NEWS

The Brewers Association (BA) has tapped Samuel Beaver to lead federal government affairs, the trade organization announced Thursday. Beaver joins the BA from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), where he served as director of government relations for nearly six years.

Boston Beer Company had a more positive start to fiscal year 2025 compared to the company’s recent quarterly performances, according to Q1 financial results released after trading ended on Thursday.

U.S. spirits exports hit a record $2.4 billion in 2024, up nearly 10% compared to 2023, according to a report released today by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

When Brewers Association (BA) staff economist Matt Gacioch is asked whether craft brewers are optimistic or pessimistic, his response is “brewers are realistic.” “They are understanding that this is a new environment that they are operating in,” Gacioch said during the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new directive for manufacturers to phase out eight synthetic food dyes used in the formulations of thousands of food and beverage products.

It’s not often that the genesis for a canned cocktail is a home-cooked dinner. But for friends Vishal Patel and Parit Pathak, the idea for their ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail brand, Junglee, came from their mothers’ cooking.

Bev-alc industry members continue to tout concerns that Gen Z is drinking less, with many blaming the generation’s increased attention to health and wellness versus previous generations. However, that narrative is “greatly overblown,” according to Rabobank senior beverage analyst Bourcard Nesin in a recent report from the financial services company.

The first quarter of 2025 was rocky for the beer industry, as National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) chief economist and VP of analytics Lester Jones reported last week. Brewbound’s coverage of Jones’ presentation of quarterly data from bev-alc invoice tech platform Fintech continues with a deeper dive into craft, hard tea and non-alcoholic (NA) beer.... Read more »

This week’s beer goes out to WALMART, who seems to be coming for that sweet, sweet KIRKLAND action.

Overall beer category dollar sales declined in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024, but those losses were unbalanced between the channels, according to the most recent report from the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and Fintech. Beer dollar sales reached an estimated $15.8 billion in the first quarter of the year, down about 4% year-over-year (YoY).

Alcoholic beverages are feeling a squeeze, and not of the lime variety. Beer and alcohol businesses are facing economic pressures from tariffs, shifts in consumer spending, and health and wellness trends — yet many opportunities for growth remain, particularly among Gen Z (21+) consumers, the newest group to reach the legal drinking age.

Tequila continues to gain share from other spirits in U.S. bars and restaurants, according to NIQ’s on-premise marketing research arm CGA. Tequila sales by value rose by 0.7% in the 12 months through the end of February, despite a 1.7% drop in volumes.

The U.S. market was somewhat prepared for President Donald Trump to enact tariffs during his presidency, as promised during his campaign. But it wasn’t prepared for how “aggressive” those tariffs would be, including the speed and extent of their implementation, Rabobank global strategist, beverages, Stephen Rannekleiv said Thursday during a webinar hosted by the Brewers Association (BA).

Is the food and beverage funding freeze finally thawing? FABID’s Q1 2025 Report reveals a surprising rebound in deal size and investor appetite—just not where you might expect.

Craft mergers in Massachusetts continue apace. Orleans-based Hog Island Beer Co. has struck a deal to acquire Plymouth-based Mayflower Brewing, the companies announced this week. The acquisition brings together two breweries who sit across Cape Cod Bay from one another.

Editor’s Note: It’s with great sadness that we’re writing to note the passing of Jack Craven, the Chairman of BevNET, father of our CEO and founder, John Craven, and father-in-law to our COO, Carolyn Craven.

A chemist, turned attorney, turned unlikely spirits brand owner, Skrewball co-founder Brittany Yeng has walked an unconventional path towards her current role spearheading one of the fastest market rollouts in spirits history.

A Los Angeles craft spirits producer is taking on the Empire State in a federal lawsuit filed yesterday challenging direct-to-consumer shipping laws prohibiting distillers in California from sending spirits to customers in New York.

Westbound & Down Brewing Company is aiming to quadruple its production and achieve $3 million in profits by 2028. The Colorado craft brewery, with five taprooms across the state (Denver, Idaho Springs, Lafayette, Basalt and Aspen), is in the midst of a $1.2 million crowdfunding (CF) raise.

Nearly 60 industry members have furthered their education and technical skills in brewing and distilling thanks to the support of the Michael James Jackson Foundation (MJF), according to the nonprofit’s impact report, released last month.