Brewbound Industry News

Iron Hill Bankruptcy Fallout Continues: New Buyer for Some PA Locations and IP; NJ Liquor Licenses Sold

Now-shuttered Iron Hill Brewery’s fate continues to play out piecemeal in bankruptcy court, as the buyer of half of the brewpub’s locations has resold them along with its intellectual property, among other steps taken to liquidate its assets.

Circana: Gen Z Accounted for Just 4% of Alcohol Sales in 2025

Has bev-alc been focused on the wrong generation? The numerous conversations the bev-alc industry has had about Gen Z may be disproportionate to the youngest legal-drinking-age (LDA) generation’s actual impact on consumer trends, according to a new beverage trends report from market research firm Circana.

Brewbound Podcast: Minneapolis’ Insight Brewing on Supporting a Community in Crisis

Minneapolis has dominated national headlines for weeks as area residents protest the Department of Homeland Security’s heightened crackdown on Minnesota’s large immigrant population. Tensions have intensified as agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have killed two American citizens in shootings that have been recorded by observers. Local businesses such as Insight Brewing have taken... Read more »

Modern Times Parent Co. Appoints Wes Van De Vort as CEO; Aims for Profitability with West Coast Focus

Modern Times Beer and Ashland Hard Seltzer parent company Wings & Arrow has named Wes Van De Vort as CEO.

Press Clips: Young Lion Gets New Owner; Ex-Employee Sues Legion Brewing; Samuel Adams Drop a Cherry Bomb

Young Lion Gets New Owner; Ex-Employee Sues Legion Brewing; Samuel Adams Drop a Cherry Bomb; Budweiser Drops Super Bowl LX Ad; People Moves at Holidaily, Bell's; Athletic's Bill Shufelt on Bold Names; Womrtown's Patriot Place Taproom Gets a 'Glow Up.'

After Breakout Growth Year, Hiyo Bets on Focus Over Flavor Proliferation

With Constellation Brands and Live Nation now in its corner, Hiyo is focused on defining the positioning of its relaxing “social tonics."

Oversupply and Oversaturation: Bev-Alc Needs to Stop Blaming Consumers and Look Inward, per Lester Jones

Inflationary pressures, changing consumer shopping habits, immigration enforcement tactics, COVID-19, weather – all and more have been listed as causes for bev-alc’s less-than-ideal last few years. But one of the largest hurdles for the industry might be by its own design, according to National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) chief economist and VP of analytics Lester Jones.

Great American Beer Festival Reveals New Location, New Schedule for 2026

After 25 years at the Colorado Convention Center, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) will move outdoors, festival host the Brewers Association (BA) announced Tuesday.

BeatBox Parent Company to Lay Off 158 Employees

Future Proof Brands, the Austin-based parent company of BeatBox Beverages, plans to lay off 158 employees following Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) majority share acquisition of the party punch maker.

Chicago’s United Center to Begin THC Drink Sales in February

Hemp THC drink makers RYTHM and Señorita have each inked multi-year agreements with the United Center in Chicago.

Circana Weekly Scans: Beer, Spirits and RTDs All Positive for 3rd Week of January; Wine Offsets Category Growth

Three of beverage-alcohol’s four tracked categories increased dollar sales in the latest scans from market research firm Circana (one-week ending January 18).

Columbia Strikes Deal for Point Blank in Oregon; Picks Up Delicato Wine From RNDC

Pac-Northwest wholesaler Columbia Distributing has struck a deal to acquire Point Blank Distributing, adding around 1 million cases to its annual case load of 60 million cases.

Beverage Bytes Survey: C-Store Retailers Project 2026 Beer Sales +3%; Goldman Sachs Says ‘2026 Could be the Year of Beer Stocks’

Convenience store retailers offered an optimistic outlook on 2026 beverage sales in Goldman Sachs’ Q4 Beverage Bytes retailer survey, which represents roughly 28% of the c-store channel (around 42,000 retail locations).

The Modern Hotel Beverage Program: Lobby Bars, NA Cocktails and Less Draft

Adult non-alc (ANA) cocktails are gaining momentum in luxury hotels, with one major chain reporting a 32% sales increase over the past three years. But functional ingredients and education still create challenges.

Insider’s Week in Beer: 🏈 Curt Cignetti’s Beer Fridge is Full (For Life)

This week’s beer goes out to INDIANA UNIVERSITY football coach Curt Cignetti, although ironically – he’s not gonna need one.

Wholesalers, Retailers Join Hemp Reform Effort; New Bill Seeks CBD Limits

An influential group of beverage-alcohol retailers and distributors are supporting legislative efforts to keep hemp-infused beverages alive despite their prohibition, slated to take effect in November 2026. 

Press Clips: A Nashville Craft Deal, Hotels Cutting Draft Lines and Why InvestBev Is Still Bullish on Bev-Alc

A pair of Nashville breweries are linking up. Jackalope Brewing has struck a deal to acquire Black Abbey Brewing. Under Jackalope’s stewardship, “Black Abbey's distinct brewing identity and well-loved beers” will live on, according to the announcement.

San Diego’s Finest City Beverages Platform Grows with House of Mason Acquisition

A craft beverage platform is taking shape in San Diego. Latitude Brewing, the umbrella that includes Latitude 33 and Thorn Brewing, has acquired the House of Mason brand platform (Mason Aleworks, Eppig Brewing, Second Chance Beer Co., Castellum Ciders, Old Harbor Distilling and Swell Soda).

January BPI Shows Signs of Momentum Despite Persistent Contraction; Records Highest Reading Since July 2025

Beer ordering remained in contraction in January, but recorded a “significant bump” compared to December, according to National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) in the first Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) of 2026.

Beverages Carved Out of Chicago Hemp-Derived THC Ban

Intoxicating hemp drinks are getting a lifeline in Chicago, despite the outlawing of other hemp-derived THC products.