Welcome to Brewbound’s Inside Look at the Beer Business for the week that was … Saturday, March 15, 2025.

Well, with the president jacking the tariffs on Canadian aluminum – what better way to kick off the St. Patrick’s Day weekend newsletter than with a pint of GUINNESS in a nice #DraftClean 20 oz. glass!

Besides, it’s probably best to get that pint in now before any 200% EU alcohol taxes start making that pint $14. Funny, I don’t recall this being part of the campaign season speech promises.

So, I guess “Splitting the G” will get an entirely different meaning this spring if that actually comes to fruition … in that you’ll have to start splitting your GUINNESS with someone else to afford it.

ALTHOUGH: As the price of bev-alc away from home was +3.4% YoY in February, above the overall CPI of +2.8% … yeah, I’m not sure we need the tariff help to boost prices. Beer away from home was at least “just” +3.2% (spirits led the way here at +5% away from home).

• Thus, drinking at home was again a far more attractive proposition, well at least for your wallet if not your dating life – bev-alc was only +0.4% there.
• As always, there’s no way to put a price on drinking from Justin’s basement fridge – don’t worry, he’s too busy doing appearances on the China Global TV Network to notice (I’m beginning to worry he’s been compromised 😬).

THEN: $90 bottles of VEUVE, anyone? While no price is too high to live the French high life for Zoe (I’ll stick to the Wisconsin kind myself, in glass bottles naturally) – the WSJ did a good job breaking down what Trump’s 200% EU alcohol tariffs would do practically to that sector.

PLUS: C-store overall sales volume is -4.3% YoY for the 52wk period ending Feb. 23, according to new CIRCANA data. 

The WSJ reports that inflation is likely to blame for folks not popping into gas stations or buying as much as usual while filling up – and $7 for a large bag of chips is certainly 🤯 – although gotta think the #MaybeItsOzempic factor is also playing a role too given the uh, types of offerings in the C-store sector. 

Either way, a drop in overall C-store sales volume certainly isn’t great for beer either.

Percentage of folks who support the expansion of DTC shipping of beer to more states, according to a new HARRIS POLL commissioned by the BA and SOVOS SHIPCOMPLIANT:

• 83% of folks who drink craft beer at least once a month (-3% YoY)
• 64% of LDAs in the U.S. (-4% YoY)

MEANWHILE BREWING

Director of Sales and Marketing – Austin, TX

MAPLEWOOD BREWING

Regional Sales Rep – Chicago, IL

SUNTORY RTD COMPANY

The NATIONAL BLACK BREWERS ASSOCIATION named a new president – CAJUN FIRE CEO and brewmaster Jon Renthrope – and two new board members:

• FUNKYTOWN Brewery co-founder and CEO Rich Bloomfield 
• VINE STREET Brewing co-owner and business development manager Annie McGinnis

Jeff Agase, former TENTH & BLAKE head at MC, has launched a new venture called BRIGHTBEV, a “platform for emerging beverage brands,” aiding in “route to market and distribution.”

Heading to CBC in Indy at the end of April? Come by booth #512!

Although probably best to stop by on the first day … as I can only imagine how off the chain Jess and Justin will get without the kids around. Zoe – we’re trusting you to keep the gang in fighting shape all week (Oh wait, she’s leaving early to catch the Miami Grand Prix? … Well, now you HAVE to stop by, even if it’s only for entertainment purposes).

This week, I mean BIG BEER in the literal sense. 

Kudos to Canada’s last major brewery with Canadian ownership, MOOSEHEAD, who released this 1,461 beer pack – a beer for every day of the Trump 2.0 term.

It sold the 10 that it put up for sale so far, and has a waitlist of over 100 folks – and you just haven’t lived until you’ve had a 4-year-old can of Canadian lager in January 2029.

Totally worth the $2,467 CAD price tag – and hey, that’s only $1,718 in USD! Although good luck getting it across the border these days.

ELSEWHERE IN BIG BEER

CORONA is getting a new tagline in a new marketing push from CONSTELLATION this spring, launching with March Madness and MLB ad buys – “La Playa Awaits.” 

• CORONA was the only CONSTELLATION brand that didn’t have growth last year.
• CORONA PREMIER, which was -11.4% in sales in 2024, according to CIRCANA data, will also get a new tagline of “The only lighter than light beer that’s worthy of being called Corona.”
• And CORONA SUNBREW is going national this year, after going the test market route in 2024.

• UNITED AIRLINES added the availability of 2 CRAFTHOUSE COCKTAILS SKUs on domestic flights over 300 miles, because if you’re looking to knock back 11% ABV cocktails on a flight where you’re in the air less than you’re on the tarmac – yeah, you’ve had better ideas.
• SIPMARGS sparkling RTDs raised $3M in a new investment round, which includes influencer Alix Earle who A) will naturally also promote the brand on social as the company’s largest individual investor, and B) is from the same area where Jess and I grew up in Jersey! Although Jess and I clearly still have more local influence.
• The Texas state Legislature has introduced legislation to allow for spirits-based RTDs up to 17% ABV to be sold in grocery and C-stores.
• CITY BREWING is considering a proposal with its creditors where its lenders would take control of the company, according to Bloomberg. 
• Brewpub chains GORDON BIERSCH and ROCK BOTTOM are adding domestic lagers from #bigbeer to their menus. So instead of people asking “Do you have anything that tastes like a COORS LIGHT?” – they can just give you a COORS LIGHT. Both brands were acquired in late 2024 by KELLY OPERATIONS GROUP. 
• MICH ULTRA ZERO’s sales have crossed $4M YTD (over 9,200 BBL) through Feb. 23, according to CIRCANA data.
• MAHOU SAN MIGUEL bought the 10% of FOUNDERS that it didn’t already own. 
• DIAGEO is ceasing to bring new brands into its DISTILL VENTURES accelerator program for startup drink entrepreneurs. It invested over $300M since 2013 in 39 founder-led brands in the program. 

GUINNESS national ambassador Ryan Wagner joins the pod this week to talk all things MILLER LITE. Oh no, wait, it’s all things GUINNESS. My bad. Dive into how:

• The brand gets ready for the big day on Monday.
• The Splitting the G viral phenomenon has boosted the brand’s upward trajectory and introduces it to new consumers. 
• The company has rebounded on-premise, post-pandemic
• To create the perfect GUINNESS pour, of course, and more!

PLUS: The BREWBOUND gang dives into:

• The latest gatherings in the beer biz including the CONSTELLATION SUMMIT and NEW ENGLAND CRAFT BEER SUMMIT
• The BA’s latest financial picture
• CRYSTAL LIGHT Refreshers, of course, and more!

This week’s beer goes out to uh, Reno! Which is somehow the place to be this weekend 🤷‍♂️ (well, more so than usual, of course).

But yes, apparently Reno, NV is the 2nd best place in America to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, according to the folks at WALLETHUB, who are world-renowned for knowing a thing or two about Irish culture.

This is based on things like the number of parades, Irish pubs per capita, and share of the population that is Irish … as well as cost, which I’m thinking may have been a factor that skewed things in Reno’s direction (and certainly away from NYC, which came in appropriately at #7).

The top spot of course? Boston! A place I have resolved to celebrate St. Pat’s Day at some point in my life – but I think choosing a year when it falls on a Monday would be an … unfortunate choice. 

Plus, Zoe has told me that we can’t be in the same place at the same time for BREWBOUND insurance purposes. I mean, if something happened to both of us … well, ya know, good luck doing all of that gif work.

Slainté!

-Sean McNulty 

(you can always reach me here on LinkedIn)