Summit Brewing founder and CEO Mark Stutrud will retire from the Minnesota craft brewery in March after 37 years.

Stutrud will stay connected to Summit – the largest craft brewery in Minnesota – as chairman of the board and a brand ambassador, according to a press release. Chief strategy officer Brandon Bland will take over the role of president and CEO upon Stutrud’s retirement.

Insiders can read the full story, including Bland’s background and the latest numbers for Summit’s production and off-premise performance.

Schilling Cider puts product quality and customer satisfaction first. By adding FILTEC quality assurance solutions that include Empty Can, Fill level, Vision Pressure, and the Intellect inspection platform, they have been able to avoid seamer jams and downtime. See this connected and modular inspection solution in action. Learn more

Brewbound recently caught up with Dogfish Head co-founder Sam Calagione on the brewery’s 2023 performance and fall beer programming. 

Here are some highlights: 

Citrus Squall has been Dogfish Head’s “single biggest new launch in a number of years,” Calagione said. The 8% ABV double-golden-ale-and-paloma-cocktail hybrid launched earlier this year is closing in on the $1 million revenue mark, he added.

Brewbound Insiders can go deeper into Dogfish Head’s trends and fall beer program.

More RTD news from BevNET spirits editor Ferron Salniker …

Global volume for Brown-Forman’s Jack & Coke RTD has grown to 1.8 million cases across 11 markets. However, net sales were flat for the Jack Daniel’s RTD portfolio as volumes declined for its previous cola and whiskey canned cocktail, Brown-Forman reported in its first quarter of fiscal year 2024 earnings report.

In the U.S. the RTD has been the most successful launch in Brown-Forman history, having achieved the second highest level of off-premise distribution across the portfolio.

Insiders can read more from the earnings rundown, including brand investment plans and leadership's explanation of the numbers.

Gallo is aiming for a Mexican audience with a new RTD partnership between Casa Lumbre and world champion boxer Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez. 

The company behind leading ready-to-drink cocktail High Noon is bringing out a new contender: VMC, which was launched in Mexico in 2022 will be distributed by Spirit of Gallo, starting with select markets with large Mexican-American populations.

VMC comes from Mexican spirits group Casa Lumbre, which has mainstreamed Mexican products into the U.S. market with a boost from several other major partnerships and celebrities.

Insiders can read more here.

As Brewbound’s next Brew Talks event in Denver approaches, this week we replay a Brew Talks Boston conversation exploring what’s next for hazy IPAs. 

The panel features:

• Vitamin Sea Brewing founder Dino Funari;
• Wormtown Brewery president and general manager Kimberly Golinski;
• Mighty Squirrel Brewing co-founder Naveen Pawar; 
• And Samuel Adams taproom head brewer Megan Parisi.

They share where they believe the style is going, how New England craft breweries are approaching hazies and what maturity means in the market where it originated. 

Plus:

• Justin and Zoe recap Firestone Walker’s annual business planning meeting;
• They also play a game of Another Round or Tabbing Out, discussing White Claw’s entry into non-alcoholic seltzer. 

Listen on all popular podcast platforms.

Brewbound Insiders are diving deeper into the fall brand plans for Dogfish Head, the retirement of Summit Brewing’s founder, and Casa Lumbre and Jack & Coke updates in each of today’s featured stories.

Plus: An update on Creature Comfort workers’ efforts to unionize, more than seven months in the making. 

Become a Brewbound Insiders today.

Brewbound’s Brew Talks meetup will (unofficially) kick off the Great American Beer Festival weekend with conversations with industry leaders and networking on Thursday, September 21, from noon to 3 p.m. MT at Cervantes Masterpiece in Denver.

The first conversation will discuss the challenges facing draft beer and strategies for improving draft trends.

Panelists include:

• Dogfish Head co-founder Sam Calagione
• Buffalo Wild Wings director of beverage strategy & innovation Jason Murphy
• Tamarron Consulting co-founder and president Lori Scheiffler. 

Additional speakers and talks will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Tickets are available now.

The Brewbound Live business conference returns December 6-7 in Marina del Rey. Speakers and conversations to be announced in the coming weeks. 

Registration and the discounted room block is now open. Find out more details here.