Intoxicating hemp beverages have landed squarely in the crosshairs of the bev-alc industry this week. 

At the Beer Institute’s (BI) annual Membership Meeting, president and CEO Brian Crawford doubled-down on calls for federal regulations to create “a level playing field” with beer, wine and spirits and a ban until such regulations are in place. These comments echoed a letter the BI and other trade groups penned this week. 

In another letter, 54 bev-alc distributors asked Congress to keep hemp drinks legal while creating a framework similar to the one that governs alcohol. Insiders are digging into Crawford’s comments courtesy of senior reporter Zoe Licata, who attended the meeting in Washington, D.C., and the middle-tier missive, which editor Justin Kendall covered for Brewbound.com.

Plus, all Brewbound readers have access to the latest Brewbound Podcast, featuring an interview with High Rise Beverage co-founder Matt Skinner on taking the THC-infused beverage brand to 22 states.

Brewbound Insiders are also reading these stories in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter and at Brewbound.com:

• How functional NA beverages are affecting consumers’ soda spending;
• Samuel Adams’ first new winter seasonal in 30+ years;
• And Athletic and Vans Warped Tour’s new collaboration beer.  

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Bev-alc industry members have been more vocal than ever this week about their stances on intoxicating hemp beverages, and the Beer Institute (BI) was no exception at the trade group’s annual Membership Meeting held Wednesday in Washington, D.C. 

BI president and CEO Brian Crawford dedicated the majority of his remarks to intoxicating hemp, and the BI’s desire for regulation. 

He said: “Every single thing that we in this room consume, even water, is regulated by a federal agency. But yet, there is an entire new category of products that people are consuming, that they receive at their house, that has no regulatory oversight whatsoever. It is crazy to me that the federal government is allowing this to happen.

“Unfortunately, devoid of federal action, it's up to the states to regulate these products.”

Insiders can read more, including results of a Morning Consult consumer survey on intoxicating hemp, commissioned by the BI, and other focus areas for the trade group in D.C.

High Rise Beverage co-founder Matt Skinner has built a coastal-themed brand in the Southeast but his ambitions extend across the nation. 

The Charleston, South Carolina-headquartered intoxicating hemp beverage brand is now available in 22 states, and Skinner sees an opportunity to go even bigger.

“We’re in the space of being a nationwide brand at this point,” he says on the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, recorded in October at the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s Annual Convention in Las Vegas. 

“Having those partnerships and getting in with the right distributors now is important. They’re finding who they feel like their horses are in the category, and I think we are aligning across the country with that. But the Southeast is very important to us.”  

Before the interview, Justin and Zoe discuss the latest news, such as New Belgium’s packed new product slate for 2026, including new Voodoo Ranger IPAs and a canned cocktail offshoot, as well as Molson Coors’ tough Q3 earnings report.

Listen here. 

A coalition of 54 beer, wine and spirits distributors are asking U.S. House and Senate leaders to regulate and tax intoxicating hemp products similar to alcoholic beverages, according to a letter sent Wednesday.  

The distributors urged Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) “to avoid language that would create a prohibition on intoxicating hemp consumable products” and “oppose efforts to close the so-called ‘hemp loophole’ through any spending package or Farm Bill.”

Insiders can read more from the distributors and see the full list of who signed on, including several multistate operators.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about “managing health and wellness” and it is “drastically” changing beverage trends across bev-alc and NA, according to a new report from Circana and the market research firm’s EVP of BevAl Scott Scanlon.

As of 2024, carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) have the largest share of dollars in Circana-tracked off-premise channels, increasing from 17% in 2023, to 18.3%, usurping beer and hard cider (-0.5 points, to 17.4% share in 2024). While that initially seems counterintuitive to health and wellness concerns, the increase is driven by growth among pre- and pro-biotic and “better-for-you” sodas such as Poppi and Olipop. 

Scanlon wrote: “The beverage landscape has changed drastically over the past 4 years, driven in part by consumers’ interest in functional drinks. Top growth brands across retail include those that highlight the importance of drinks filling a need for consumers.”

Insiders can learn more, including how bev-alc can capitalize and the top contributors to adult NA dollars.

JuneShine Brands (CA) has spent the last 7 years expanding its bev-alc portfolio from only hard kombucha, to now spirits-based canned cocktails, an American light lager and FMBs. 

But the company’s fastest-growing new product to date doesn’t contain any alcohol. It’s a THC-infused beverage with the name of a well-known, long-time cannabis enthusiast attached.

In March, JuneShine launched Willie’s Remedy+, a hemp-based THC-infused “social tonic” made in partnership with Willie Nelson and his wellness enterprise Long Play, Inc. The offering was first available in multi-serve 750 mL bottles, shipped DTC in 35 states. Within the first month, bottles had sold out and JuneShine was scrambling to get more supply, and sales have continued to grow, tripling in April and again in May, according to the company. 

“It’s been crazy – it’s definitely the fastest-growing thing we’ve ever launched at JuneShine Brands,” JuneShine co-founder and chief creative officer Forrest Dein told Brewbound. 

Insiders can read more details here, including brand extensions, retail and distribution plans and JuneShine's latest scans. 

It’s time to reveal the finalists for the Brewbound Live Pitch Slam, our business pitch competition for beer and beverage-alcohol brands. They will compete during Brewbound Live 2025, taking place on December 10 + 11 in L.A.

The lines between beverage-alcohol and adult beverages continue to blur, and this year’s Brewbound Live Pitch Slam finalists are at the forefront of that evolution. These brands represent the future of innovation across beer, functional drinks, THC-infused products, sake, and beyond.

Learn more about who will be pitching on the Brewbound Live Stage!

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