Glass bottle manufacturer Ardagh will close its Houston plant in July and lay off 220 workers, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The beverage-alcohol industry is undergoing a transformative shift driven by the explosive growth of ready-to-drink (RTD) products.

The Brewbound team catches up on the latest news, including Allagash’s first foray into non-alcoholic adult beverages with Hop Water. Justin, Jess and Zoe discuss why this seems on brand for the Portland, Maine-based craft brewery, and why it may be a better entrypoint than NA beer.

BuzzBallz has made its spherical bottles an essential part of the brand – and it’s not eager to share. The wine-, spirit- and malt-based cocktail brand filed a lawsuit against The Beverage Ranch last week, alleging the rival company copied its patented packaging for its new SlamZees line.

Research from three different studies in the U.S. and Canada shows there may be more interaction between cannabis and alcohol consumption than previously believed, according to analysis of the studies by financial services firm Bernstein.

Allagash Brewing is launching its first non-alcoholic (NA) offering this week with the release of Allagash Hop Water. Hop Water will exclusively be sold in 12 oz. can 6-packs at the brewery’s tasting room in Portland, Maine, starting later this week.

Clearwater, Florida-based Big Storm Brewing closed its taproom at Orlando’s Kia Center earlier this month, bringing the former multi-taproom operator to one location, according to the Orlando Business Journal.

While it’s nice to be the official beer of a sports league … it’s apparently another thing to supply beer for player celebrations. I mean, we’re not made of money, folks. So alas, the only visibility that MICH ULTRA had in the CELTICS locker room celebration after winning the NBA Finals was … some signage in the background, as players celebrated with MILLER LITE, CORONA, HIGH NOON and even Boston’s own JACK’S ABBY.

The latest installment of Brewbound’s A Round With – a weekly Insider-exclusive Q&A series with industry leaders – features Chandra Richter, head of product development at Sprinter, the Kylie Jenner-backed line of ready-to-drink (RTD) vodka sodas.

Opportunities for craft beer lie in single-serve and non-alc offerings, according to Scott Scanlon, executive vice president of Beverage Alcohol at Circana.

On-premise chain accounts have bounced back from initial COVID-19 declines that shut down their businesses, but on-premise pains are far from over, according to CGA, the on-premise arm of market research firm NIQ.

Ball Corporation, the world’s leading manufacturer of aluminum beverage cans, is “keeping a close eye” on domestic beer and energy drinks as it plots its next few years, executives said during an investor day Tuesday.

Earlier this month, former 21st Amendment (21A) president and Crux Fermentation Project co-founder David Wilson died at age 54 after a brief battle with cancer.

Bernstein analyst Nadine Sarwat breaks down the pros and cons of a potential sale of Boston Beer Company. Sarwat also examines potential suitors, Wall Street’s view of potential deals and why Boston Beer continues to be in conversations around M&A.