Welcome to The Beer Post

A London beer mile turns a pint into a day out, combining independent breweries, taprooms, traditional pubs and lively neighbourhoods in one memorable route. 

These London brewery trails offer more than a chance to sample local ales. They provide a closer look at the people, places and brewing traditions behind the UK’s craft beer scene.

The next UK Pub Group Beer Tender opportunities for independent brewers are scheduled for May and June 2027. Stonegate’s direct-delivery tender is due in May, while Laine Pub Company’s annual tender is expected in June. Both processes run through The Beer Company’s supplier platform. 

Functional alcohol-free beer is gaining traction as major brewers explore adding protein and electrolytes to non-alcoholic products. For one, AB InBev has announced plans to sell more beers featuring these ingredients, signalling growing industry interest. 

Australia’s beer industry faces renewed pressure as the Black Hops acquisition highlights the challenges facing independent brewers. The Australia Beer Excise Freeze offers some relief, keeping draught beer excise rates unchanged for two years from August 2025, but packaged beer remains subject to indexation. 

The UK Deposit Return Scheme 2027 will introduce refundable deposits on eligible single-use drink containers from 1 October 2027, affecting breweries, importers, pubs and retailers. 

The EU beer packaging regulations are entering a new phase under Regulation (EU) 2025/40, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). 

The rules apply from 12 August 2026 and cover packaging placed on the EU market, including imported beer products. Brewers, packaging suppliers and exporters must be aware of and fully understand the requirements affecting cans, bottles, kegs and multipacks.

The British cask ale decline is accelerating, but the traditional beer style is not disappearing. NIQ data, reported by The Morning Advertiser, show UK cask volumes fell 19.7% to 979,000 hectolitres in the 12 months to August 2026. The downturn has coincided with major brewery closures.

Since 15 September 2026, licensed premises in England and Wales have been able to accept digital proof of age for alcohol sales. The change gives pubs and bars another way to verify customers’ ages, alongside existing physical identification methods. 

Breww now allows brewers to connect AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Claude to their account data. Meanwhile, The 5th Ingredient announced Beer30 Insights on 14 October, introducing an AI tool that answers questions using a brewery’s operational data. 

Three closed deals in October 2026 show US independent brewers using acquisitions, shared production and refinancing. Hardywood and Starr Hill, TailGate and Yazoo, as well as Summit, each illustrate a different response to the market’s pressures. 

The Admiral Maltings closure marks a major loss for California’s independent beer industry. The Alameda-based craft maltster stopped malting on 2 October, 2026, followed by the closure of The Rake, its brewery-focused venue, on 18 October. 

The UK pub closures forecast for 2026 has raised fresh concerns across the British beer and hospitality industry. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) projects around 360 permanent pub closures by the end of the year, following 295 closures recorded by the end of September. 

Tribe Breweries has agreed to acquire Queensland craft brewer Black Hops following its second voluntary administration since 2024, announced on 8 October 2026. The undisclosed-price deal aims to preserve the Gold Coast brand’s future under new ownership. 

Japan’s Beer Tax Reform 2026 took effect on 1 October, but a tax change did not automatically mean a change in shelf prices. The reform sets a unified tax rate of ¥155,000 per kilolitre for beer, happoshu and former third-category beer-type drinks, equivalent to ¥54.25 per 350ml can. 

The Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) has revoked the consent to operate for Carlsberg India’s Alwar Brewery and directed its closure over alleged particulate-emission breaches, according to an order reported on 14 October 2026.

China beer output 2026 points to a softer production market, raising questions about demand, pricing and growth opportunities for international beer companies.