Beer Industry News, Insights, Jobs, & Events

“Total beverage strategy adoption,” “blurred category lines,” “a beverage-alcohol free-for-all” – there are numerous ways the current state of the bev-alc industry has been described. National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) president and CEO Craig Purser has added his own to the mix: “Freaky Friday.”

Carbliss, the ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktail that has become one of the fastest-growing independent brands in its category, is launching a 12% ABV Cocktail Collection in November.

The National Beer Wholesaler Association’s (NBWA) Annual Convention and Product Showcase kicks off today and the Brewbound team is on the ground in Orlando, Florida, to hear updates from the trade group, as well as what some of the middle tier’s leadership has to say about today’s contracting bev-alc market.

Flavor has permeated all aspects of beverage-alcohol, and conventional wisdom holds that it is most concentrated in the ready-to-drink (RTD) space, rather than traditional iterations of beer, wine and spirits.

I gotta say, I’m not sure who had “price fixing” as one of the top trends in beverage alcohol these days, but now the Japanese are apparently (allegedly) getting in on the action.

Check out news items initially reported in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter October 8-9, including headlines from SpikedAde, Hardywood Park, Starr Hill and Athletic.

The 44th annual Great American Beer Festival (GABF) kicks off tomorrow, but this year’s iteration will look nothing like any of its priors.

Tilray Brands credited BrewDog’s acquisition with juicing its business in the first quarter of its 2027 fiscal year.

As its annual sales surpass $100 million, premium bottled water maker Icelandic Glacial is ready to move on from its two-decade long master distribution agreement with Anheuser-Busch InBev, declining to renew a contract that is scheduled to expire next summer.

Despite a reported slowdown in prepared cocktail growth in Q3, the category recorded accelerated year-over-year (YoY) gains in the latest off-premise report from market research firm NIQ.

Diageo’s impending closure of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe, Maryland, will lead to 174 permanent layoffs, effective November 1, according to a WARN Act notice filed October 1 with the state.

Tech firm Groundhog thinks it has eliminated the recurring sameness of the ABP process with collaborative software that ensures brewers and distributors are aligned and able to follow through on objectives.

Constellation Brands is charging into the back half of its 2027 fiscal year (FY27) with renewed positivity, as well as a new surging brand in its portfolio.

Editor’s Note: The below news items were initially reported in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter October 5-7. Not an Insider? Become one today to get earlier access to what’s going on in the industry. Top Ten Liquors Promises to Keep Stocking THC Products Minnesota-based off-premise retailer Top Ten Liquors has pledged to continue selling THC products… Read more »