Today’s Top Story is the latest episode of the Brewbound Podcast – free to all listeners!

In addition to the episode, featuring Stateside co-founders Clement Pappas and Matt Quigley, Brewbound Insiders also have full access to today’s headlines, including Sazerac’s acquisition of Western Son Vodka & Distillery and the impact of SNAP reform on retailers.

Plus, in today’s Brewbound Insider Newsletter, Insiders are reading about:

• The planned closure of Funkwerks’ CO taproom;
• The retirement of Constellation Brands’ chief legal officer;
• A new partnership between Evil Genius and U.S. Beverage;
• Reuben’s Brews’ new NA beer line;
• And the latest celebrity to join forces with a NA beer brand.

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

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How does an RTD brand that was built on the beach translate to other seasons? Surfside, Stateside Vodka’s hard iced tea and lemonade canned cocktail brand, is betting big on sports this fall. 

Stateside co-founders CEO Clem Pappas and president Matt Quigley joined the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the brand’s meteoric rise, its partnerships across college football and professional hockey and baseball and the newly rechristened Stateside Live!, an entertainment hub at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex where the city’s professional sports teams play.  

YTD through mid-September, Surfside’s depletions reached nearly 8M cases, about a 150% increase over last year. 

Pappas said: “We budgeted to be up about 100% on the Surfside brand, and so we're doing a little bit better than that. As we've gone through the year and started to lap some bigger and bigger comps, the percentages have slowed down, but the case and the dollar gains have continued to increase, so I think overall, we've exceeded expectations.”

Prior to the interview, Zoe and Jess break down recent news stories, including the abrupt shutdown of brewpub chain Iron Hill and storied cider maker Martinelli’s pivot to bev-alc. 

Read more and listen to the conversation here or on your preferred podcasting platform.

Sazerac is acquiring TX-based Western Son Vodka and Distillery, the company announced Wednesday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Western Son joins Sazerac’s expanding spirits portfolio alongside Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Traveller Whiskey, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, SVEDKA Vodka, and more.

Insiders can read more about Western Son’s evolution over the last 2 years, and Sazerac’s expansion plans for the brand.

The Trump administration’s drive to narrow the scope of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may cost food retailers nearly $1.6 billion upfront and $759 million annually, according to a survey conducted by 3 grocery industry trade groups.

SNAP benefits cannot be used on bev-alc. However, any impact on retailers could create more headwinds for the already tumultuous industry, particularly beer, as the category relies heavily on convenience store and grocery sales. 

Insiders can read more here, including details on compliance burdens and potential effects on traffic.

The federal government has now been shut down for more than 24 hours, after Congress failed to reach a deal on funding, sparring over healthcare benefits. 

Bev-alc trade groups warned members of the impending shutdown and ensuing effects on the industry earlier this week, including delays in TTB label and formula approvals that will extend beyond the shutdown as the government agency tackles a backlog. Catch up on those comments here.

Highland Brewing owner, president and CEO Leah Wong Ashburn will give the keynote address at the Brewbound Live business conference in Los Angeles this December.

Wong Ashburn will share her story as a 2nd-generation brewery owner, guiding her Asheville, NC-based craft brewery through the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and building for the future.

The brewery served as a community gathering space in the wake of the natural disaster, and Highland has raised thousands of dollars to support local hospitality workers.

Brewbound Live will take place December 10 and 11 at the Marina del Rey Marriott.

Tickets are available now for the 2-day gathering of founders, entrepreneurs, sales leaders, marketers, c-suite executives, retailers, distributors and suppliers from across the industry. The event will include on-stage conversations with industry leaders, networking and pre-arranged 1:1 conversations with retailers and distributors.

Check out other speakers and register here.

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