Category: Business of Beer

Industry news related to the brewing industry and the business of beer

News Non-Alcoholic Beer Sales Grow by 38% in 2020

Posted by Tom McCormick

We all knew that consumer interest in non-alcoholic beer has been growing recently, but the final numbers are in for 2020 and show that this sleeping sector of the category has come awake.
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News Pressure Mounts to Reopen Dining

Posted by Tom McCormick

Although some areas of the country are currently allowing outdoors dining and even indoor dining with capacity limits, many areas are still requiring that restaurants remain closed except for take-out..
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News Craft Beer Marketing Awards Goes International

Posted by Tom McCormick

The Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMAs) announced that its 2021 Awards Program is expanding and accepting entries from around the world in beer, hard seltzer, and cider. Entries will be accepted through January 29, 2021.
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News Bart Watson’s Peek at the Industry in 2021

Posted by Tom McCormick

With independent craft brewers projected to be down by roughly 8% in 2020, Bart Watson, economist for the Brewers Association said in an interview with Forbes said he predicts a return to growth in 2021, but not back to the level of growth the industry saw in the pre-pandemic years.
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News And Then There Were Three

Posted by Tom McCormick

The hard seltzer market, dominated since the beginning by two brands, White Claw and Truly, now has a third brand pushing itself into the market.
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News Consolidation in Calif. Leads to Wholesaler Association Split

Posted by Tom McCormick

Disagreement among wholesalers in California over the rampant consolidation in the state, driven by Reyes Beverage Group, has created a split in what was once the sole trade association.
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News New Law Allows Direct Shipping of Beer to Consumer in Kentucky

Posted by Tom McCormick

The state of Kentucky has enacted a direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping law for beer, wine, and spirits, allowing alcohol manufacturers to ship beer to consumers doors in the state.
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News Non-Alc Brewer Announces Celebrity Investors

Posted by Tom McCormick

Athletic Brewing, a fast-growing non-alcoholic brewer, has announced partnerships with high-profile celebrity investors.
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News Oregon Issues New Guidance for Hard Seltzer

Posted by Tom McCormick

Hard seltzers are prompting some states to reevaluate where the product “fits in” to the regulatory structure given that seltzers are neither malt based or fruit based. Recently, Oregon issued clarification pertaining to the classification of hard seltzers in the state. The guidance impacts the majority of hard seltzers in the market, most notably on excise tax and licensing needed to produce or sell hard seltzers in the state.
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News On Premise Business Holding Steady

Posted by Tom McCormick

Data from Nielson CGA shows that 50% of consumers have gone out to the on premise for an eating occasion since venues reopened, and 17% for a drink led occasion. This has stayed relatively even for several months now and may indicate an end to the decline in business since the pandemic began in March of last year.
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News Done Deal – MA Franchise Legislation Signed by Gov

Posted by Tom McCormick

After a 10-year effort to pass franchise reform in Massachusetts, Senate Bill 2841 has been signed into law by Mass. Governor Charlie Baker.
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News Cans Make Up Nearly Half of All Craft Beer Package Sales in 2020

Posted by Tom McCormick | 1 Comment on Cans Make Up Nearly Half of All Craft Beer Package Sales in 2020

Cans now make up 44% of all packaged craft beer sales according to an annual packaging study done by Bart Watson, economist at the Brewers Association. The study compared the sales of cans versus bottles in different pack configurations, including 4-pack, 6-pack, 12-pack and loose.
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News CBC Rescheduled for Sept. 9-12 in Denver

Posted by Tom McCormick

The 38th edition of the Craft Brewers Conference and Brew Expo America has been rescheduled as an in-person event to be held in Denver on September 9-12, 2021. The annual conference and trade show was originally scheduled to take place in San Diego, March 29-April 1, 2021, but was cancelled due to the pandemic.
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News Tips on Making Alcoholic Ice Cream

Posted by Tom McCormick

As the pandemic forces brewers to innovate to stay afloat, a growing trend among craft brewers is to utilize alcohol in ice cream and freezer pops, which can be sold in the retail freezer or direct to consumer at the brewery. As this practice gains popularity, more states are approving the manufacture and sale of these items.
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News One View – Top Five Craft Beer Trends in 2021

Posted by Tom McCormick

Long-time industry beer writer Jay Brooks shares his crystal ball view of the top 5 trends in craft beer for the new year.
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News 2020 Data Shows Devastation in the On-Premise

Posted by Tom McCormick

Nielsen CGA data, which tracks sales volume in the on-premise restaurant and bar sectors has released their data for last year. No surprise, the results show the devastating impact of the covid pandemic.
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News BA Launches Mentorship Program to Increase Diversity in the Industry

Posted by Tom McCormick

According to a statement issued today, the Brewers Association has launched a new Mentorship Program to increase the diversity of the workforce, leadership, and ownership of craft breweries by providing structured mentoring and advocacy to those who may be experiencing barriers to access or advancement in the industry.
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News After 10-Year Effort – MA Finally Gets Franchise Reform

Posted by Tom McCormick

After a 10-year effort to pass franchise reform in Massachusetts, the Mass Brewers Guild and the Massachusetts Wholesalers Association have finally forged a compromise. Senate Bill 2841 was passed by Massachusetts lawmakers in a final vote yesterday.
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News Federal Legislation Provides Array of Loans and Grants for Small Businesses

Posted by Tom McCormick

The COVID-19 relief bill, signed on Dec. 27th as a part of a broader legislative package, will provide a variety of relief elements for craft brewers including an additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and grants, Small Business Administration (SBA) Programs and Loan, Employee Retention Tax Credit and others.
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News South Africa Bans All Alcohol Sales Due to Pandemic

Posted by Tom McCormick

The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa has placed a ban on all on-premise and off-premise sales of alcohol in the country due to the rising cases of coronavirus.
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News Trends in Craft Beer Packaging Design

Posted by Tom McCormick

Craft brewers have always been artful and innovative in label and package design. And in a beer set, where the consumer faces a wall of color and art, it is hard to stand out.
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News Sierra Nevada’s ‘Pauses’ Sufferfest Production

Posted by Tom McCormick

Sufferfest Beer Company, acquired by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company last year, has said they are “pausing production to explore what’s next,” for the brand, according to a statement on their website.
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News Falling Rock Sells Off Vintage Beers to Stay Afloat

Posted by Tom McCormick

Denver’s Falling Rock Tap House is selling off vintage bottles of beer it has collected over the years to generate revenue to stay in business.
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News Done Deal – CBMTRA Tax Reduction Become Permanent

Posted by Tom McCormick

After days of drama on Capitol Hill, the year-end legislative package that includes the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) was signed into law making the existing federal excise tax rates for small and independent breweries permanent.
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