Brewery EVP Carrie Yunker at the start of the year [see CBD 01-25-2023], she told us they were “absolutely eyeing a growth year” in 2023.  Nearly six months into the year, that stance hasn’t changed: Asked the same prompt on Beernet Radio last week, Carrie responded, “Absolutely… We’re … Continue reading “Bell’s Confident in Growth This Year Amid Hot Demand for Variety Packs”

Dear Client:  Mid-Atlantic craft brewer Flying Dog has just announced it is being acquired by one of the oldest brewers around: Utica, New York-based F.X. Matt Brewing Company, which is of course itself a craft brewer as well as a contract producer. They are also “in the process” of looking for a location for a … Continue reading “FX Matt Acquires Flying Dog”

Dear Client:  After an impressive couple of years, the growth doesn’t seem to be slowing for Coronado Brewing, which grew to about 40,000 barrels last year. Coronado recently shared results of its first quarter performance this year, and it appears the momentum behind the near 30-year-old SoCal-based craft brewer is only growing stronger. Indeed, despite … Continue reading “Coronado Continues to Cook with Q1 Depletions Up 19.3%”

Dear Client:  Boone, North Carolina-based Appalachian Mountain Brewery, which Anheuser-Busch acquired when it purchased CBA about two years back, is announcing that its founders have reached “an agreement to purchase AMB from their partners at A-B.” The founders are buying back the AMB brand, brewery and pubs. Recall, CBA had first partnered with AMB back … Continue reading “Original Founders Purchase Appalachian Mountain Brewery Back from Anheuser-Busch”

Dear Client:  Colorado-based Oskar Blues Brewery is doubling-down on its flagship legacy – Dale’s Pale Ale – by adding a line extension and a new look to the Dale’s portfolio, which includes an all-new 4.2% ABV Dale’s American Light Lager as well as a 9% ABV Dale’s American Double IPA, which first debuted last year. … Continue reading “Oskar Blues Doubles Down on Dale’s Legacy With New Line Extension and Look”

Dear Client:  CBD readers know that Kona Big Wave is eyeing the big time. Last fall we brought you news that the fast-growing brand aims to shatter the craft ceiling, aiming for the million-barrel mark. Up double digits in multi-outlet and c-store Circana numbers YTD to 4/23, Big Wave’s gains have accelerated in most recent … Continue reading “Kona Big Wave Levels Up Marketing”

Dear Client:  Vermont-based Lawson’s Finest Liquids may have started out as a nano brewery back in 2008, but by now, they’ve cracked the top 50 craft brewers in the country. That’s what founder Sean Lawson told CBD when we caught up with him right before Craft Brewers Conference a few weeks ago on Beernet Radio.  … Continue reading “Lawson’s Finest Founder on Becoming a Top Craft Brewer, The Evolution of Hazy, and Challenges in ’23”

Dear Client:  There have been several plays by craft brewers getting into the cannabis beverage space lately, and San Antonio-based Alamo Beer Company is getting in on the action.  Alamo Beer Company announced it has entered a new manufacturing partnership with HighBridge to bring hemp-derived cannabinoid infused ‘faux beers’ to San Antonio through the new … Continue reading “This Craft Brewer is Getting Creative With Capacity By Entering Canna Beverage Space”

Dear Client:  As craft beer industry leaders who gathered this week were advised to come up with “new ideas” in response to the segment slowdown, some are taking the approach of focusing on a “hyperlocal” footprint for their craft breweries. In a report today by the Boston Biz Journal, Massachusetts Brewers Guild president Adam Romanow … Continue reading “One Response to Craft Market Slowdown? Go “Hyperlocal””

Dear Client:  When Texas consumers go on a grocery run to get basics like milk, bread, eggs and beer, they’ll now be able to add cannabis-infused beverages to their grocery carts. That’s thanks to a new statewide distribution partnership between Houston-based cannabis operator, Bayou City Hemp Company, craft brewer 8th Wonder Brewery, Distillery and Cannabis … Continue reading “Coming to TX Retail, Restaurants: Cannabis-Infused Beverages”

Dear Client:  Shiner Beer, one of the largest and most popular craft beer brands, is taking a crack at spirits. The home of the Gambrinus-owned brand, Spoetzl Brewery, announced today that it has added an onsite distillery to its operations, dubbed the K. Spoetzl Distilling Company, which will “distill a line of Shiner Craft Spirits.” … Continue reading “Shiner Steps into Spirits”

Dear Client:  Minutes into his keynote address at the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville this morning, Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson soberly stated that craft’s “years of double-digit growth are well in the rearview mirror. And unless something changes, I don’t think we’re going to see them again anytime soon.” “NEW NORMAL” FOR CRAFT … Continue reading “Bart Makes No Bones About It: Craft Needs New Ideas”

Dear Client:  While still in decline, off-premise craft looks to be making moves towards the shallower end of the red. Indeed, the segment saw some improvement over the initial stretch of spring, with dollars down only 0.4% and volume down 4.3% for the four weeks ending April 23 in Circana MULC scans.  Those trends are … Continue reading “Craft Scans Seeing Some Improvement Over Spring”