Craft beer is capable of speaking to incoming LDA consumers, but breweries need to do it on Gen Z’s own terms, according to panelists in a CBC session last week titled “Craft Beer Isn’t Dead: It’s Actually Where You Want to Be.”

Brewbound Insiders are reading highlights from the discussion, including commentary from Total Wine & More senior director, merchandising, Andrea Starr; Ahead of the Curve Strategy co-founder Dan Kiefer; the E-Premise Group co-founder Ethan Stienstra; and Bump Williams Consulting president Dave Williams. 

In today’s full version of the Brewbound Newsletter, Insiders are also:

• Checking out Part 1 of a 2-part series on intoxicating hemp beverages’ routes to market;
• Getting details on the 2025 return of Brewery Ommegang’s Belgium Comes to Cooperstown festival;
• Diving into beer segments’ off-premise performances through April 20;
• Reading Jefferies equity analyst Kaumil Gajrawala’s overview of the state of the Hispanic consumer;
• And taking a look at Shock Top’s new look.

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

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Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson entered the Brewbound Podcast studio last week fresh off stage from giving his State of the Industry speech at the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC).

Watson discussed key takeaways from his speech, including why the 4% volume decline for craft last year wasn’t everyone’s experience, as 43% of craft breweries found growth last year. He also discussed why the growing number of closures has hit the long-tail of craft breweries – those making fewer than 500 barrels of beer – the hardest.

The conversation touches on several other topics, including:

• How the BA is advocating for its members in Washington, D.C.;
• Why full-strength spirits are being added to the Great American Beer Festival;
• Whether GABF could move away from Denver in the future; 
• Why there is a perception versus reality issue with consumers when it comes to the flavors that craft offers beyond IPA;
• And his overall read on the vibe of CBC.

Ahead of the interview, the Brewbound team also discusses recent headlines, including Rhinegeist’s NA beer venture and Tilray CEO Irwin Simon’s honest thoughts on the company’s stock price. 

Plus, the team plays Another Round or Tabbing Out on the commercialization of B.O.R.G.s, and Zoe dishes on her motorsport adventures.

Listen here or on your preferred podcasting platform.

Despite recent headwinds, craft beer continues to have the largest share of beer sales at Total Wine & More stores. But “it won’t stay that way” if industry trends continue, according to the chain retailer’s senior director, merchandising, Andrea Starr.

Starr spoke last week at the Craft Brewers Conference in Indianapolis on a panel discussion that included: Ahead of the Curve Strategy co-founder Dan Kiefer, the E-Premise Group co-founder Ethan Stienstra and Bump Williams Consulting president Dave Williams. The conversation, titled “Craft Beer Isn’t Dead: It’s Actually Where You Want to Be,” was moderated by Holidaily founder and chief brewista Karen Hertz. 

Insiders can read highlights from the panel discussion, including why authenticity and reputation still matter, how a house of brands differs from a branded house and why craft producers should embrace “layup” opportunities.

Not that long ago, the idea of buying cannabis beverages online would have seemed like an unlikely pipe dream. Now, order-by-mail has become a primary mechanism for distributing intoxicating hemp beverages.

For most beverage types, DTC and e-commerce have served as avenues for building brand awareness, rather than lasting revenue pillars. But cannabis beverages have bucked that trend, utilizing a grey area provided in the 2018 Farm Bill to introduce consumers to the format and drive sustainable velocities.

Will e-commerce continue to be a valuable mechanism for moving volume, or is a transition to bev-alc retail a necessary – albeit complicated – next step? 

BevNET reporter Lukas Southard explores this question in Part 1 of a 2-part series highlighting intoxicating hemp beverage routes to market. Read the full story here.

The craft segment’s dollar sales and volume declines have accelerated to start the second quarter, traditionally the lead-up to beer’s all important summer selling season, according to the most recent off-premise report from market research firm Circana.

In the L4W through April 20, craft’s dollar sales and volume, measured in case sales, declined 6.3% and 7.2%, respectively, at multi-outlet grocery, mass retail and convenience stores (MULO+C). Those metrics mark an acceleration from the segment’s YTD trends, down 4.9% and 6%, respectively. 

Losses were most acute in grocery, where craft over-indexes (No. 3 segment overall behind domestic premium and import) compared to c-stores (No. 6 segment overall). In grocery stores, craft’s dollar sales declines accelerated to 7.8% in the L4W (versus -6% YTD) and volume losses accelerated to 8.1% (versus -6.8% YTD).

Insiders can read more about how the top 30 craft brands fared and check out which brands broke through in grocery and c-stores.