The year in beer: Craft beer review for 2024
The Brewers Association highlights the opportunities - and challenges - for the craft beer industry
Craft
Innovation watch: European NPD at SIAL 2024
Upcycled ingredients, forgotten botanicals and new flavor profiles... beverage innovation was thriving at food and beverage show SIAL 2024 in Paris this month...
How is 2024 shaping up for the US craft beer industry?
The Brewers Association – the trade organization for small and independent US craft brewers – has released insights from its mid-year survey: tracking the state of the craft beer industry.
Kernza: The grain with a future brewing in beer
Breweries are exploring the potential of Kernza: a carbon-sequestering perennial grain.
What is fonio? The grain set to become the superstar of sustainable brewing
A global collaboration of brewers – including Brooklyn Brewery, Carlsberg and Guinness – is showcasing the ancient West African grain fonio. What’s so special about the grain – and how can it transform brewing for the better?
Madri Excepcional boosts Molson Coors’ premium push
Molson Coors has big plans for Madri Excepcional: a Spanish-style lager that’s growing fast in the UK and will now launch in North America. Meanwhile, the company is updating the Blue Moon brand to help it reach its potential; as well as debuting further...
Labatt Breweries of Canada to distribute two more non-alcoholic brands
Labatt Breweries of Canada (AB InBev) becomes the distributor across Quebec of Duvernois Creative Spirits’ non-alcoholic portfolio, which features the Romeo's Gin non-alcoholic and Bockale brands.
News
Henstone Distillery secures investment for new production facility
Shropshire-based Henstone Distillery has secured investment to support the move to a new production site and grow the brand in the UK.
Cartoon characters land Camden Town Brewery in trouble with UK advertising watchdog
A TV advert for Camden Town Brewery has been deemed ‘irresponsible’ by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA): which believes the animated advert from AB InBev UK could appeal to people under 18 years old.
Optimism and challenges for US craft beer market
In a maturing market, US craft brewers are up against rising costs and supply chain disruptions. But the Brewers Association says its midyear survey indicates optimism for the second half of the year.
Tilray Brands acquires eight craft beer & beverage brands from Anheuser-Busch
Cannabis and consumer packaged goods company Tilray Brands is acquiring eight beer and beverage brands from Anheuser-Busch – including Blue Point Brewing Company and 10 Barrel Brewing Company – in a move that will catapult it into becoming the fifth...
‘Still many untapped markets’: Japanese Shochu distillery sees greater potential for export growth
Hamada Syuzou recently launched its craft gin that introduces local botanicals to its traditional alcoholic beverage range, and says that high-quality ingredients alongside its product versatility can drive greater global appreciation for Japanese-made...
BrewDog Distilling Co: ‘2023 will be the year we set the groundwork for our future success’
BrewDog Distilling Co is ‘on a mission to create a world-renowned Scottish spirits brand’: having announced a new portfolio, new distillery, and new CEO. The brand tells us how it intends to create ‘some serious tidal waves’ in the craft spirits industry.
Boosting craft beer in Indonesia: Stark seeks to appeal to local tastes and increase category awareness
Bali-based Stark Craft Beer has revealed how it is differentiating its marketing strategy between regions, while cautioning that the fledgling Indonesia market is not yet ready for excessive flavour innovation.
Craft beverage equipment suppliers merge in $100m deal to create ‘one-stop-shop’
Lotus Beverage Alliance, a collective of six US craft beverage equipment manufacturing companies, has officially launched as a company.
The latest US craft beer market figures: ‘In this maturing & competitive market, collective growth for the category is hard to come by’
In 2022, US craft brewers collectively produced 24.3 million barrels of beer, on par with 2021’s numbers, and craft’s overall beer market share by volume grew to 13.2%, up from 13.1% the previous year, according to the latest figures released by the...
From flavored whisky to canned cocktails: What is the next generation of whisky drinkers looking for?
Taste and quality remain important to whisky drinkers – but what else attracts drinkers to the category?
BrewDog partners with Budweiser China to spur ‘major expansion’ in the world’s biggest beer market
Craft brewer BrewDog has created a joint venture partnership with Budweiser China: saying this will fast track its ambitions in China.
Collective effort: Lion Brewery Co calls for industry commitment to make Singapore SEA’s craft beer powerhouse
Singapore’s Lion Brewery Co is aiming to inspire other local breweries to put Singapore-produced craft beer on the world map, as it makes moves to take the brand to other South East Asian countries and the Middle East.
European craft distillers call for support as inflation bites
Having already suffered setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic, craft distillers now face numerous challenges such as supply-chain issues and inflationary pressures, says trade body spiritsEUROPE as it launches a new campaign called #SpiritsVoices.
Profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: 'We're seeing more craft brewers join the non-alcoholic movement'
Canadian non-alcoholic beer brand Harmon's expects to see more and more innovation in the industry as craft brewers sit up and take note of growth in alcohol-free. In our series of interviews with innovators in the low/no industry, we hear more about the...
Profile series: Innovators in low/no alcohol
My Drynuary: 'Idaho is a pretty amazing place to brew non-alcoholic craft beer'
Our profile series celebrates movers and shakers in the low/no alcohol industry. Paul Holle, head brewer and owner of Idaho's Sawtooth Brewery, shares how the brewery has expanded into non-alcoholic options with Atmos Brewing Co.
Chameleon cocktails: Bacardi sees cocktails evolve around myriad occasions and locations
Cocktails used to be about a fancy evening drink at a trendy bar. But lockdowns bred a new generation of at-home bartenders; hybrid workers have changed the concept of happy hour; and the convenience of RTDs has opened up a whole new set of potential...
The Year in Beer: 2022 a year of 'varied recovery' for US craft brewers
US craft brewers have had to contend with supply chain disruption, competition from other beverage categories, and a continued unsteady on-trade recovery in 2022. But the innovation and flexibility of brewers will help them take on the challenges in...
BrewDog's fruity beer advert runs afoul of watchdog with ‘one of your five a day’ claim
BrewDog’s tongue-in-cheek marketing style has once again fallen foul of the UK’s advertising watchdog: with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upholding a complaint against the brewer’s ‘one of your five a day’ phrase in a marketing email.
Keurig Dr Pepper takes minority stake in non-alcoholic beer producer Athletic Brewing Company
Keurig Dr Pepper is taking a minority stake in American non-alcoholic craft beer maker, Athletic Brewing Company: following on from the acquisition of non-alcoholic RTD cocktail brand Atypique earlier this year.
guest article
The fractured future of beer: Consumer demand pushes the industry to innovate
Craft brewers are starting to think of themselves as beverage companies rather than breweries, writes Maria Pearman, Beverage Practice Leader at US accounting and advisory firm GHJ.
Pandemic helped shape UK craft beer sector for future growth: ‘A decade’s worth of change happened in the space of barely 18 months’
Independent craft brewers in the UK dramatically expanded their routes to market through online webshops, taprooms and independent off-trade during the pandemic: all likely to become a ‘permanent additional string to independent brewers' bows’.
Botanicals in alcohol-free drinks: ‘Creative product developers are pushing the boundaries of what is possible’
Today’s consumers want complexity and layers of flavors in their alcohol-free drinks. Having spent a collective 30 years foraging, exploring and learning, the duo behind Bax Botanics tell us why they believe botanicals are the way forward in creating the...
How Penderyn is putting Welsh whisky on the map: 'We want to be seen as the drink of Wales'
Unusually for a premium whisky business Penderyn is not based in Scotland or Ireland, but in the Welsh Valleys. FoodNavigator caught up with the craft distiller to learn more about the unique nature of single malt Welsh whisky.
Diageo opens Craft and Innovation Hub in India
Diageo India has inaugurated a Craft and Innovation Hub in Ponda, Goa: with end-to-end capabilities for products such as malt, gin and rum.
Lion sells UK craft brewers Fourpure and Magic Rock
Lion has sold its domestic UK-based operations – including the Magic Rock and Fourpure craft brewers – to Odyssey Inns Ltd.
Royal Unibrew to acquire Canadian craft brewer Amsterdam Brewery Co.
Royal Unibrew will acquire Toronto-based company Amsterdam Brewery Co. Ltd. for $44m CAD ($34m USD); helping boost production in North America.
Mahou San Miguel launches innovation challenge to find ‘the beverage of the future’
Spanish brewer Mahou San Miguel and accelerator Eatable Adventures are calling for beverage start ups from around the world to take part in their innovation challenge to ‘discover the drink of the future’.
Sapporo acquires US craft brewer Stone Brewing
Sapporo USA will acquire California craft brewer Stone Brewing, with the acquisition ‘bringing together the complementary strengths of Japanese artistry and innovation with the American craft brewing tradition in a fusion of cultures’.
The top brewers and craft brewers in the US
The Brewers Association – the trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers – has released its 2021 list of the US’ top brewers and craft brewers.
US craft beer sales rebound with 8% growth
US craft beer volumes grew 8% in 2021: recovering from pandemic-hit 2020.
Carlsberg’s four pillars for portfolio growth
Carlsberg has set out its strategy for portfolio growth over four key categories: continuing its focus on premium and super-premium products but also setting out new ambitions to expand in products beyond beer such as hard seltzer and RTDs.
No and low alcohol options will be ‘vital’ to beer category growth: CGA
Lower alcohol beers are becoming more readily available to consumers in the US on-premise: and there’s still plenty of room for new entrants, according to GCA.
Craft and care: Kirin Brewery to focus on craft beer growth, beverage unit targets immunity boost
Kirin Brewery and Kirin Beverage have announced their respective business strategy for the year ahead, with the former focusing on strengthening its craft beer sales, and the latter on growing its immune care pillar.
Dry January sales up on last year
UK consumers have bought 15% more low or no alcohol beer, cider, wine and spirits over Dry January this year than they did a year ago, according to supermarket Tesco.
Molson Coors to cease operations of Saint Archer following pandemic hit
Molson Coors Beverage Company will stop production of its Saint Archer brand and sell its San Diego-based brewery and taproom to Kings & Convicts Brewing Co., which owns the Ballast Point brand.
Craft spirit growth outpaces other spirits in the US
The fast-growing craft spirit segment is set to vastly outperform the mainstream market in the coming years, according to research from IWSR.
Lion acquires US craft brewer, Bell’s Brewery
Australasian brewer Lion will acquire Michigan, US brewer Bell’s Brewery: establishing a strong foothold in the world’s largest craft beer market.
Pandemic helps open up the Canadian non-alcoholic beer category: ‘People have started to take health and wellness more seriously'
Working in the Canadian craft beer industry, Upstreet Craft Brewing’s founders found there were always plenty of opportunities to have a beer. When this started to take its toll, they used their craft expertise to create a non-alcoholic brew. Now they...
Craft beer in China: Brewery-backed app wants to mirror US category growth trajectory
A brewery-backed online platform providing information, ratings and reviews on craft beer in China is on a mission to grow the category, which currently accounts for just 1.5% of brews sold in the country.
Athletic Brewing Co: ‘Pioneering a (non-alcoholic) craft beer revolution’
America’s Athletic Brewing Co. is expanding internationally, most recently with its launch in the UK. It believes its craft core will help it stand out in an increasingly crowded market.
AB InBev Q2: Top-line growth ahead of pre-pandemic levels
Despite the ongoing impact of the pandemic, AB InBev saw top-line growth of 3.2% ahead of the same quarter in 2019. “We remain focused on investing in and accelerating what is already working: category development, premiumization, health and wellness,...
BrewDog’s hard seltzer advert in trouble for implying nutrition claims
The UK’s advertising watchdog has taken issue with a BrewDog Instagram post for its hard seltzer: saying the tongue-in-cheek advertising implied a nutritional claim on an alcohol drink. It also ticked off the craft brewer for implying the 5% ABV drink...
Alcohol-free Big Drop talks low and no trend, global expansion, and having ‘no intention of building a brewery’
To the best of its knowledge, Big Drop Brewing Co is the first company in the world to dedicate itself to alcohol-free beer. We catch up with founder and CEO Rob Fink to talk all things ‘low and no’.