Monster’s bev-alc division took another hit in 2025, with the company recording its third consecutive impairment charge on its alcohol brands, now totaling $232.4 million in write offs. 

The energy drink maker shared the latest update along with company-wide Q4 and full-year 2025 results Thursday. In today’s Brewbound Insider Newsletter and on Brewbound.com, Insiders are reading all the details, including what bev-alc innovations are still expected from Monster this year. 

Insiders are also learning about:

• The Brewers Association’s new board members and chair;
• How white label products are causing shifts in the spirits industry;
• A slightly optimistic February Beer Purchasers’ Index;
• Layoffs at Southern Galzer’s Wine & Spirits;
• A reality check on Molson Coors’ M&A ambitions;
• And several new year-round offerings from Founders. 

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

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Monster Beverage Company’s alcohol division dragged the overall business again in 2025, including a $53.7 million impairment charge on its alcohol brands segment for the full year, the company reported Thursday during its full-year and Q4 2025 earnings report.

The vast majority of the impairment charge – $51.2 million – was recorded in Q4. Monster previously took a $138.8 million impairment charge on its alcohol business in 2024 and a $39.9 million write down on its alcohol brands in 2023. 

Dive deeper

Matt Brewing Company (Utica, NY president Fred Matt will lead the Brewers Association (BA) board of directors as chairman for its 2026 term, the BA announced Thursday following the board’s first meeting of the new year. 

In addition to Matt, the 2026 executive committee includes:

• Vice chairman Jason Lavery, Lavery Brewing Company (Erie, PA
• Secretary Melissa Romano, Lake Anne Brewhouse (Reston, VA);
• Treasurer Audra Gaiziunas, DSSOLVR (Asheville, NC);
• Past chairwoman Leah Cheston, Right Proper Brewing Company (DC);
• BA president and CEO Bart Watson. 

Read more

Private label products saw a banner year in 2025, with spirits ranking as 1 of the top growing categories. As some distillers aim to take advantage of the opportunity, will brands feel the squeeze?

U.S. sales of store brands increased slightly more than $9 billion to a record $282.8 billion in all outlets last year, according to Circana data. Store brand dollar sales increased nearly 3x the rate of national brands for the 52 weeks ending December 28.

Some retailers have long been onto the opportunity of private label programs.

Read more

Beer wholesalers appear to be slightly more optimistic about the category through the first 2 months of 2026 compared to the start of 2025, according to the latest Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) from the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA). 

Total beer recorded a February BPI of 39. While the number means the category is still in “cautionary territory,” it was up 4 points compared to the industry’s February 2025 BPI of 35, marking the first YoY increase in 13 months, or since January 2025, according to the NBWA. 

Dive deeper into the report

The Brewbound Awards recognize bev-alc companies across beer, cider, hard seltzer and RTDs for their achievements and impact. Categories include Brewery of the Year, Beyond Beer Company of the Year, Rising Stars, Best New Products and more.

A nomination guarantees your company, product or nominee is formally considered and published on Brewbound.com once the nomination period closes. 

Submit your nomination: https://app.bevnet.com/awards/brewbound-awards-2026

The pack mentality isn’t going away anytime soon in craft brewing. 

The Oregon Beverage Collective (OBC) – the tie up of Crux Fermentation Project, Cascade Lakes, Silver Moon, Goodlife and Tumalo Cider – launched a couple of weeks ago as one of the latest additions to this crowd.

OBC president Andy Rhine joined the Brewbound Podcast to share how those 5 brands are looking to build strength in numbers. 

Before the interview, Justin and Zoe break down the latest headlines, including the fallout from Dry January, the Brewers Association’s 2025 financial results, Tilray’s licensing deal with Carlsberg, the Left Hand Collective’s newest member and the Supreme Court’s ruling on reciprocal tariffs. 

Listen here

The Brewbound team is heading to the New England Craft Brew Summit NEXT WEEK (Friday, March 6) in Portland, ME. We’ll be on the ground covering the latest news and conversations coming out of the event, as well as recording Brewbound Podcast On Location interviews.

Here are a few ways to connect with us:

1. Stop by Booth #3: Watch a podcast recording, grab a T-shirt and chat with the team.

2. Share your news: Have updates from your brewery? We’d love to hear from you.

3. Reach out to meet: Email us at podcast@brewbound.com if you want to catch up in Portland.

See you there!

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Want to share news or tips? ✉️ Submit a press release or reach out to news@brewbound.com.

Interested in other beverage coverage? 👀 Check out the BevNET Daily Briefing covering the broader beverage industry, including energy drinks, cannabis and other non-alcoholic beverages. Want to stick to the hard stuff? Subscribe to our Spirits Newsletter (published every 2 weeks). 

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