News

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. 

Carlsberg Britvic has proposed the Marston’s Brewery closure in Burton upon Trent in summer 2027, alongside the closure of its primary logistics operation at the site. The company informed colleagues and trade union partners of the proposal on 8 October 2026. 

On Friday 9 October 2026, the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) listed 65 UK pubs, bars and taprooms set to take part in Drop the Pint Day. The campaign invited participating venues to offer one cask or keg beer at prices reflecting Germany’s lower beer duty rates, highlighting differences in the tax burden on beer producers.

Tilray Brands revealed short-term retail gains for BrewDog’s Punk IPA and Hazy Jane, citing company-reported EPOS data showing sales across six leading UK off-trade retailers were 2.87 times higher than in the same two-week period last year. 

Japan’s Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) carried out on-site inspections at Asahi Breweries, Kirin Brewery, Suntory Spirits and Sapporo Breweries over suspected violations of Japan’s antimonopoly law. 

Published on 5 October 2026, an Oxford Economics report commissioned by the BBPA reveals a £37.8 billion contribution from the UK beer and pub sector in 2025. Beyond economic value, the industry generated £16.8 billion in tax and sustained nearly one million jobs.

On 17 October 1814, a 22-foot wooden fermentation vat at the Horse Shoe Brewery in St Giles, London, ruptured, releasing more than 320,000 gallons of beer onto the streets in a wave reported to have reached around 15 feet high. 

Empty Chairs is a community-led campaign that invites people to book a small table in a pub or café, leave a few chairs empty, and make it easy for anyone who wants company to sit down. 

The UK on-trade craft beer market accounted for 6.8% of total beer volume in the 12 months to March 2026, down 4.9% year on year and 10% over two years, according to The Morning Advertiser’s Beer Report 2026. 

Guinness 0.0 has made its Southeast Asian debut in Singapore, while New Zealand’s DB Breweries has completed a trial of zero-alcohol beer on draught and is now rolling the format out to 300 venues.

On September 18, 2026, New Zealand Minister Cameron Brewer officially opened DB Breweries’ upgraded Waitematā facilities. The $30 million project expanded and modernised both brewing and packaging operations.

Victoria’s state government has promised $3 million for brewery taproom and tourism upgrades. Announced by Premier Ben Carroll, the pledge depends on Labor winning re-election on November 28, 2026.