Dealmakers from Arlington Capital Advisors, Cascadia Capital, Cowen and Company, and Farlie, Turner & Co. discuss the influence of private equity money on the craft brewing industry and the current state of M&A activity in the brewing space. Guests include Craig Farlie, Managing Director, Farlie, Turner & Co.; Townsend Ziebold, Managing Director Investment Banking, Cowen and Company; Nicole​ Nugent Fry, Managing Director, Cascadia Capital; and Ryan Lake, Principal, Arlington Capital Advisors. The conversation offers a look into the rearview mirror at private equity's infusion of capital into the industry, as well as look forward at the market.

Fresh Fest co-founder Day Bracey joins to discuss the beer festival showcasing Black-owned breweries, and industry professionals share taproom staff management best practices. Bracey shares his experience organizing a cultural event in a post-COVID-19 world. Dani Babineau, CEO of Worcester, Massachusetts-based Redemption Rock Brewing, and Adam Delaura, co-founder of Manchester, Connecticut-based Labyrinth Brewing, discuss their companies' staff management tactics, including wages and tipping. Arryved POS president Nancy Trigg shares industry trends and how technology can help busy taproom managers.

The leaders of Ballast Point Brewing discuss their journey from running small upstart craft brewery Kings & Convicts, to making one of the biggest acquisitions of 2019.

CEO Brendan Watters and COO Chris Bradley shared the challenges they faced as they were handed the keys to Ballast Point from Constellation Brands just two days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down on-premise establishments nationwide, including Ballast Point's six retail locations across California and Illinois.

The conversation covers operating in an unstable business climate, maintaining the culture of one of San Diego's largest and most established craft breweries and leading a workforce of more than 500.

Danelle Kosmal, VP of Beverage Alcohol Practice at Nielsen, analyzes hard seltzer sales trends during the coronavirus pandemic, and leaders from hard seltzer brands Press, Nauti and Bubs discuss how their regional and national brands are competing in the fast-growing segment.

Joining Kosmal on the panel are Archie Gleason, VP of sales for Bubs maker Sycamore Brewing; Amy Walberg, co-founder of Press Premium Alcohol Seltzer; and Christian McMahan, president of Wachusett Brewing Company, which makes the Nauti and Country Hard Seltzer lines.

Brewing education is expensive, and it's often difficult for entrepreneurs who are Black, indigenous and people of color to secure capital. These hurdles often keep women and people of color out of beer, an industry that's long been dominated by white men. This week's panelists are working to provide scholarships, hands-on experience or business loans to people who want to enter the beer industry. Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver, Tired Hands co-owner Julie Foster and brewer Christina Alleva, Boston Beer director of partnerships Jennifer Glanville and Chula Vista Brewery founder and owner Tim Parker discuss how their organizations and companies are working to break down barriers to entry in the beer industry for underrepresented groups.

Border X Brewing co-owners David and Carmen Favela and Mujeres Brew Club co-founder Esthela Davila discuss the upcoming Mujeres Brew House, a taproom and community space for women in San Diego to learn about brewing and the beer industry. Dan Kopman, the CEO of Maryland-based Heavy Seas, discusses the current state of the beer industry and the regulatory assistance needed to help craft brewers get back on their feet.

Legal experts Nichole Shustack of McDermott, Will & Emery and Shauna Barnes of Kaleo Legal joined Brewbound Frontlines to discuss recent privileges extended to brewers and retailers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the finer points of operating within the three-tier system. Jim Peters, director of the Responsible Hospitality Institute, discussed expansion of open container policies to create social districts, which allow people to patronize bars and restaurants safely.

Leaders of Massachusetts craft breweries Jack's Abby Craft Lagers, Wormtown Brewery, Castle Island Brewing and Vitamin Sea Brewing discuss their 2019 volume growth and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation turned to the measure of success in the volume growth-obsessed craft beer industry. Panelists discussed what indicators they check to measure the health of their companies, such as product quality, brand loyalty and quality of life for employees.

Weathered Souls Brewing co-founder Marcus Baskerville and marketing and sales manager Kimberly Machado discuss the Black is Beautiful collaboration, which aims to raise money and awareness to end police brutality and racism. So far, 635 breweries have signed up to participate.

Buffalo Wild Wings beverage innovation manager Jason Murphy shares the sports bar chain's reopening plans post-COVID-19 shutdown, as well as how the nation's largest pourer of draft beer is adjusting its strategy to stay relevant with craft beer drinkers.

Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson and National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist Lester Jones discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected consumers' beer-buying patterns, what the road back might look like for the beer industry and what's needed in the interim as breweries attempt to recoup losses from a shuttered on-premise channel.