Brewbound Industry News

New England Brewing Co. Acquires Nearby Stony Creek Facility, Expects to Add 10K Barrels in Capacity

Fans of New England Brewing Co. (NEBCO) will soon be able to enjoy the brewery’s offerings in its new waterfront taproom, it announced last week. The Woodbridge, Connecticut-based brewery has acquired Stony Creek Brewing’s facility, which sits 13 miles away on the banks of the Branford River in the Connecticut town of the same name.

New Belgium Learns From Focused 2025; Mini Rippers in 25K Outlets; LightStrike Finds C-Store Groove

New Belgium Brewing Company turned down the innovation firehose to a drip – for the most part – to start 2025. Yes, the company did add “Mini Rippers,” 7.5 oz. 8-pack cans of Voodoo Ranger Juice Force and Tropic Force (both 9.5% ABV). And it rolled out LightStrike, a 5% ABV non-carbonated hard refresher line, aimed at Millennials and Generation Z consumers.

Kratom in Legal Crosshairs Again as Mitra-9 Faces Proposed Class Action

Kratom beverage maker Mitra-9 Brands is facing a proposed class action lawsuit over allegations that its products are addictive, leading to habitual use and withdrawal symptoms.

The Future is Hoppy: HPA’s Record-Breaking Harvest

In a Brewbound podcast, Ray Latif spoke with Chris Swersey of Hop Products Australia (HPA) and Mitch Steele of New Realm Brewing about the 2025 Australian hop crop. Swersey reported a bountiful harvest for HPA, with total production up 10% and yields increasing by 30% despite reduced acreage. This success stems from favorable weather and... Read more »

Insider’s Week in Beer: 🥴 Oh, Great – Let’s Debate Kids in Taprooms … Again

It’s always great when someone pours a fresh can of gasoline on the perennial kids in taprooms bonfire that seems to eternally burn in the craft beer world … thanks, NY Times.

Tilray’s Breckenridge Distillery Launches NA Spirits

Canadian cannabis giant and U.S. craft beer platform Tilray Brands is at it again. The company’s Colorado-based Breckenridge Distillery announced Thursday the launch of Mock One, a collection of non-alcoholic (NA) spirits.

Know Your Strengths and Kill Your Zombies: How Calicraft Finds Growth in Beer (and Beyond)

Calicraft Brewing is on pace to grow 80% in 2025, after 30% growth in 2024. The Walnut Creek, California-based craft brewery has been able to buck national craft trends by cleaning up production, making key hires and refocusing its portfolio. Now, the company plans to expand that growth into ready-to-drink cocktails, launching in 2026.

How Dillon’s is Combatting Gin Naysayers With ‘Bartender Quality’ Canned Craft Cocktails

When Geoff Dillon founded Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers in 2012, he wanted to make whiskey and other bottled craft spirits, inspired by the natural surroundings of the distillery’s backyard in Niagara (Ontario, Canada). Thirteen years later, Dillon’s gin- and vodka-based 5% ABV canned cocktails (RTDs) are what’s leading the way.

Press Clips: Modelo’s California Dominance; Consumers’ Inflationary Concerns

Constellation Brands’ Modelo Especial’s dollar sales in California are larger than its next 3 competitors in the Golden State combined YTD through July 4, according to data from Fintech, presented in a webinar by NBWA chief economist and VP of analytics Lester Jones and Fintech VP of distributor strategy Eric Kiser.

The Future is Hoppy: HPA’s Record-Breaking Harvest

Ray Latif spoke with Chris Swersey of Hop Products Australia (HPA) and Mitch Steele of New Realm Brewing about the 2025 Australian hop crop. Swersey reported a bountiful harvest for HPA, with total production up 10% and yields increasing by 30% despite reduced acreage. This success stems from favorable weather and significant investments in productivity... Read more »

Facing Decline in Canadian Visitors, Vermont Brewers Festival Launches At-Par Ticket Strategy

To entice Canadian beer fans to cross the border for the 32nd annual Vermont Brewers Festival, the Vermont Brewers Association (VBA) has created at-par ticket pricing, which offers northern neighbors a discount on the exchange rate.

Brewbound Podcast: How Worth Brewing’s Airbnb Earns Its Keep

Worth Brewing co-owner Peter Ausenhus has some advice for fellow craft brewers looking to become innkeepers (or just short-term rental hosts): digital keypad locks and a reliable cleaner.

NIQ: Bev-Alc Sales -3% Halfway Through 2025; Summer ‘Falling Short for Beer’

Beverage-alcohol sales are down 3% year-to-date (YTD) in off-premise channels, market research firm NIQ shared in its “Halftime Report.” Beer, wine and spirits dollar sales topped $53 billion as of July 5, the firm reported. Declines occurred across all off-premise measured channels.

European Non-Alc Players UNDONE, Thomas Henry Plan to Disrupt U.S. Market

Two of Europe's popular adult non-alc (ANA) brands – UNDONE, a global pioneer in non-alc aperitifs, wines and spirits, and Thomas Henry, a premium mixer company – have landed on U.S. shores, each with a unique value proposition and a lengthy track record.

New Albion Co-Founder Jack McAuliffe Dies at 80

Jack McAuliffe, who is credited with helping start the modern craft beer movement by co-founding New Albion Brewing (Sonoma, CA) in 1976, died Tuesday at age 80 at his home in Arkansas, his daughter Renee DeLuca shared.

Diageo CEO Steps Down After Rocky Two Years; Interim CEO Appointed

Diageo CEO Debra Crew has stepped down after two tough years on the job, as the spirits giant struggles with slowing sales and tariff uncertainty.

“Bachelor in Paradise” Star Justin Glaze Finds Love With Espresso Martini RTD

Will Justin Glaze find love on this season of Bachelor in Paradise? Only time and reality TV producers who violate their non-disclosure agreement will tell, but we do have the scoop on Glaze’s new labor of love: a ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail brand that launched Tuesday.

CPI: Bev-Alc Away From Home Outpaces June Inflation; Beer +3.1% Away From Home, +0.3% At Home YTD

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for June reflected higher inflation as the impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs began to take hold. The CPI for all goods increased 2.7% year-over-year before seasonal adjustment, growing 0.3% from May’s CPI of 2.4%, according to data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Barrel One Collective Taps Nathaniel Davis as CEO; Dan Kenary Shifting to President Following Sabbatical

Barrel One Collective is getting a new leader, a little more than six months after the founding of the New England-centric parent company of 15 brands, including Harpoon and Smuttynose. Nathaniel Davis will take the reins as CEO from Harpoon founder Dan Kenary, who will transition to the role of president after an eight-week sabbatical.