Nationwide, sales of distributed draft beer have stalled at the same levels reached in 2021, as the on-premise reopened following COVID-19 pandemic-driven closures. 

The draft market is estimated to be 2 million barrels below historic trends, Brewbound editor Justin Kendall said, citing data from Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson, to kick off a conversation about the state of draft beer during Brewbound’s recent Brew Talks meetup in Denver last month. 

Panelists included:

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

The full conversation can be heard on the Brewbound Podcast and watched here.

At-the-brewery sales from January to May 2023 increased +2.6% compared to the same period in 2022, according to Arryved POS data parsed by Brewers Association (BA) chief economist Bart Watson in a recent blog post.

However, sales increased at about half the rate of inflation, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracked at 5% for the period.

Watson said: “In real terms, you’re looking at a slight decline in sales.”

Brewbound Insiders can read more here, including metrics of sales by time of day.

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As the bev-alc business expands, how does an entrepreneur determine if a distributor relationship will be beneficial?

That was the question poised during the Sovos Beverage Alcohol Summit last week, hosted by the beverage alcohol compliance shipment software company.

Legal professionals identified emerging wholesale agreement pitfalls particularly as the categories blur, including how suppliers can avoid costly exit fees, why understanding franchise laws could change the outcome of a contract, and where recent red flags pop up.

Beverage alcohol attorneys Shauna Barnes of Barnes Beverage Group, Elke Hofmann of Elke A Hofmann Law, and Arielle Albert of Danow, McMullan & Panoff, weighed in.

BevNet spirits editor Ferron Salniker breaks down four areas for consideration.

Liquid Death has appointed its first chief commercial officer: Stephen Ballard, former SVP of sales at Mark Anthony Brands.

Ballard began in the role this week and he will oversee field sales, distribution, national accounts and international expansion. He will report directly to Liquid Death co-founder and CEO Mike Cessario.

Insiders can read more here.

Brewbound Insiders are reading more from Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante’s recap of the first panel at Brew Talks Denver 2023, including insights from Buffalo Wild Wings’ Jason Murphy on how the national chain’s draft beer business has changed.

Insiders are also:

• Diving into more on-premise sales metrics from Bart Watson;
• Reading details on people moves at Liquid Death and Angry Horse Brewing;
• Learning how to avoid legal mistakes from the Sovos Beverage Alcohol Summit;
• And more!

Become a Brewbound Insider today!

Or, be in the know on all food and beverage news from Brewbound, BevNET and NOSH with Insider All Access.

Brewbound Live takes place December 6 and 7 in Marina del Rey, California, at the Marina Del Rey Marriott Hotel (4100 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA). Tickets are available now.

The beer industry’s chief economists will come together to discuss beer’s data, challenges and opportunities during the 2023 Brewbound Live business conference in Marina del Rey, California.

Bart Watson and Lester Jones, chief economists of the Brewers Association and the National Beer Wholesalers Association, respectively, will share the stage on December 6 to provide an update on beer industry trends and the trajectory heading into 2024.

Watson and Jones join a speaker lineup that includes Tilray Brand’s president of the U.S. Beer Division Ty Gilmore, who will share the global cannabis firm’s interest in the craft brewing sector in the U.S. during a fireside chat.

Get your tickets today.

BevNet's East Coast office will host a meetup this Wednesday, October 4. The BevNET team and other industry leaders will converge at the Boston office for an evening of conversations and product sampling.

Food, beverage, and beer professionals are invited to attend the free event. Brand leaders are also encouraged to bring samples for other attendees to try.