Justin Kendall provides daily coverage of the beer industry on Brewbound.com, conducts live-streamed interviews during Brewbound’s events and co-produces the Brewbound podcast. Kendall is a nearly 20-year career journalist who led alt-weekly newspapers in Kansas City, Missouri, and Des Moines, Iowa.
Lord Hobo Brewing and Lone Pine Brewing announced plans to merge today, bringing together a pair of New England craft breweries under a single ownership structure. The companies declined to share financial terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in Q4, pending regulatory approval.
Molson Coors will cease operations at the Leinenkugel’s Chippewa Falls brewery and the company’s Tenth Street Brewery in Milwaukee, effective January 17.
Coralville, Iowa-based Backpocket Brewing has acquired the Peace Tree Brewing brand and recipes. Peace Tree was founded by Megan McKay 15 years ago in Knoxville, Iowa, making it Iowa’s first 100% woman-owned brewery. McKay had sought a buyer for the brewery since last year, and the company ceased operations this summer.
Ball Corporation president and CEO Daniel Fisher expressed confidence in the world’s largest can manufacturer’s ability to win with beer and beverage-alcohol companies, during the company’s Q3 2024 earnings call Thursday.
Craft ‘Ohana announced a pair of “strategic partnerships” for the future of the Modern Times Beer brand and hospitality business that will see the Hawaii-headquartered company step back from the daily operations to “focus and double down” on growing Maui Brewing.
Non-alcoholic (NA) beer brand Best Day Brewing has added another $12.5 million in investment as part of a Series B round, bringing its total fundraising to $22.5 million this year.
Gulf Stream Brewing Company is in the midst of its biggest year yet. Co-founder Sharee Eriks discusses how getting a major grocery chain placement has affected business, what the brewery is doing to keep up with demand and what it’s doing to build awareness in Brewbound’s A Round With Q&A.
The formal union of Jack’s Abby and Night Shift Brewing had an air of inevitability. Night Shift co-founder Rob Burns and HFB co-owner Sam Hendler discussed the whys of the deal, how scale will change HFB’s business relationships and what’s next.
U.S. beer shipments declined -7.7% in August 2024, according to domestic tax paid estimates from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau shared by the Beer Institute. Brewers shipped an estimated 13 million barrels in August 2024, down from the 14,080,189 barrels shipped in August 2023.
Allagash Brewing is opening up its playbook in 2025 to hit key growth areas within craft. The Portland, Maine-based craft brewery’s lineup for next year includes the addition of Allagash Lager and Hazy IPA to the company’s year-round lineup, as well as a year-round variety pack that will be available across the company’s Northeast footprint.
The 2025 plan for Stone Brewing is addition by subtraction, discontinuing several “unproductive” brands and packages nationally, including special releases, the Enjoy By IPA series and large-format bottles in order to put a heavy emphasis on core brands, as well the expansion of newish lager brands.