Thanksgiving Eve is historically the biggest party night of the year, when people return to their hometowns to pack the bars the night before the holiday. But this year, draft beer and packaged bev-alc both recorded double-digit declines YoY. Insiders are digging into on-premise insights firm BeerBoard’s postmortem. 

Insiders are also reading the following stories on Brewbound.com and in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter:

• AriZona’s acquisition in Anaheim, CA;
• RTD brand Lake Hour’s new CEO;
• A-B’s high-level sports activation news;
• Surfside’s own take on Spotify Wrapped.

Plus, everyone has access to this week’s Brewbound Podcast episode, featuring The Lost Abbey’s Tomme Aruthur. 

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

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Consumers aren’t choosing lighter drinks to compromise — they’re choosing them to trade up. VIVID owns that shift with full-flavor, low ABV ciders built for the modern palate and a premium lifestyle. This holiday, “Merry and Bright” isn’t just a vibe — it’s the new roadmap for better-for-you beverage growth. Learn more

The Lost Abbey’s Tomme Arthur’s current tagline is “We’re surviving, not thriving.”

“We’d love to turn that into thriving,” he added on the latest episode of the Brewbound Podcast. 

“We’re trying to get to next year. That’s the standard answer. Next year will be our 20th year in business. So it’s a pretty big milestone in terms of continuity or continuation. So [we’re] definitely looking forward. What we’re trying to do is really establish the right size and scale for the brewery.”

For the Lost Abbey, that’s led to a bit of a nomadic lifestyle over the last couple of years, moving from San Marcos to the Mother Earth Brewing facility in Vista and now to the former Eppig Brewing 30-barrel brewery space about a mile across town. 

Arthur described those moves as a search for efficiency that hasn’t yet fully been realized, reinforcing the business with contract partners with room to add more. 

In the interview, Arthur shared his view of The Lost Abbey’s business moves in an effort to “grow down,” while also hitting on a major challenge facing CA brewers coming up on the expiration of their leases as landlords seek market rate increases in rent. 

Before the interview, Jess, Zoe and Justin break down Rogue’s bankruptcy filing and Torch & Crown’s SoHo taproom closure. They also share one thing they’re looking forward to at Brewbound Live next week.

Listen here.  

Brewbound Live (Dec. 10 & 11) is next Wednesday in LA, and registration continues to climb with hundreds of breweries, distributors, retailers and investors already signed up. 

Networking is already happening in the virtual event portal and 1:1 meetings are almost fully booked. 

If it’s on your radar, now is the time to register and prepare for the discussions that will influence next year’s decisions.

Register here. 

AriZona Beverages’ USA subsidiary has acquired Manna Beverages' facility in Anaheim, CA.

Insiders can read more about the sale, as well as the sale of Manna’s West Sacramento plant to Redwood Beverages.

Lake Hour has tapped a seasoned spirits leader to guide its next chapter as the canned cocktail maker targets new markets and re-enters the hard tea market.

Co-founders Wyatt Russell and Richard Peete have hired former Ilegal mezcal COO Michelle Ivey as CEO of Lake Hour. By bringing in a spirits veteran, the film industry buddies will be able to take a step back from business operations to focus on driving the “creativity of the brand.”

Insiders can read more about Lake Hour’s growth and marketing plans, as well as why Ivey believes recent middle-tier shakeups are a positive for brands.

Volume of both draft (-10%) and packaged bev-alc (-14.9%) suffered double-digit declines in the on-premise on the night before Thanksgiving, according to BeerBoard.

While aforementioned YoY declines may be disheartening for brewers and bar owners, Thanksgiving Eve (November 26) recorded “serious lift” compared to the prior Wednesday. Draft beer (+41.8%) and packaged goods (+31%) both increased WoW.

Insiders can read more about brand and segment level performance on the on-premise’s biggest night of the year.

How can a dialed-in strategy help smaller brands thrive? NIQ director of bev-alc thought leadership Kaleigh Theriault and CGA bev-alc vertical director Drew Hummel will unpack how pricing, innovation and consumer occasions collide at Brewbound Live 2025 (December 10 & 11 in LA). Their presentation will offer insights for leaders of emerging and established bev-alc brands to find success at retail.

Theriault and Hummel will explore how the beverage-alcohol industry’s increasingly conflicting trends -– premiumization and private label; NA and high ABV; Generation Z’s mindful consumption and Boomers’ loyalty – and how they’re reshaping what, where and why people drink in the on- and off-premise channels.

Brewbound Live takes place December 10-11 at the Marina del Rey Marriott in Los Angeles, California.

Tickets are available now.

2 former Boston Beer employees are pursuing a class-action lawsuit, alleging the Twisted Tea maker skirts MA law by paying departing workers $3,000, minus taxes, instead of “garden leave” or other compensation, while enforcing restrictive noncompetition agreements.

The lawsuit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court of MA on behalf of Hailey Boyd and Grace Murtagh. The plaintiffs argue that Boston Beer’s severance pay “undermines” and “skirts MA law.”

Insiders can read more about the lawsuit and revisit prior coverage of lawsuits related to Boston Beer’s non-compete agreement. 

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