Emergency exit — Mikkeller to cease US brewing operations, close San Diego brewery

August 22, 2022

Copenhagen-based global beer company Mikkeller has announced it will close its only U.S. brewing facility in San Diego, citing “two years of COVID and the difficult current rising cost environment.” The closure does not include Mikkeller’s Little Italy taproom or its taproom in San Francisco. Mikkeller says it has 50 employees in the U.S., about half of whom will be laid off. Mikkeller San Diego has been open since 2016, and according to the Brewers Association (BA), produced 10,418 barrels of beer in 2021, down from a high of 11,750 in 2019.

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Shipping shift — with legislation stalled, niche breweries file lawsuit to push for DTC beer delivery

August 17, 2022

Small breweries with a niche stylistic focus have undertaken what is likely to be a years-long effort to create more direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping permissions for beer makers, similar to laws that already apply to wine. A victory would mean expanded sales opportunities for breweries and long-term potential to sell to new customers across the country. With a lawsuit filed against the state of Oregon, three Washington State breweries hope to show a courtroom can be more effective than legislators to even the playing field for beer producers.

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Top 10 countries that drink the most beer

August 12, 2022

Beer is a truly international beverage, with lagers, stouts, and ales consumed throughout the world. But which countries drink the most of it? The data, from Kirin Holdings (which oversees Kirin Brewery Company), was published in January of this year and shows the estimated country-by-country beer consumption levels for 2020.

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US breweries are for sale—but who’s buying?

With Australia looking to the US for beer style trends, will the latest business trend – breweries putting up the For Sale sign – also take hold here? Kate Bernot of Good Beer Hunting’s Sightlines looks into what’s driving the growing move towards breweries looking to sell in the US, and whether buyers are there…

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Breckenridge Oktoberfest

One of the most iconic Oktoberfest events in Colorado returns with a three-day celebration in historic downtown Breckenridge, September 23 – 25, 2022. The 26th annual Breckenridge Oktoberfest Presented by Breckenridge Brewery mixes time-honored Oktoberfest traditions with collectible steins and local flavors from Breckenridge Brewery, this year’s premiere beer sponsor.

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‘The Beast Unleashed’: What can we expect from Monster’s alcohol strategy?

August 11, 2022

Monster plans to launch its first flavored malt beverage RTD alcohol product at the end of the year, promising a drink that will ‘carve out its own unique space’ in the increasingly crowded sector. And the company signals that this will be more than a one-off, with several other product lines in development.

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This all-female, Japanese-Brazilian brewery is bringing its craft to the United States

August 9, 2022

This month Japas Cervejaria Co-Founders Maíra Kimura, Yumi Shimada, and Fernanda Ueno will travel the United States together for the first time on a whirlwind east-to-west coast trip that includes pop-up events, beer collaborations, and distributor meetings. This all-female, Nipo-Brazilian trio hopes to share its passion, craft, and culture with the United States and beyond.

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Running on fumes — co2 shortages, higher prices add to breweries’ rising costs

August 8, 2022

Ongoing disruptions to breweries’ supply of carbon dioxide have made national news on the heels of a decision by Massachusetts-based Night Shift Brewing to outsource most beer production in part because it was unable to source the gas needed to carbonate its beer. Combined with higher costs breweries are already paying for items like aluminum, malt, and packaging materials, the burden of having less CO2, paying more for it, or not being able to carbonate and sell as much beer as planned represents a crisis for breweries’ profit margins.

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