One of the leading brewing schools in the U.S. is leaving the country. Siebel Institute of Technology announced it will move to Montreal next year. Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante has details on what drove the decision, and the impact Siebel has had on America’s brewing industry. 

In today’s Brewbound Insider Newsletter and on Brewbound.com, Insiders are also diving into 2 new data stories, including Agrowgate’s Q4 2025 Supply Chain report – exclusive to Brewbound – and CGA’s analysis of how drinkers’ habits change in the on-premise compared to the off-premise. 

Plus, today’s Insider newsletter features coverage of:

• The closure of Pike Pub and Pike Fish Bar;
• Michelle St. Jacques’ severance package from Molson Coors;

And Sierra Nevada’s next Hazy Little Thing limited-release rotator.

Insiders also have access to the Brewbound Newsletter Archive, including previous newsletter-exclusive Insider content.

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The Siebel Institute of Technology, one of the leading brewing schools in the country, will leave Chicago and move to Montreal on January 1, it announced Thursday.

Siebel cited “operational costs, industry trends [and] increased student visa challenges to enter the United States” as reasons for its cross-border move.

Siebel GM and director of education John Hannafan said in the release: "Recent regulatory changes in the U.S. have made it much more challenging for many of our international students, who have become the majority of our student body, to attend classes in person. This relocation of North America classroom operations to Montreal allows us to pivot without sacrificing the student experience."

New students arriving from other countries to begin education in the U.S. dropped 17%, PBS News reported. Siebel was founded in Chicago in 1868 by German immigrant John E. Siebel.

Insiders can read more about the move and how it could affect the future of Chicago’s craft scene. 

A new report from market research firm CGA is further proof that while beer is seeing red in off-premise scans, the category can find growth opportunities in on-premise retailers.

CGA, the on-premise arm of NIQ, conducted a survey this month asking consumers how their drinking habits differ at bars and restaurants, compared to at home. Just over half of respondents (52%) said their “drink choice differs” when in the on-premise versus the off-premise. Among the 52%, 33% said they were more likely to drink beer in bars and restaurants compared to at home – the largest percentage compared to other beverage categories. 

Insiders can dive deeper into the data, including seasonal beverage habits and what drives consumers' decisions in the on-premise.

Agrowgate’s Q4 2025 Supply Chain report paints a picture of a beverage industry entering 2026 with far more stability – yet no shortage of strategic inflection points. 

The report highlights how even steady markets can conceal big implications for cost, sourcing and competitiveness. One message comes through clearly: Those who stay proactive – not reactive – will be positioned to win. 

Insiders can read the full report here.

Nearly a year on the job, new-ish Lagunitas CEO Bernardo Spielmann is seeing opportunities for the legacy CA 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 NA 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 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.

Listen here or on your preferred podcast platform.

One of the biggest reasons people return to Brewbound Live each year is the mix of attendees you’ll meet. It’s a friendly, collaborative space where conversations come easily and the right people are within arm’s reach.

Athletic Brewing co-founder and CEO Bill Shufelt summed up the experience (above). 

Brewbound Live kicks off on December 10-11 in L.A., and with less than 3 weeks to go, things are moving quickly. Our hotel room block is already sold out, so If you’re planning to join us, now’s the time to secure your spot and finalize travel. 

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