• 📈 BPI Records First Beer Expansion in 4 Months
• 🤝 Eppig Hires Consultancy to Run Daily Ops
• 🏷️ Jughandle Brewing Equipment Sold at Auction
• 🏈 Football Legends Tapped for Bud Light Ad
• 💥 10 Barrel HopBurst Family of IPAs
• 🍓 Cheers! Strawberry Lager
• 📺 Parting Shot: Voodoo Ranger X Freak Brothers

Wholesalers’ beer ordering entered expansion territory in November after four months of contraction, indicating “a more neutral stance for the industry,” according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) latest Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI).

The BPI’s November reading for total beer was 51, a three-point month-over-month (MoM) increase from October’s reading of 48. A reading greater than 50 indicates expansion, while less than 50 indicates contraction.

November 2023’s reading reflects a 13-point year-over-year (YoY) increase from November 2022. The country’s “at-risk inventory,” beer in wholesalers’ warehouses within 30 days of going out of code, recorded a reading of 42. 

Across the category, imports (69) and premium lights (53) were the only segments to venture into expansion territory. Imports (then 59) were the only segment in expansion in the November 2022 BPI. Premium lights recorded the second steepest increase YoY, adding 12 points from November 2022. 

NBWA chief economist Lester Jones said: “The beer industry is closing a turbulent year with signs of a more stable and predictable ordering environment, reflected in a 13-point YoY jump for the Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) to 51. Coupled with an at risk inventory measure of 42, indicating low inventory levels, the data suggests a neutral stance for the industry – a marked improvement over the contractionary reading from last year.”

Premium regulars recorded an 18-point YoY increase and had the third-highest reading, which was still in contraction at 48. 

Below premium was the only segment to decline YoY, with a reading of 39, down eight points from 47 in November 2022. 

Cider’s reading increased two points, to 30. Flavored malt beverages (FMB) and hard seltzer increased nine points to 25. And craft beer increased one point YoY, to a reading of 26.

Insiders can read more here.

Vista, California-based Eppig Brewing has placed West Coast Ventures & Resources (WCVR) in charge of the brewery’s daily operations, according to San Diego Beer News. 

The transition follows a “cardiac incident” suffered by co-owner and CEO Todd Warshaw seven months ago that has led him to step down as CEO. 

WCVR, which already owns and operates Mason Ale Works, is expected to “reduce costs” in its efforts to grow the Eppig brand. The craft brewery recently shuttered its La Jolla location, which opened last year. 

Eppig operates a brewery and bierhalle in Vista and a waterfront biergarten in Point Loma. WCVR reported plans to open another Eppig branded satellite location at an undisclosed location and possibly other tasting room spaces, per the report.

WCVR is also expected to expand Eppig’s distribution beyond California to Arizona, Nevada and New York.

Equipment formerly belonging to Tinton Falls, New Jersey-based Jughandle Brewing was sold at auction yesterday as ordered by a secured creditor, according to New Mill Capital. 

The brewery filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July. In its filing, Jughandle claimed $468,395 in assets and $1,081,426 in liabilities to secured and unsecured creditors. 

The auction featured five 30-barrel and five 15-barrel stainless steel fermentation tanks; a seven-barrel, two-vessel brewhouse and mash tun; a nine-barrel hot liquor tank; two forklifts; and a 2019 Wild Goose five-head canning line, among other items.

Jughandle produced 430 barrels of beer in 2022, according to the Brewers Association.

Connect with hundreds of beer and bev-alc industry leaders next week at the Brewbound Live 2023 business conference in Marina del Rey, California.

Networking is an essential piece of Brewbound Live – we make sure to offer plenty of opportunities throughout the day for you to initiate meaningful conversations, establish new partnerships, and catch up with industry friends.

The evening before our first day of presentations, join us at JuneShine for the Brewbound Live kick-off party. Enjoy booch and business conversations before two days filled with insights.

At the end of Day 1, head over to Firestone Walker for the Brewbound Live official party to deepen your relationships with brewers, investors, retailers, distributors, suppliers, and industry leaders in a more casual setting.

To close out the event, we’ll have one last beverage together at the Brewbound Live wrap party, held at the Marina del Rey Marriott. View the full agenda.

You’ll have the opportunity to connect with hundreds of attendees including retailers such as Whole Foods, Extra Mile Convenience Stores, Mellow Mushroom, and more; brand leaders from BeatBox, CANarchy, New Belgium, Bell’s, Rhinegeist, Athletic Brewing, Lawson’s Finest Liquids and many others; as well as distributors, suppliers, service providers, and experts from across the industry. Check out the full list of registered companies and start planning your conversations.

Register for Brewbound Live.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) has tapped NFL legends Peyton Manning and Emmitt Smith for its latest Bud Light TV ad. 

In the ad, which launched today, Manning walks up to a bar to order two Bud Lights, but ends up buying a round for the bar. Manning then proceeds to play quarterback, chucking cans of Bud Light across the bar to patrons. Smith gets into the action at the end. 

The ad, featuring Margo & Mac’s “It’s So Easy,”  will run in 30- and 15-second spots throughout the NFL Playoffs, which kick off in January. 

Manning and Smith join A-B’s latest effort to rehab Bud Light amid a now eight-month, conservative-led boycott of the brand.

In an analysis of the A-B portfolio earlier this week, Bernstein analyst Nadine Sarwat wrote that after Bud Light gained “some share in September,” the brand has not seen any “sequential share improvement in the latest data and is remaining steady at 9.1% share of the market.” 

A-B brass suggested during their Q3 earnings report that around 40% of lapsed Bud Light consumers would consider giving the brand another go.

Bud Light off-premise dollar sales and volume (measured in case sales) have each declined around -28% in the four-week period ending November 18, according to market research firm NIQ. Year-to-date, Bud Light sales are down -19.3%, while volume has declined -22.7%, according to the firm.

Watch the ad here.

Tilray Brands’ recently acquired 10 Barrel Brewing craft brewery has launched a “reimagined” HopBurst Family, including Apocalypse West Coast IPA, All Ways Down double IPA and Cloud Mentality hazy IPA. 

The company partnered with artist Kyle Sauter for the artwork on the packaging.

HopBurst IPAs are available in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California. Tilray teased introducing 10 Barrel’s beers to new states. 

Molson Coors’ Miller High Life and Leinenkugel’s have collaborated on Cheers! Strawberry Lager. 

The strawberry lager is now available on tap exclusively at the J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

Cheers! Strawberry Lager is part of the company’s 120th anniversary celebration of the Miller High Life brand. It was brewed with German malts and hop varietals that give it “a white wine and strawberry jam-like profile.”

New Belgium Brewing Company’s cartoon Voodoo Ranger skeleton made a cameo on the season 2 finale of Tubi’s adult animated series Freak Brothers.

On the show, the Voodoo Ranger character appears at a carnival bar, slinging cans of the imperial IPA and makes a new fan in the brothers’ cat, Kitty, who is voiced by Tiffany Haddish. 

New Belgium director of communications Sterling Riethman told Brewbound: “Voodoo Ranger is known for including quippy takes on pop culture, much like the Freak Brothers include in their episodes, and both aren't afraid to let loose and have a little fun. Plus, adult animation has been such a successful part of the Voodoo Ranger brand lens, so partnering with Freak Brothers opened up both brands to a wider audience with that shared passion point. Through partnerships of this caliber, Voodoo Ranger continues to reach younger legal drinking age audiences, and continues to grow our core fan base.”

Watch the episode here.