Brewbound Podcast

Fellow beer industry journalists Kate Bernot and Christopher Shepard join the Brewbound Podcast to recall the bev-alc/non-alc crossover brand madness of 2023, craft beer's stormy seas and a potentially grim outlook for draft beer sales.    The conversation isn't all doom and gloom, as the crew discusses positive developments in taproom hospitality and non-alcoholic beer options.

This week's Brewbound Podcast features interviews with two of our 2023 Brewbound Award Winners.    Brewbound's 2023 Person of the Year, Maui Brewing co-founder Garrett Marrero, discusses his work to help the people of Maui during the wildfires that killed at least 100 people and destroyed Lahaina.    Then, Kevin Asato, executive director of the National Black Brewers Association (NB2A), whose foun...

AriZona Hard Tea VP of sales Lou Fabiano joins the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the opportunity for the hard tea challenger brand as it attempts to cut into Boston Beer Company's 90% stranglehold on the market with Twisted Tea.   Fabiano shares how AriZona has grown to 2.5 million cases this year and why he believes the brand could eventually hold 20-25% share of the segment in the future.    The...

This week's Brewbound Podcast features interviews with some of Brewbound's 2023 award winners. Hear from; 2023 Large Brewery of the Year, Athletic Brewing, with founders Bill Shufelt and John Walker; 2023 Craft Brewery of the Year, Lawson's Finest Liquids, with founder Sean Lawson and CEO Adeline Druart; And 2023 Beyond Beer Company of the Year, BeatBox Beverages, with co-founder and COO Aimy Stea...

The Brewbound team encourages you to skip this episode of the Brewbound Podcast and go to Brewbound.com and watch the 2023 Brewbound Live business conference. If you're a fan of this podcast, you won't want to miss Brewbound Live.

Garage Beer's new owner, Andy Sauer, and VP of marketing, Corey Smale, join the Brewbound team to discuss taking over the craft lager brand following a deal with Kentucky's Braxton Brewing earlier this year.    Sauer and Smale share how they're building the brand, expanding to new markets, speaking to consumers and creating and nurturing the brand's voice.   The Brewbound team also breaks down the...

More signs of the times keep coming in the beer industry, with consolidations, expansions, production shifts and IP sales. Jess, Zoe and Justin reconvene to discuss the latest industry shakeups at Made by the Water, Young Lion, Other Half, Riverwalk, Ipswich and Anchor.    Plus, the team shares whether they'll be participating in Drinksgiving/Blackout Wednesday and looks at the latest Circana conv...

Short's Brewing CEO Scott Newman-Bale joins the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the Bellaire Inn, the brewery's solution to the workforce housing crunch in its northern Michigan home. Thanks to the inn, Short's was able to remain fully staffed through its busy summer season.   Plus, Zoe and Jess break down the week's news, including Boston Beer's new vodka-based hard tea, Great Frontier Holdings' acq...

In turbulent times, the supply chain rollercoaster delivers more chills than thrills. Fear not – Agrowgate partners Tim Near and David van Wees joined Justin on the Brewbound Podcast this week to break down everything craft beverage producers need to know.    Plus, Zoe and Jess detail the week's news, including quarterly earnings reports from Molson Coors and Anheuser-Busch InBev, Smuttynose's par...

Hard tea and spritzer brand Loverboy is getting into the non-alcoholic space with a pair of 6-packs: lemon iced tea and white tea peach. Loverboy SVP of sales Derek Hahm and SVP of commercial strategy Todd Anderson discussed the launch of the brand, and how it will be incorporated into the Bravo reality series.    Hahm and Anderson also discuss Loverboy's goals in the hard tea category, the advant...

Bernstein Autonomous analysts Nadine Sarwat and Trevor Stirling share what they know so far about Ozempic, Wegovy and other diet/diabetes drugs' effect on alcoholic beverage consumption.    Sarwat and Stirling break down why these drugs have entered popular culture conversations, what users are saying about their cravings, comparisons to past diet trends and much more.    Also, Jess, Zoe and Justi...

The Brewbound team reconvenes and debriefs following the National Beer Wholesalers Association's Annual Convention. Zoe and Justin give a field report on the convention, including the issues at the forefront of wholesalers' minds, the products sampled on the floor and the vibe at the Alliance for Women in Beer and BREW Making Moves event.

Co-founder and CEO Colin Schilling, CCO Eric Phillips and EVP of marketing Rachel Thomas join the Brewbound team to discuss the cidery's participation in National Cider Month, as well as its debut at the Great American Beer Festival and a retail activation with Whole Foods.   Plus, Zoe, Justin and Jess break down recent headlines – including Molson Coors' Happy Thursday hard refresher, the Beer In...

Eagle Park Brewing co-founder Max Borgardt discusses acquiring and reviving legacy brand Milwaukee Brewing Company (MKE).    The Wisconsin craft brewery acquired MKE's brands and recipes a year ago. Borgardt gives an update on the integration of the two brands and plans for the future.    Plus, Jess, Zoe and Justin break down the latest news, including draft challenges, inflation outpacing at-the-...

Fresh back from Denver, Justin and Zoe recap their experiences at the Great American Beer Festival. Jess quizzes them on the beers, the booths and the vibe of the fest.    Plus, stick around for a Brew Talks replay of our conversation on the health of national draft beer, featuring Dogfish Head co-founder Sam Calagione, Buffalo Wild Wings director of beverage strategy and innovation Jason Murphy,...

Leaders from Brooklyn Brewery and Hoplark share the why behind their recent partnership . Hoplark founder Dean Eberhardt, CEO Betsy Frost and Brooklyn Brewery CEO Eric Ottaway also share their perspectives on the trajectory of NA beverages.    Plus, Jess returns after three months! Zoe and Justin bring Jess up-to-speed during a game of Another Round or Tabbing Out, covering some of the big news of...

September has brought not only a heatwave to the Northeast, but a flood of beer industry news. On this week's Brewbound Podcast, Justin and Zoe dive into some of the latest headlines, including several business deals, such as Brooklyn Brewery's minority investment in Hoplark and Green Man and Appalachian Mountain Brewing's new joint venture. The duo also discuss the closing of Reverend Nat's Hard...

Mass. Bay Brewing is hitting the reset button on its partnership with Dunkin' for beverage-alcohol products in Year Six.    Mass. Bay co-founder and CEO Dan Kenary, CMO Val Toothman and chief growth and ventures officer Nathaniel Davis share why they moved from beer centric releases to hard coffees and hard teas in 2023, the opportunity they see with flavored malt beverages and expansion plans for...

As Brewbound's next Brew Talks event in Denver approaches, this week we replay a Brew Talks Boston conversation exploring what's next for hazy IPAs.    Vitamin Sea Brewing founder Dino Funari, Wormtown Brewery president and general manager Kimberly Golinski, Mighty Squirrel Brewing co-founder Naveen Pawar and Samuel Adams taproom head brewer Megan Parisi share where they believe the style is going...

This week's Brewbound Podcast features a replay of the Brew Talks Boston three-tier reality check conversation with Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione, Total Wine & More's Andrea Starr, Burke Distributing's Kristen Burke and Bump Williams Consulting's Dave Williams.    They discuss the state of the market, their current priorities, their approach to new brands and suppliers, and much more.   Plus, Zoe a...

Four Corners Brewing co-founder George Esquivel shares why he and his partners decided to buy back the Dallas-based craft brewery from Constellation Brands.    Esquivel explains why independence from the brewing giant will lead to more freedom and an ability to move more swiftly, how he's viewing the brewery's future prospects and much more.   Plus, Zoe and Justin review the latest news, including...

Weathered Souls co-founder Marcus Baskerville discusses Black is Beautiful Vol. 2 and how the cause beer collaboration has evolved.    Plus, Zoe and Justin break down Monday's blockbuster news that Tilray Brands will acquire eight craft brands from Anheuser-Busch InBev in a $85 million cash deal. The deal includes Shock Top, Breckenridge, 10 Barrel, Redhook, Widmer Brothers, and Blue Point, among...

Crooked Hammock director of brewing operations Larry Horwitz shares his vision for portfolio reinvention and why he is the "light lager whisperer." Horwitz also offers insights into brand creation and consumer trends.    Plus, Justin and Zoe review the latest earnings for Boston Beer and Molson Coors, discuss leadership changes in the industry, and play Another Round or Tabbing Out with greywater...

Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. president and CEO Chris Swonger joins to break down the opportunities canned cocktails are creating for beverage-alcohol companies. Swonger also pushes back against the beer industry's stance against expanded market access and lower excise taxes for these products.    Also, Justin and Zoe recount the latest Anchor Brewing news, including brewery workers' bid t...

A week after Sapporo announced plans to shut down historic Anchor Brewing and liquidate the business to pay off creditors, the Brewbound team and Vine Pair reporter Dave Infante break down the story so far. The trio discuss the effect on the brewery's union workforce and what's next for the San Francisco institution, including how likely it is to be saved as a turnkey operation.   Plus, Justin and...