Craft’s off-premise woes marched on in October. Last month, the segment’s dollar sales declined even more at grocery stores, while c-stores were nearly flat. Only 11 of the top 30 craft brands by YTD dollar sales are growing, but 7 of them are seeing growth accelerate, so maybe that’s a good thing? Insiders are reading all the details.

Insiders are also reading about Monster’s 2026 bev-alc new product slate, including the company’s first spirits-based RTD and an 8% strong lager. 

Plus, the latest Thanksgiving expectations from insights firm Numerator, and Jess’ experience with Tree House’s country club taproom robots.  

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Craft beer’s off-premise losses accelerated in October, according to the most recent monthly report from market research firm Circana. 

In MULO+C, craft’s dollar sales have declined 4.5% and volumedeclined 6% YTD through November 2, according to Circana. Those losses have accelerated in the latest 4-week period (L4W), with dollars down 5.2% and volume down 6.5% – a marked decline from the prior L4W (ending October 5), when dollars had dipped 4.8% and volume dropped 6.1%.

In the all-important grocery category, where craft over-indexes as the beer category’s 3rd-largest segment by YTD dollar sales, craft recorded high-single-digit losses in dollar sales (-7.8%) and volume (-8.4%) in the L4W. Craft’s grocery performance has significantly deteriorated throughout the year. YTD, dollars are down 6.8% and volume down 7.9%, which further declined to -7.3% in dollars and -8.2% in volume in the L12W.

Insiders can read more about brand-level performance and expect a look at channel variations later this week.

Monster Brewing’s 2026 innovation slate will include a pair of lagers and the company’s first spirits-based RTD offering. 

CEO Hilton Schlosberg teased the new products but offered few details during the company’s Q3 earnings call earlier this month. But VP of sales operations Renold Aparicio clued Brewbound in on what’s on the way.

Just Vibe Hard Refresher, a 4.5% ABV vodka-based RTD, will mark Monster’s first spirits-based offering, Aparicio wrote.

Insiders can read more about what’s coming from Monster, including new beers, high ABV FMBs spring and summer craft seasonals.

Increased costs related to President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade policies are weighing on consumers’ minds heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, according to data insights firm Numerator.

A majority of consumers (61%) said they’re anticipating tariff-related impacts, with 22% expecting to change the way they shop “quite a bit or completely” due to increased costs. 

Insiders can read more from Numerator.

Beer industry members’ shoulders are heavy these days, weighed down by continued declines, rising costs and piling-on headwinds. 

But when you zoom out to see greater consumer trends, you discover the battle isn’t unique to beer, Beer Institute (BI) chief economist Andrew Heritage shared last week during the trade group’s Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C. 

Insiders can dive deeper into what’s going on, including beer segment trends and declines across wine and spirits, as well as how beer can look to the past for encouragement.

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