Today’s Brewbound Insider Newsletter is packed with news, including a dive into on-premise trends, details on PepsiCo’s supply chain changes and a look at a refreshed Smash from Devils Backbone. 

Brewbound Insiders are getting the scoop on it all, and all readers are welcome to follow along with the conversations on stage during the first day of Brewbound Live, streaming at Brewbound.com.

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

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Brewbound revealed the winners of its 2025 industry awards today during Day 1 of the bev-alc trade publication’s Brewbound Live business conference in LA. 

In a bev-alc industry facing increasing headwinds with industry leaders and analysts debating whether the pain is structural or cyclical, several brands endured and even thrived in 2025. 

The 2025 Brewbound Awards celebrates those transcendent brands, products, leaders and entrepreneurs. 

2025’s award winners include: 

• Craft Brewery of the Year: New Trail Brewing (Williamsport, PA);
• Large Brewery of the Year: Deschutes Brewery (Bend, OR);
• Person of the Year: Lauren Woods Limbach, New Belgium Brewing;
• Beyond Beer Company of the Year: Carbliss (Plymouth, WI);
• Best New Product: Sierra Nevada Pils;
• Cause of the Year: Executive Order Me A Beer –  Right Proper Brewing (Washington, D.C.);
• Beer Champion of the Year: Oregon Beverage Alliance;

Brewbound also recognized its new class of Rising Stars:

• Best Day Brewing (Sausalito, CA);
• Bravazzi (Nashville, TN);
• Destihl Brewery (Normal, IL);
• Good Boy Vodka (Niles, MI);
• Outlaw Light Beer (Denver, CO);
• Pure Project (San Diego, CA);
• RationAle Brewing (San Diego, CA);
• Rupee Beer (Portland, ME).

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Pizza Port wants to be a staple of your Southern California grocery run.

On the latest episode of the Brewbound Podcast, Pizza Port director of sales Jill Olesh said: “I call it the Southern California grocery basket. It’s your chicken, your tortillas, your black beans, your spinach and your 6-pack of Swami’s [IPA].” 

Pizza Port is riding a wave of momentum as the 38th-largest craft brewery by volume in 2024, growing 9% to 53,450 barrels of beer. Olesh credited the connection the brewery has forged across generations, as well as the value of the brewery’s flagship 16 oz. can 6-pack format, which the company launched in 2013.  

“Part of the magic recipe, the lightning in the bottle of Pizza Port, is we’ve been so many things to so many people throughout their lives and a lot of those people who were coming as kids are now bringing their kids here,” she said. 

In the conversation, Olesh discussed the pillars of Pizza Port’s sales pitch – “consistency, quality, affordability, availability” – as well as the mindset that carried her through the recent SoCal distributor consolidation as Hand Family Companies bought and merged Stone Distributing, Classic Beverage and Scout Distributing into Sunset Distributing earlier this year and why she’s optimistic for 2026. 

Plus, hear the real-time reactions from the Brewbound team on Anheuser-Busch InBev’s $490 million deal for 85% of party punch maker BeatBox, as well as quick recaps on a proposed class-action lawsuit against Boston Beer and how the night before Thanksgiving busted this year. 

Justin, Jess and Zoe also share their Spotify Wrapped results, with some surprising – and not-so-surprising – results. 

Listen here.

Brewbound Live has officially kicked off in LA!

The 2-day event (December 10 &11) brings together hundreds of voices across beer and beverage-alcohol: founders, brewers, operators, retailers, distributors, investors and suppliers.

Not in town? Check out our free livestream on Brewbound.com. 

Still want to come by? Register now.

The back half of November delivered mixed performances for bars and restaurants, according to CGA, the on-premise-focused arm of market research firm NIQ.

Value velocity for the 3-week period (L3W) ending November 29 declined 5% YoY, but increased 1% in the L12W. 

Insiders can read more about November on-premise trends in CGA’s key tracked markets.

Amid reported settlement talks with $4 billion activist investor Elliott Investment Management, PepsiCo announced on Monday that it is evaluating an integrated model for its North America supply chain and go-to-market optimization initiatives.

The announcement comes 3 months after Elliott sent a letter to PepsiCo’s board of directors outlining a 4-point plan to address “poor operational results, sharp stock price underperformance and a meaningfully discounted valuation,” including refranchising or spinning off its bottling operations.

Insiders can read more here. 

The personal and professional responsibilities of a modern beverage entrepreneur were in the spotlight on Day 2 of BevNET Live LA 2025, as founders and leaders discussed strategies to effectively meet the changing role of running a beverage business.

Check out highlights from the event here.

Dedicated gluten-free beer maker Ghostfish Brewing has purchased the brewing assets of the former Pike Brewing production facility in Seattle, acquiring the lease for the 26,000 sq. ft. space from Fremont Brewing. 

Ghostfish co-founder and co-owner Brian Thiel called the purchase and planned move “a major milestone” toward the company’s goal of becoming the largest dedicated gluten-free brewery in North America. 

Insiders can read more about Ghostfish’s plans here. 

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Interested in other beverage coverage? 👀 Check out the BevNET Daily Briefing covering the broader beverage industry, including energy drinks, cannabis and other non-alcoholic beverages. Want to stick to the hard stuff? Subscribe to our Spirits Newsletter (published every 2 weeks). 

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