Brewers Association chief economist and VP of strategy Bart Watson dove into the “convoluted, murky and contradictory” world of legal cannabis and its interaction with alcoholic beverages. Watson notes that the effect of legal cannabis on beer isn’t so cut and dry. Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante breaks it down. 

Insiders are also:

• Reading through the Beer Institute’s position on cannabevs;
• Seeing how beer is keeping up with inflation;
• Getting exclusive data from 3 Tier Beverages to prep for Q4;
• Finding out about Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails’ high ABV line extensions;
• And reviewing Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris’ comments at Yahoo Finance’s conference. 

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

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More than a decade after the first states legalized recreational cannabis, the interaction between it and craft beer remains as nebulous as ever.

In a recent post that he described as “long, convoluted, murky and contradictory, just like this topic,” Brewers Association (BA) chief economist and VP of strategy Bart Watson explored the effect of various forms of legal cannabis, including both marijuana and hemp-derived, delta-9 THC, on consumers’ consumption habits. 

The specter of legal recreational cannabis had long generated anxiety in some craft brewers who feared drinkers would eschew craft beer in its favor. In reality, drinkers have been drinking less beer, but not necessarily because they’re opting for cannabis. 

Watson wrote: “Per capita beer volumes have been declining for several decades, but that’s largely been the result of the corresponding increase in spirits – largely driven by cheaper relative pricing – and until the last few years, total beverage-alcohol consumption per capita levels were quite steady.”

As intoxicating hemp beverages proliferate, the BI recently clarified its positions on the segment:

• “The legalization of consumable cannabis products is for American voters, state Legislatures and Congress to decide.
• The Beer Institute supports efforts underway by lawmakers to close an unintended federal loophole that is enabling the proliferation of unregulated intoxicating hemp products across the country, including those containing synthetically derived THC.”

Insiders can read more about the clear-as-mud relationship between cannabis and craft beer, and the BI’s stance on THC-impaired driving, as well as how incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) feels about legalization.

This week the Brewbound Podcast crossed the 200th episode milestone. Insider’s Week in Beer newsletter writer Sean McNulty joins to celebrate.

The Brewbound team recaps the latest headlines, including the Lord Hobo-Lone Pine merger, the Beer Institute’s Annual Membership Meeting, layoffs at Molson Coors’ remaining craft production facilities and Monster’s Q3 financial results. 

Plus, the gang plays Another Round or Tabbing Out, recalls Episode 100 (we think) and time capsules recent life moments for the next podcast milestone. 

It’s a fast-moving show, with an unexpected Real Housewives detour.

Listen here or on your preferred podcast platform.

Inflation for beer continued to outpace trends for total bev-alc in October, but lessened versus September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. 

The CPI for beer at home increased +2.6% year-over-year (YoY), before seasonal adjustment, the same increase as overall inflation for all items. 

The increase is on top of a +4.7% YoY increase recorded in October 2023, which had marked “reemerged” inflation for the category after a seven-month slowdown, Brewers Association chief economist and VP of strategy Bart Watson said at the time.

Insiders can read more, including October CPI readings for beer, wine and spirits away from home.

Off-premise trends across bev-alc have started to improve slightly, according to 3 Tier Beverage’s Q4 Beverage Category Review, a quarterly report using NIQ data, published exclusively with Brewbound Insiders.

Insiders can check out the full report here, including year-to-date performances for beer, wine and spirts.

Retailers, wholesalers and analysts have preached focus as a key to winning in 2025 and beyond. 

During the 2024 Brewbound Live business conference, leaders from Whole Foods Market, Deschutes Brewery and Bump Williams Consulting will define what a focused strategy looks like, why retailers are asking suppliers to sharpen their plans and portfolios, and how laser-focused lineups are generating sales results. 

Joining the conversation will be:

• Peter Skrbek, CEO, Deschutes Brewery;
• Mary Guiver, principal category merchant for beer, Whole Foods Market;
• Brian “BK” Krueger, VP of business development and portfolio strategies, Bump Williams Consulting. 

Brewbound Live takes place December 11 and 12 at the Marina del Rey Marriott in California. Tickets are available now. 

The conference will bring together leaders from all three tiers for business-focused conversations on driving the bev-alc industry forward, data presentations, networking and brand building. 

Check out the speaker roster.

In addition to the mainstage programming and networking parties, Brewbound Live will feature opportunities for one-to-one conversations with retail buyers from chains (Whole Foods and ExtraMile Convenience Stores) and distributors (Breakthru Beverage California, Reyes Beer Division and California Beverage Solution – Stone Distributing, Markstein Sales and Heimark Distributing). Registered attendees will be considered for meetings with buyers, as space is limited. Find out more details here.

Brewbound Live sponsors include John I. Haas, Abstrax Hops, Suntory, Yeti, NIQ, Crafted ERP, Strike Visuals, Fast Track Packaging, Foundry, BeatBox, Firestone Walker and JuneShine.