The 78 current and former employee owners of Oregon’s Full Sail Brewing have voted “overwhelmingly” to sell a controlling interest of the company to Encore Consumer Capital, a San Francisco private equity firm, a small group of local investors. New of a potential acquisition spread earlier this month.

Uinta Brewing has announced plans to expand its distribution footprint throughout the Midwest, with imminent launches set in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Missouri.

Maryland’s Flying Dog Brewery has finally won an important free speech case that could impact how beer products from around the country are marketed and advertised.

The IPA continues to reign as the most popular style in American craft beer, but just how big could the style get in an industry that proudly touts a bevy of diverse flavors? According to Dan Wandel, principal of Beverage Alcohol Clients Insights for IRI, the IPA style alone is positioning itself to leap ahead of the entire “Progressive Adult Beverage” category in terms of popularity.

Craft Brew Alliance shared additional details about its fourth quarter and full year 2014 earnings this morning, highlighting record sales, core brand growth and bottom line improvements during a call with investors. On the year, CBA increased net sales 12 percent against 2013 numbers, exceeding the $200 million mark in the process, both record figures in the company’s history. Gross Profits rose 17 percent while operating income increased 50 percent, to $5.7 million.

The nonprofit trade group that advocates on behalf of the nation’s craft brewers grew its surplus more than 69 percent last year, topping $4.2 million. The organization made net revenues of $21.1 million – with nearly half of that coming from the many events the organization hosts in a given year – up from $17.6 million the year prior, according to the report.

The Kentucky State Senate today approved House House Bill 168, the divisive “beer bill.” It clarifies that a brewery cannot also operate a wholesale business. After a month of hearings and lobbying from various industry groups, HB 168 passed with a vote of 23-13 and will now head to Gov. Steve Beshear’s desk to be signed into law. The bill would force Anheuser-Busch to close down or sell two distributorships it owns in the state.

The Richmond City Council unanimously approved a deal Monday to cede control over a plot of land critical to Stone Brewing’s plans to build a brewery in the city, clearing what had turned into a bit of a hurdle for the project. According to a report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the council voted to transfer control over a warehouse near the James River to the city’s Economic Development Authority. Stone plans to build out a restaurant and beer garden in the warehouse.

A Kentucky bill that would force Anheuser-Busch to sell off or close two distributorships it owns in the state passed out of a Senate subcommittee today and now stands one vote removed from becoming law. As sponsored by Speaker Greg Stumbo, House Bill 168 would ban any brewer from owning a wholesale operation in hopes of upholding the traditional three-tier system.

Oklahoma lawmakers are pushing to reform the state’s beer landscape behind three separate bills that would dramatically change how the industry is both taxed and regulated. Industry stakeholders have mixed feelings about the bills, however. The three bills, which would raise excise taxes on in-state beer producers and change how beer is sold in Oklahoma, are currently in their second round of House and Senate committee hearings.

The city of Richmond is struggling to figure out how to best protect itself in the deal it struck to land Stone Brewing’s east coast facility, as the restaurant phase of the multi-million dollar project has turned into a bit of a snag. Earlier this week, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported the city council delayed action on a land transfer for the brewery’s restaurant in order to add new language that would revert the property back to city ownership, should the deal default. Though that’s unlikely, the Times-Dispatch reported on Monday it would be at least another week before the deal gets its final sign off.

Among the more notable changes is the departure of Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione, who previously served on the executive committee. Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy, who last year served as an at-large board member, took Calagione’s spot as past chair. Hindy isn’t the only new addition to the executive board, however. Larry Chase has been elevated to secretary and treasurer in the absence of Mark Edelson of Iron Hill Brewery, who held the position last year.

The Beer Institute today appointed Susan Haney as its new vice president of operations. Haney, who most recently served as the senior director of industry affairs, will oversee organization operations, industry and government affairs, The Beer Institute said in a press statement.