Beer Industry News, Insights, Jobs, & Events

THC beverages reached $239 million in the 52 weeks ending April 4 2026, up 135% versus the prior year, and despite a looming ban, there’s thirst for more.

Non-alcoholic (NA) beer and hard cider have a similar share of total beer dollars – 1.5% and 1.2%, respectively, in NIQ-tracked off-premise channels – and both segments have been growth outliers among beer’s recent declines. However, top beer companies haven’t flocked to the hard cider segment as quickly as they have to NA.

One of the hottest beer companies in the U.S., along with a budding THC-infused beverage entrepreneur, join the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast in back-to-back interviews. Garage Beer owner Andy Sauer shares upcoming plans for the fast-growing lager brand. Plus, Kick Fizz THC sparkling water co-founder Julie Rhodes explains how she’s preparing for the federal government’s November ban.

After months of legal wrangling, a federal judge has delivered a ruling that keeps Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey under court-supervised receivership and extends that control to founder Fawn Weaver’s personal holding company.

On the precipice of the all-important summer selling season, Circana EVP of BevAl Scott Scanlon reports that beverage-alcohol experts have “questioned the ability” of the industry to close 2026 “with strength,” while he believes it’s possible.

BrewDog co-founder James Watt’s second act in beer is Second Best – and he’s offering a percentage of the new venture to his original craft brewery’s investors, who were shut out of proceeds following BrewDog’s sale to Tilray Brands earlier this year.

Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) issued WARN Act notices last week for 267 layoffs in Washington and 53 in South Dakota, as other distributors potentially prepare to take over RNDC’s distribution rights or operations across the country.

The top 50 Brewers Association-defined craft breweries once again posted results as diverse as their portfolio mix these days, according to 2025 production data shared Friday by the trade group.

After over a decade ball-hawking in the backfield, former NFL star Micah Hyde is taking on a new position: hemp beverage entrepreneur. Following his retirement in January 2025, the Ohio native stepped into the beverage arena with Hyde’s Hail Mary, a line of Shandy-style low-dose THC drinks that’s aiming to recruit both football and beer lovers alike.

Kirin-owned New Belgium Brewing – including the Voodoo Ranger-powered New Belgium brand and Bell’s Brewery – now ranks as the largest non-Brewers Association craft beer family, overtaking Molson Coors’ craft brands, according to data released in the trade organization’s May/June edition of the New Brewer magazine.

This week’s beer naturally goes out to SCHLITZ, as it seems all of you precious beer history nerds haven’t been drinking your fair share of it. As you likely heard, PABST is putting the brand “on hiatus” like a low-rated ABC drama series, so I guess all of the late 1970s pseudo free sitcom product placement goodwill only goes so far in the end.

Highland Brewing (Asheville, North Carolina) has rechristened a beer to honor its founder: Oscar’s Oatmeal Porter.

Seven of the 10 largest Brewers Association-defined craft breweries recorded production volume declines in 2025, according to data shared by the trade group in the May/June Issue of The New Brewer magazine.

The summer selling season is upon us, signaling the start of the beer category’s most important stretch. Encouraging early trends this year have given way to a more cautious outlook. More recent trends “signal erosion from the stronger momentum seen in March and early April,” market research firm NIQ noted in a recent report. As the industry hopes the heat creates a summer thirst, here are eight storylines we’re tracking.