Wendy and Rob catch up on recent doings, discuss drinking the alphabet, and the odd occurrence of having things thrown at you unexpectedly. Articles in the show: - Greg Hall and Virtue Cider: https://chicago.eater.com/2024/11/27/24306883/virtue-cider-greg-hall-renovations-fennville-michigan-inbev-independent-sale - Beer Choir: https://www.kimt.com/…

2025 marks a milestone year for Lawson’s Finest Liquids and its flagship Sip of Sunshine IPA. How will the Vermont craft brewery celebrate? CEO Adeline Druart shares details on the latest Brewbound Podcast. Druart, who took over as CEO in June 2023, shares the keys to keeping Sip growing, including a commitment to cold-chain distribution. She also …

Super Bowl LIX (59) kicks off on February 9 in New Orleans. What’s life like for the Anheuser-Busch distributor in one of the country’s biggest party towns ahead of one of the beer industry’s biggest days? Brandon Frederick, VP of sales; Greg Naquin, director of off-premise sales; and Kris Cutrell, director of on-premise sales walk through the prep…

Hurray’s Girl Beer won Brewbound’s 2024 Pitch Slam competition during the Brewbound Live business conference last month in Marina del Rey, California. Founder Ray Biebuyck joins the Brewbound Podcast to discuss how Hurray’s Girl Beer is working to reclaim the term “Girl Beer,” the brand’s post-ironic, satirical and humorous vibe and why it’s attemp…

Rob and Wendy talk to Mark Lasbury of Indiana On Tap about the Tasting Society Marketplace, working with breweries, On Tap tickets and festivals, and beer around Indiana and Michigan and beyond! In 2025 Better on Draft will be recording on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 8:30 Eastern. You can watch us live to share your questions, opin…

A tough year for craft. Big changes at the Brewers Association. A billionaire saving Anchor from the abyss. Looming dietary guidelines for alcoholic beverages … 2024 was a whirlwind. To wrap up the year that was, the Brewbound team is joined by Christopher Shepard, senior editor of Beer Marketer’s Insights, and Dave Infante, author of the Fingers n…

New Belgium Brewing resumed brewing at its Asheville, North Carolina-based production facility this week for the first time since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the region and shut down the brewery’s operations. It was a significant stoppage for the company as the Asheville brewery accounted for around 40% of New Belgium’s total output. In the w…

Running Ken-less, Rob and Wendy will talk to Joel Geier of Brewery Travels about his new book, Flights Across America: A Brewery Lover’s Journey. Hear about his travels and experiences in breweries across the country! In 2025 Better on Draft will be recording on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 8:30 Eastern. You can watch us live to sha…

Leaders of the newly former Barrel One Collective shared their vision for the new platform, which was formed from the merger of Harpoon Brewery’s parent company Mass. Bay Brewing and Smuttynose’s home of FinestKind Brewing. Harpoon co-founder and CEO Dan Kenary and FinestKind CEO Steve Kierstead explained how the platform came together, how open th…

This week’s Brewbound Podcast features a pair of interviews with 2024 Brewbound Award Winners. Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver shares why fonio is a game-changing ancient grain for brewers. Brewbound named Brooklyn’s Fonio Rising series of beers its 2024 Best New Product. Plus, Breeze Galindo, director of operations of the Michael James …

For Ken's last podcast as a regular host he invited Eric Briggeman of Rochester Mills Brewing, the first guest on Better on Draft ever. Join us for a bit of nostalgia and catch up on Rochester Mills and Eric's (and Amanda's) current activities. In 2025 Better on Draft will start recording on the second and fourth Friday of the month at 8:30 Eastern…

Incoming Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson joined the Brewbound Podcast this week to share how he’s approaching the new role with the trade group. Watson, the BA’s VP of strategy and membership, was named as the successor to long-time leader Bob Pease, who will retire on January 3. Watson will take the post on January 6. On the…

The Better on Draft team checks in with long-time friend of the show Kevin DeGrood. You may know him from North Central Brewing or from his presence within the Michigan craft beer scene or maybe you are meeting him for the firt time (like Rob). We'll hear about the hardships of running a brewery, even a successful one, and what Kevin sees in the in…

At most craft beer festivals you're guaranteed two things. Amazing Michigan Beer, and seeing Chuck Marshall and his wife Brenda running around the festival grounds snapping amazing photographs and promoting the event. Since we knew they'd be attending 4 Elf we took the time to sit down with them for an hour to go over their website and cover of cra…

The Brewers Association has tapped Bart Watson to lead the trade group for small and independent brewers, following the planned retirement of Bob Pease. The Brewbound team breaks down the choice and the challenges ahead for Watson in his new role, as well as the larger industry after last week’s release of the “Year in Beer” report. Plus, Jess, Zoe…

4 Elf Day 2024 was on December 14th this year and we headed out to Marshall Michigan to see what is going on in the world of ROAK and Dark Horse. The first half of the episode brings out Chuck Mascari Jr, managing partner of ROAK/Dark Horse to talk about the industry, the changes, and how they've been weaving in the murky waters of the current land…

Brewbound revealed the winners of its 2024 awards during the Brewbound Live business conference this week in Marina del Rey, California. This week’s Brewbound Podcast features interviews with three of those award winners: The 2024 Craft Brewery of the Year, Coronado Brewing Company; The 2024 Large Brewery of the Year, Narragansett Beer; And the 202…

The Brewbound returns from Thanksgiving breaks to discuss the pre-turkey day news dump, including Molson Coors’ agreement to purchase the intellectual property of Cruz Blanca and why the Mexican-inspired, Chicago-produced brand is now on the clock. Jess, Zoe and Justin also break down the results of the Brewers Association’s board election and why …

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Ken, Wendy, and Rob chase the beer truck to get some BCBS, discuss alcoholic advent calendars, and lots of beery things. Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every other Friday! Live on Twitch, Kick, and Facebook! We'll also be live at 4 Elf Party Dec 14th at Dark Horse Brewery in Marshall, MI. Sponsors: Visit Det…

After a packed news week, the Brewbound team breaks down the latest headlines, including leadership reorganization and staff cuts at the Brewers Association, an impending CEO change at Heineken-owned Lagunitas Brewing and Sapporo-Stone ceasing exports for the craft beer brand. Jess, Zoe and Justin also preview the Brewbound Live business conference…

Stout Collective founder and CEO Matt Tanaka walks us through expected design trends for 2025, including why he believes mascots and maximalism will be a feature of beer labels in the new year. Tanaka also breaks down the goals and experience of Stout Collective’s BOPP Beer Design Conference, held annually in Chicago. He shares how his firm tries t…

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Wendy and Rob discuss some things they learned while preparing for a non-alcoholic brewery interview that will hopefully be rescheduled. They also discuss beer! in! space! and the Craft Beer Hall of Fame, certifications, removing alcohol from beer, poor decisions on a bicycle, and spiderman's alcohol-free beer. Join us live…

This week the Brewbound Podcast crossed the 200th episode milestone. Insider’s Week in Beer newsletter writer Sean McNulty joins to celebrate. The Brewbound team recaps the latest headlines, including the Lord Hobo-Lone Pine merger, the Beer Institute’s Annual Membership Meeting, layoffs at Molson Coors’ remaining craft production facilities and Mo…

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Join Ken, Wendy, and Rob in a conversation with Brian from Stormcloud Brewing out of Frankfort (not Frankenmuth). Brian sells us all on the trek up to Traverse City to hang out at a cool brewpub (or a taproom if the brewpub is busy). A Belgian-inspired brewery doing easy-drinking traditional styles in a fun and interesting …

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Join Ken, Wendy, and Rob in a conversation with Nick from HOMES out of Ann Arbor. Nick talks about how he came to be the head brewer doing interesting and exciting beverages, how he works within the industry, and working within the Michigan and farther beer community. Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every oth…

Highland Brewing owner and CEO Leah Wong Ashburn provides an update on how Asheville, one of the country’s great craft beer cities, is recovering in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Last weekend, Highland brewed its first beer since the hurricane cut a path of destruction through Western North Carolina. Ashburn shares the steps the brewery took t…

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Recorded live at Nick the Brewer's place, Nick and Ian (formerly of Cellarmen's) joins us to talk about their long history in the industry, what has changed since we've had them on last, and what the future holds for craft beer, its fandom, and its future. Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every other Friday! L…

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Recorded live at Nick the Brewer's place, Nick and Ian (formerly of Cellarmen's) joins us to talk about their long history in the industry, what has changed since we've had them on last, and what the future holds for craft beer, its fandom, and its future. Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every other Friday! L…

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Recorded live at Nick the Brewer's place, Nick and Ian (formerly of Cellarmen's) joins us to talk about their long history in the industry, what has changed since we've had them on last, and what the future holds for craft beer, its fandom, and its future. Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every other Friday! L…

The Brewbound team dives into the top stories in the beer business, including the “strategic partnerships” made by Maui Brewing parent company Craft ‘Ohana to hand off leadership of Modern Times Beer’s daily operations and hospitality businesses. The team also discusses Boston Beer’s latest earnings report, which one analyst called “messy,” the per…

Chula Vista Brewery co-founder Tim Parker shares how meditation, mindfulness and taking care of your mental health can help your business on the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast. Parker discusses his personal journey, how he and his wife Dali have struck a better work-life balance and much more. Plus, the Brewbound team covers the latest new…

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Join Ken, Wendy, and Rob in a conversation with David and Andy of Blackrocks Brewery. From homebrewing into the commercial space hear about how they balance business, pleasure, and community in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every other Friday! Live on Twitch, Kick, and Faceb…

Lester Jones, chief economist and VP of analytics at the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), joins the Brewbound team to discuss the importance of the on-premise, and how tides may be shifting in draft beer’s favor. The conversation was recorded in San Diego during the NBWA Annual Convention and Product Showcase. Brewbound editor Justin K…

CRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Wendy says goodbye to an old brewery friend then Rob and Wendy discuss some recent beery adventures! Join us live at our new start time, 8:30pm ET, every other Friday! Live on Twitch, Kick, and Facebook! Sponsors: Visit Detroit - The Detroit Brew Trail - https://visitdetroit.com/food-drink/breweries-wineries-distilleries/de…