Brewbound Podcast

With Brew Talks just a day away, the Brewbound team previews the Boston event and shares why they're excited.   Justin then quizzes Zoe on her wants in a taproom experience after reviewing a listicle on the best breweries in Massachusetts.    The team also salutes Chicago's Funkytown Brewery for winning the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream Brewing & Business Experienceship.     The show wra...

The Brewbound team gives a quick overview of the Brewers Association and Harris Poll's latest craft beer consumer survey and plucks out a few key takeaways. Plus, Justin and Zoe dish on a Lagunitas defection to Firestone Walker, decry Friday news dumps, and play Another Round or Tabbing Out on Bud Light's latest media blitz.

Wisconsin Brewing's Paul Verdu and Move Ukraine's Ken Shearer join the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the Move Ukraine collaboration beer project aimed at helping rebuild Ukraine.    Verdu and Shearer are seeking brewers to join the effort to brew a pilsner with sunflower seeds – the sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine. The duo share how the collaboration beer came to fruition, and why its m...

What's it like to attend a hard seltzer festival in 2023? Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata shares her first-person experience at Seltzerland in Boston.    Plus, BevNet spirits editor Ferron Salniker joins the podcast for the first time, detailing everything that went down at the Distilled Spirits Council of the United State's annual meeting.   Zoe and Brewbound editor Justin Kendall also run through...

The Brewbound team breaks down the latest headlines, including Ken Grossman's return to Sierra Nevada as interim CEO, Bayou City Hemp's acquisition of 8th Wonder in Houston, and Wall Street analysts' survey of distributors that paint a bleak picture for Bud Light.    Plus, Justin and Zoe play Another Round or Tabbing Out on pickle hard seltzer.

Funky Buddha Brewery co-founder Ryan Sentz discusses what it's like to buy back the business he and his brother KC sold to Constellation Brands in 2017.    Buying back the brewery has been a several-years-in-the-making process, Sentz shares. As Funky Buddha turns 10 years old, he also explores his vision for the company moving forward, the possibility of adding a distillery and why an independent...

The Brewbound team, along with Brewbound Weekend Insider newsletter writer Sean McNulty, reviews the Brewers Association's annual craft beer volume data. The team also discusses the latest craft brewery deals, including Funky Buddha and Appalachian Mountain Brewery returning to independent brewery status, and FX Matt buying the Flying Dog Brewery brand.    Zoe shares how the latest hard seltzers a...

Fishers Island Lemonade founder Bronya Shillo shares why she sold the nearly decade-old brand to Spirit of Gallo, the spirits division of E. & J. Gallo.    The show turns into an unofficial M&A episode as the Brewbound team discusses FX Matt's planned acquisition of Flying Dog Brewery, and the founders of Appalachian Mountain Brewery buying back the North Carolina craft brewery from Anheuser-Busch...

The Brewbound team reunites to dish on the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). Jess, Justin and Zoe discuss the Brewers Association's state and federal ambitions, the beer trade groups' union against canned cocktail market access and tax breaks, and trade practice reform.   The team also recaps the 2023 economic impact of Russian River's Pliny the Younger, wholesaler consolidation and plays a gam...

This week's Brewbound Podcast rebroadcasts two Brew Talks conversations from the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference. The first is an introduction to the National Black Brewers Association (NB2A), a newly formed trade group. Executive director Kevin Asato, Harlem Brewing founder Celeste Beatty and Black Frog Brewery owner Chris Harris share the NB2A's mission and vision, explain the challenges Black and...

Rhinegeist co-founder Bryant Goulding and interim CEO Adam Bankovich explain the change in leadership at the Cincinnati craft brewery that led to Bankovich's promotion. They share their vision for the brewery's next phase and how to tap into its full potential.   Goulding shares his experience in trying to step back from the day-to-day operations of the brewery and let others take the brewery to t...

Brewers Association president and CEO Bob Pease previews the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference, which will be held May 7-10 in Nashville. Pease offers tips to first-time attendees, shares his message to craft brewers as the segment matures, and offers his perspective on small brewery mergers and acquisitions and craft's conflicting growth drivers.

Finback Brewery co-founder Basil Lee shares how the New York craft brewery is preparing for the 2023 Whale Watching festival in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Plus, Lee discusses plans to expand with another taproom in Long Island City and a farm brewery and building a diversified portfolio with spirits and coffee.    The Brewbound team also reviews the Brewers Association's rankings of the top 50 craft...

Jeffrey Stuffings, co-founder of Jester King, discusses a bill in the Texas Senate that would fine businesses $10,000 for hosting "sexually oriented performances" – which includes drag events, if people under age 18 are present or on public property – and shares why the Austin, Texas-based brewery is encouraging its followers to oppose it.   Although the proposed law does not apply to establishmen...

The Lost Abbey is in the process of scaling down the business. Tomme Arthur discusses the process of growing by getting smaller, the opportunities he sees ahead for the Southern California-based brewery and the evolution of the craft brewing industry.

On this special bonus episode of the Brewbound podcast, the Brewbound team talks with Full Circle Brewing and Societe Brewing live at the California Craft Beer Summit in Sacramento. Full Circle marketing manager Adam Band and brewer Mike Sumaya talk about what's changed at the Fresno, California-based, Black-owned brewery since new ownership took over in 2016. The duo also discuss the success of b...

Live from the California Craft Beer Summit, the Brewbound team catches up with Russian River's Natalie Cilurzo on the 2023 launch of Pliny the Younger triple IPA, the brewery's shift from sours to lagers and more. Plus, Oak Park Brewing's Rodg Little discusses the Sacramento brewery's mission, the People's beer and much more.

The Brewbound team reports live from the California Craft Beer Summit in Sacramento. The team discusses early takeaways from the first major meeting of California's craft brewers since 2019, including thoughts on David Walker of Firestone Walker's enthusiasm for craft beer, Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson's early production data and much more.

Wisconsin-based contract brewery Octopi Brewing is targeting 7 million cases produced in 2023, and a lot of that product isn't beer. So how is the overall contract brewing landscape shaping up? Octopi founder president Isaac Showaki discusses.   Plus, the Brewbound team plays half-full, half-empty on new products hitting the market, including SunnyD Vodka Seltzer and New Belgium's Wild Nectar Hard...

Bump Williams Consulting's Dave Williams and Brian "B.K." Krueger discuss the early 2023 beer category retail trends, how the competition for the cold box is shaking out, the accelerated life cycle of brands, and Dry January and Super Bowl trends. They also share the opportunities ahead for smaller craft breweries and when is the right time to expand.

After a rough week for craft breweries acquired by Anheuser-Busch, the Brewbound team discusses the fallout of the world's largest beer manufacturer shuttering operations of Platform Beer Co. in Ohio and layoffs at other Brewers Collective brands.    The team also dishes on the resurrection of lager brand House Beer and the executive shakeup at Molson Coors. Plus, featured guest Aaron Staples brea...

3 Tier Beverages consultant Stephanie Roatis shares the beverage alcohol segments trending up (hint, Dry January did all right) and those on the downward swing.    Plus, the Brewbound team analyzes the Drake's-Bear Republic craft-on-craft merger, breaks down Boston Beer's full-year earnings report, questions why one of the largest craft breweries in the U.S. isn't making non-alcoholic beer a focus...

Marketing and ad executives break down the winners and losers of this year's beverage-alcohol Super Bowl ad battle. Deb Gabor, CEO of Sol Marketing, and Mario Natarelli, managing partner of MBLM, each share an industry insider's view on the ads for Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light, Michelob Ultra, Crown Royal, Remy Martin and more.   Also, Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata explains the BORG (Black...

As Dry January wraps up, how do non-alcoholic beer producers keep up the momentum? Partake Brewing founder and CEO Ted Fleming and Lagunitas CMO Paige Guzman share what's next for the growing segment and discuss increased competition and what growing retailer support means for NA beer and similar offerings such as hop water.    Plus, Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata provides a field report from the 2...

A new year brings the return of legislative sessions across the country and a new agenda for leaders of state brewers guilds. Texas Craft Brewers Guild executive director Caroline Wallace and Iowa Brewers Guild executive director Noreen Otto share their priorities in 2023, including advocating for direct-to-consumer sales, protecting existing privileges, working with wholesalers and much more.