The Lost Abbey's Tomme Arthur's current tagline is "We're surviving, not thriving." "We'd love to turn that into thriving," he added on the latest episode of the Brewbound Podcast. "We're trying to get to next year. That's the standard answer," Arthur explained. "Next year will be our 20th year in business. So it's a pretty big milestone in terms of continuity or continuation. So [we're] definitely looking forward. What we're trying to do is really establish the right size and scale for the brewery." For the Lost Abbey, that's led to a bit of a nomadic lifestyle over the last couple of years, moving from San Marcos to the Mother Earth Brewing facility in Vista and now to the former Eppig Brewing 30-barrel brewery space about a mile across town. Arthur described those moves as a search for efficiency that hasn't yet fully been realized, reinforcing the business with contract partners with room to add more. In the interview, Arthur shared his view of The Lost Abbey's business moves in an effort to "grow down," while also hitting on a major challenge facing California brewers coming up on the expiration of their leases as landlords seek market rate increases in rent. Arthur shared his own experience of deciding whether a 30% rent increase was worth accepting at the brewery's best-performing tasting room. Before the interview, Jess, Zoe and Justin break down Rogue Ales & Spirits' bankruptcy filing and Torch & Crown's SoHo taproom closure. They also share one thing they're looking forward to at Brewbound Live next week.

Smog City Brewing co-founder Laurie Porter is a prepper. Even during craft's days of double-digit growth in the middle 2010s, Porter, who calls herself "an incurable optimist," was eyeing a future when that growth wouldn't be there. So Porter and her husband, Jonathan Porter, built Torrence, California-based Smog City with diversified revenue streams – distribution, exports to international markets, four taprooms with over-the-bar sales and an intentional cap on production around 10,000 barrels – that allow the company to shore up its business if things go sideways. "At our level, between the 5,000 and 12,000, 13,000 barrel, a lot of our revenue is built off the taproom, direct-to-consumer, which has a little bit higher profit margin, it helps us float that wholesale," Porter says in the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, recorded on location at the California Craft Beer Summit. "So if wholesale is struggling or we're seeing dips and changes in seasons and customer changes, we have a little bit more buffer." Porter admits that Smog City has looked at what life would be like as a 15,000-barrel brewery but has been "apprehensive to break that" ceiling due to the loss of the ability to pivot, flex and manage costs. "When you hit 15,000 barrels, you are playing so deep in the chain world because it's all about volume," she explained. "Chain can be very fickle. It can be really difficult to maintain. A beer buyer changes and boom, you're off the shelf. And that's now, whatever, 450 barrels of beer for that one style of beer that you had committed to that grocery, and it's gone. And you can't just predict it." In the interview, Porter discusses the pressures on LA locations, consumers heading back into taprooms, the impending closure of its Steelcraft Long Beach facility after a decade due to being unable to extend the lease and the launch of a new restaurant concept in December to replace it. Before the interview, Jess, Zoe and Justin cover the latest news, including the Siebel Institute of Technology's planned exit from Chicago and move to Montreal; Athletic Brewing's big 2025 and new products coming in 2026; and a Gen Z take on the rumored Anheuser-Busch InBev acquisition of BeatBox.

Nearly a year on the job, new-ish Lagunitas CEO Bernardo Spielmann is seeing opportunities for the legacy California craft beer brand. Those opportunities include expanding Lagunitas Hazy IPA from a draft-only release to package, building on the successful launch of 9% ABV Hazicus Maximus hazy IPA, which now boasts 20,000 points of distribution, and revamping the packaging for non-alcoholic hop water Hoppy Refresher. On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, Spielmann shares that it's also about listening to consumers, who demanded the return of seasonal Unrefined Shugga', the 10% ABV strong ale that returned this year as a national play in bottles and club packs. Spielmann tells Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante that the goal is to see what resonates and respond quickly. "More and more as the craft segment matures, we're going to have to be sharper per channel, per market, per SKU how you want to build your proposition," he said. "There will be a rationalization and that's the expected approach. We need to facilitate that for retailers but also our distributors. It's also part of our strategy to be very sharp on how we launch or roll out innovations and the tradeoffs." Spielmann also discusses the beer category's need to bring back socializing and capture those occasions. He explains how Lagunitas is doing its part with its "Party Legend" brand activation, which celebrates consumers who are the life of the party. But first, Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and managing editor Jess Infante discuss the sudden closure of Rogue Ales & Spirits and why the shuttering of a top 50 craft brewery is jarring for the public and industry. They also dig into the rumored sale talks of party punch maker BeatBox to Anheuser-Busch InBev. Jess and Justin also share their experiences, including a visit to Tree House's country club/golf course/taproom and the scuttlebutt from the California Craft Brewers Association's Summit and the Iowa Craft Brewers Guild's I-Best meeting.

Flavored malt beverages (FMBs) and hard seltzers have had a bright red 2025, but those declines haven't fazed Mark Anthony Brands, which continues to find growth in the segments where others have faltered.

In this episode of the Brewbound Podcast, Mark Anthony Brands president David Barnett details how the bev-alc company is "doing better than most" in today's challenged marketplace. He spoke about the company's highlights with Brewbound editor Justin Kendall, in a conversation recorded at the National Beer Wholesalers Association's (NBWA's) Annual Convention in Las Vegas.

"We, in 2025, are the No. 2 dollar share gainer of all of beer," Barnett said. "If you look at the top 30 beer brands in America, which represent 81% of the total beer industry, there's only nine of them that are actually growing dollars, and we have three of the nine: White Claw, [Mike's] Harder and Cayman Jack."

Barnett said the company doesn't necessarily make business decisions based on overall segments trends or what's happening in scans, but instead focuses on how to strengthen its own portfolio and lineup of brands.

That includes White Claw Hard Seltzer, which now has 67% share of the hard seltzer segment, according to Barnett. Mark Anthony has been able to maintain a dominant share of hard seltzer, and even bring consumers back to White Claw who may have drifted away, due to "the quality of the product in the can," he said.

"And staying really consistent," he added. "We've done some innovation over the years, some have worked, some haven't, but we've got ourselves now in a really … simple focused portfolio strategy on White Claw."

Ahead of the conversation, Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata chats with BevNET managing editor Marty Caballero about the latest hemp news, and how an advancing spending bill could put a halt to the intoxicating hemp beverage industry.

High Rise Beverage co-founder Matt Skinner has built a coastal-themed brand in the Southeast but his ambitions extend across the nation. The Charleston, South Carolina-headquartered intoxicating hemp beverage brand is now available in 22 states, and Skinner sees an opportunity to go even bigger. "We're in the space of being a nationwide brand at this point," he says on the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, recorded in October at the National Beer Wholesalers Association's Annual Convention in Las Vegas. "Having those partnerships and getting in with the right distributors now is important. They're finding who they feel like their horses are in the category, and I think we are aligning across the country with that. But the Southeast is very important to us." Skinner shares his strategy of building the brand in bars and restaurants and why his pitch to those retailers was bigger than his brand. He also explains how High Rise came to be partners with Sony Music in Nashville, which flavors are resonating with consumers and why Target's adoption of intoxicating hemp products "puts all eyes on the category." Before the interview, Justin and Zoe discuss the latest news, such as New Belgium's packed new product slate for 2026, including new Voodoo Ranger IPAs and a canned cocktail offshoot, as well as Molson Coors' tough Q3 earnings report.

In this Brewbound Podcast interview, host Ray Latif speaks with Kelsey McQuaid-Craig, Executive Director of the California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA), about what brewers can expect at this year's California Craft Beer Summit. McQuaid-Craig outlines the event's robust educational programming, featuring three breakout tracks—technical brewing, business of beer, and marketing—as well as new offerings like an off-flavor course for NA and low-alcohol beer (presented by Lallemand) and sessions on hop creep research, SEO, and employment law. She also highlights two interactive features designed to strengthen connection and collaboration within California's brewing community: a member town hall where brewers can directly shape CCBA's future, and a consultation corner offering one-on-one time with legal, compliance, and benefits experts. The summit promises hands-on learning, practical takeaways, and a deeper sense of community across every level of the industry. For more information, visit CaliforniaCraftBeer.com.

Bars, restaurants and social gathering spaces are beer's "moneyball" opportunity, National Beer Wholesalers Association VP of analytics and chief economist Lester Jones shares during the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast. Jones is the first of two interviews this week. Adam and Amanda Kroener, the founders of spirits-based cocktail brand Carbliss, also join this week's podcast to share their slow approach to brand building and goal of becoming a national brand. First, Jones explains why the on-premise channel remains the key to unlocking wins for brewers. "We can go looking for home runs all day long, but at some point, you've got to have the base hitters," Jones said. "You gotta have the guys when they step up to the plate, you're gonna move the game forward." While placements in off-premise chains such as Walmart, Kroger, HEB, 7-Eleven and others are analogous to home runs, getting a tap handle is a solid base hit on the way to scoring, and brewers shouldn't lose sight of those singles. Jones also discusses why he believes craft beer's funk is potentially ending, why the ethanol pie was cut too many ways, how beer is competing for dayparts and why beer needs to bring fun and socializing back. Then, the Kroeners discuss their methodical approach to brand building and why it has worked for the family-owned and run Midwestern-based canned cocktail brand. They also dish on Carbliss' entry into warm weather markets such as Florida and being one of the most successful brands that people have never heard of. "The fun part is, when we come out to places like Vegas, if you're not in the industry, you've never heard of us," Adam says. "But at the same time, if you're looking at the Circana or Nielsen data, we're a top three, four, five brand in dollars. So it is a fun, cool thing to be this biggest thing that some people have never heard of." Before the interviews, Justin, Jess and Zoe recap the latest industry news, including Brooklyn Brewery outsourcing sales to U.S. Beverage, BeatBox's forthcoming Chillitas line, Surfside's lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch InBev over Skimmers hard tea and George Clooney joining the non-alcoholic beer game.

One thing Josh Penney noticed after moving to Brooklyn from Los Angeles late last fall – aside from markedly less sunny weather – was a broader diversity in beer styles across brewery taprooms. "It seemed to be a wider range of things that were really appealing to everybody," he said. "Because out on the West Coast, you might have a robust porter, but then you have, like, six different IPAs." Penney is the head brewer at Brooklyn-based Threes Brewing, a role he took on last year after leaving Los Angeles' Highland Park Brewing. He joins this week's Brewbound Podcast to share insights gleaned from his bicoastal brewing career. Before the interview, the Brewbound team breaks down Molson Coors' latest corporate restructuring and dives into the scuttlebutt surrounding that ornery New York Times op-ed about one writer's personal issues with craft beer.

The Brewbound team recaps the 2025 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and the start of the National Beer Wholesalers Association's (NBWA) Annual Convention and trade show, on the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, recorded in Las Vegas. Jess and Zoe share their experiences at GABF, including which legacy craft brewery brought the Party Bomb; festivalgoers' reception for full-strength spirits; the return of timed special pours; mixing Pop Rocks and BeatBox; and the flamboyant embrace of costumes. The conversation shifts to NBWA convention's first day, including the key theme of wholesaler independence from supplier interference shared by outgoing NBWA president and CEO Craig Purser and board chair Rebecca Maisel. They also discuss the underlying theme of beer as a social lubricant, including untapped events and occasions that could provide a boost to a soft beer category. Then, in this week's featured interview, Maisel joins Justin to discuss her call for freedom from "undue supplier influence" and why distributors are questioning their supplier relationships. Maisel also dishes about her last ride on the NBWA board after 11 years, why drinkers are distracted and the growth of intoxicating hemp beverages.

In this Brewbound Podcast interview, Ray Latif speaks with David Christman, VP of State Affairs at the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), about how distributors are embracing innovation to stay competitive and efficient in a rapidly evolving market. With more than two decades at NBWA, Christman explains how the association supports its members on legislative issues while also leading technology and e-commerce initiatives through the Beer Industry Electronic Commerce Coalition (BIECC). He shares insights from NBWA's member surveys, highlighting rising investments in technology, data analytics, automation, and even AI to improve everything from sales to warehouse operations.

Christman also previews the NBWA's BIECC Innovation Showcase, where 17 companies will present new tools and solutions for distributors—from robotics to predictive ordering systems—underscoring the momentum behind modernization across the beer industry. He emphasizes that no wholesaler wants to be left behind, and innovation is increasingly seen as essential to addressing industry challenges and unlocking growth. For more information, visit NBWA's website.