• 🍎 Downeast Ends 2023 +10% in Volume
• 🚰 2.6M Consumers Used Self-Pour Tech in 2023
• 👩🏾‍🦱 Dr. J Now Full-Time BA Dir. of Social Impact
• 🔮 On Tap: Happy Super Bowl Week
• ⏮️ ICYMI: Data, Closures and Investments
• 🌼 Tröegs Adds New Spring Seasonal
• 🚂 Coors Light Super Bowl Ad Revealed
• 🌴 Silver City Reveals New Look and Beers

Boston-based Downeast Cider is following the more-is-more philosophy when it comes to innovation in 2024.

Chief operating officer Max Keilson told Brewbound: “We see very clearly the trend of high ABV. Looking at the data this past year, overall cider grew modestly as a segment, but if you really look at what drove that growth, it was entirely ciders at or above 8% [ABV].”

The cidermaker’s big bet for this year is the Overboard family, an 8% ABV line of unfiltered ciders in three flavors: Overboard (apple), Tropical (pineapple and sweet mango) and Mixed Berry. The Overboard line will roll out in 12 oz. can variety 9-packs and 12 oz. can 4-packs of Overboard across the company’s distribution footprint, and in 19.2 oz single-serve cans of Overboard in Massachusetts. 

Each of the Overboard offerings have been trialed with visitors to Downeast’s East Boston taproom during the last year, Keilson said.

Keilson said: “Every single one of them during the time period they were available were our top-selling item, which was awesome.”  

Higher ABV offerings have performed well for cidermakers elsewhere in the country. They accounted for 16% of overall cider dollar sales, according to 3 Tier Beverages consultant Mary Mills, who discussed the cider industry’s opportunities at the American Cider Association’s CiderCon last month in Portland, Oregon. 

Imperial ciders recorded the largest share gains in 2023, with ciders between 7% and 9.9% ABV gaining +6.9% share year-over-year (+$34.8 million) and ciders 10%+ ABV gaining +0.2% share (+$1.2 million), Mills said, citing NIQ off-premise data. 

But that trend has largely been concentrated on the West Coast, particularly for dominant Pacific Northwest brands 2 Towns and Schilling Cider. In the highly regionalized cider industry – where regional brands now account for 55% of off-premise dollar sales, according to Mills – a gap in a large regional player’s portfolio can mean a gap in the market entirely. 

As Overboard rolls out to retailers this week, Downeast is filling the higher-ABV void, to  “great response from chain partners,” Keilson said. 

Keilson said: ​​”With us being the regional player in the Northeast, there just hasn't been a high ABV offering in the Northeast,” he said. “A lot of retailers have been really excited, feeling like, ‘Oh, we've been on the outside of this trend that is clearly resonating with consumers, but we have the opportunity to participate.’ For us as well, we feel the same way, very bullish on high ABV ciders in the Northeast.”

Insiders can read more about Downeast’s double-down focus on its flagship Original Blend and its runaway summer hit, its Slushie flavored malt beverage line.

Like brewers, we as bartenders source ingredients intentionally for taste and balance. Embodying craft beer's individuality with offbeat branding, regional focus, community loyalty, and a drive for artisanal uniqueness, Ponyboy has crafted refreshing bourbon cocktails for the beer cooler. Learn more

Consumers poured themselves more than 126.9 million oz. of beer, wine, ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails and more from PourMyBeer self-serve walls in 2023, according to the beverage technology company’s latest impact report.  

PourMyBeer operated more than 12,600 self-serve tap handles in 43 states and 29 countries in 2023, an increase of +13.5% tap handles year-over-year (YoY). More than 2.6 million consumers were served (+2.4% YoY), generating $59.73 billion in revenue for participating operators (+18.6% YoY). 

Bars, restaurants and taprooms were the most popular venues to operate PourMyBeer tap walls (357), followed by hotels and resorts (54), venues and parks (54), breweries and wineries (22), golf courses (21), multi-family buildings (15), military bases (9) and food service and food halls (8). 

Beer was the most popular drink poured (107.88 million oz.), followed by wine (8.88 million oz.), RTD cocktails (6.35 million oz.) and hard cider/hard seltzer (3.81 million oz.). An average of 48 oz. were poured per consumer per visit (+41% YoY), with an average bill total of $22.51 (+24% YoY). 

Insiders can read more, including the top brands poured in 2023 and of all time.

Crafted For All will no longer serve as a consultancy and professional development platform, as founder Dr. J Jackson-Beckham pursues a mission to practice what you preach.

Jackson-Beckham announced the news last week that Crafted For All has “mostly” closed, and will transition back to a blog focused on “culture and craft beverage.” The decision was made as Jackson-Beckham pursues a better work/life balance.

With the transition, Jackson-Beckham has also become the full-time director of social impact at the Brewers Association (BA), an increased commitment that became effective January 1. The department leads the BA’s diversity, equity and inclusions (DEI) efforts, including the BA mentorship program, the DEI mini-grants program, CBC travel grants program, THRIVE and the BA’s DEI committee. 

Jackson-Beckham wrote in the post announcing the news: “I spent much of the past year trying to figure out precisely what was going to give, and for months I was unable to come to a decision. Eventually, I realized that I couldn’t chart a healthier professional path because the stakes were too high. In fact, the stakes were everything …

“So, I forced myself to ask a different question. What professional choices are best for your health? Once I asked that question, the answers became shockingly simple.”

Jackson-Beckham is also the founder and executive director of the nonprofit Craft x EDU, and a founding member and second vice president of the National Black Brewers Association (NB2A).

Jackson-Beckham and the other NB2A founding members were named Brewbound’s 2023 Beer Champions of the Year.

Super Bowl LVIII kicks off Sunday, and to celebrate, the Brewbound team chatted with Breakthru Beverage Nevada beer division VP Deacon Nauslar for this week’s episode of the Brewbound Podcast. 

Nauslar chats about how his team is prepping for an influx of fans and beer drinkers heading to Las Vegas – either to watch the game in person at Allegiant Stadium, or to watch at the various venues across the strip – and shares his expectations for what the package mix will look like.

Look out for the episode later this week.

The Brewbound Team was deep in the data last week, starting with a look at full-year 2023 craft price and style trends in NIQ-tracked off-premise channels. The average case price of craft beer increased +3.6% year-over-year (YoY), to $42.41. That’s a +$1.49 increase from 2022 and +$4.35 increase from 2020. 

Goldman Sachs also released the results of its Q4 2023 survey of c-stores. Retailers reported a beer dollar sales increase of +7% YoY in both Q4 and the full-year. C-store retailers expect beer dollar sales to increase +5% YoY in 2024. 

And the National Beer Wholesalers Association released its first Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) of 2024. Beer inventory levels are starting out stronger this year than 2023, but are still in contraction as wholesalers start the year in a “cautious” manner. 

In craft beer news:

• Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Brewing’s future is in question after it defaulted on its lease. The brewery was served notice that its landlord had terminated its lease on January 26;
• North Carolina’s Edward Teach has filed two defamation lawsuits following a Facebook post which the brewery claims falsely defames the company and its owner Gary Sholar;
• New Belgium has closed its San Francisco taproom after nearly three years in business. The company announced the news on February 1, the same day the taproom closed, saying the location “suffered financially in recent years;”
• Several craft brands announced distribution expansions, including Métier Brewing, SingleCut BeerSmiths, Rupee Beer and more. Check out the full roundup in the link. 
• And Two Roads announced an extension of its Flavortown Spiked flavored malt beverage line with Guy Fieri. The extension includes three new flavors, including Tiki Town Tropical Punch, Fidddy Fidddy iced tea/lemonade and Tangerine-N-Tea hard tea. 

Two investment stories dropped last week: 

• Asahi Group Group Beverages & Innovation, the U.S.-based venture arm of Asahi Group Holdings, led a Series A funding round for The Zero Proof, a non-alcoholic adult beverage online retailer and importer;
• And JuneShine received a 7-figure investment from private equity firm InvestBev. The firm’s previous investments include THC-infused beverages, spirits, canned wine, and multiple e-commerce platforms. 

Last week, Brewbound also debuted a new series: “A Round With.” The first installment of the weekly feature is a chat with Earth Rider Brewing founder and CEO Tim Nelson. The Wisconsin-based craft brewery recently hosted several politicians, including President Joe Biden, for a press conference on a local bridge project. 

And Allagash Brewing’s Naomi Neville joined the Brewbound Podcast for an exit interview, following her announcement that she will be leaving the Portland, Maine-based craft brewery after more than 14 years.

Tröegs Independent Brewing has added a new little buddy to its seasonal lineup: Little ‘Nator.

The 5.5% ABV springtime lager is brewed with pilsner and caramel malts for a “light take” on the Hersey, Pennsylvania-based craft brewery’s Troegenator Double Bock, according to a press release.

Tröegs brewmaster and co-founding brother John Trogner said in the release: “We like to think of Little ‘Nator as the rascally cousin of Troegenator. It’s the perfect way for lager lovers to usher in the changing of the seasons.”

Little ‘Nator joins Tröegs existing seasonal lineup of Field Study, Hopora and Blizzard of Hops. The new offerings is available now on draft and in 12 oz. bottles and cans throughout Tröeg’s entire distribution footprint (Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia). 

Little ‘Nator will also be available in a new seasonal variety pack, Perpetual Exploration, a 12 oz. can 12-pack featuring the new seasonal, as well as Perpetual IPA, Sunshine Pilsner and LolliHop Double IPA.

Molson Coors shared the 90-second cut of its Coors Light Super Bowl ad this morning. 

As promised, the spot features the return of the Coors Light Chill Train and features hip-hop legend LL Cool J and rising country music star Lainey Wilson, as well as the return of “Love Train” by The O’Jays. 

Molson Coors CMO Sofia Colucci said In a statement shared with Brewbound: “The big question was always, ‘Who is going to drive the train?’ Our conductor had to be someone as chill as Coors Light, and no one exemplifies chill more than LL COOL J.”

Notably, the ad pokes fun at Constellation Brands’ Corona brand, with the train hurtling across a beach scene reminiscent of those classic Corona commercials. A bucket of beers resembling Coronas, complete with limes, goes flying as the train rushes by, leaving a frosted man and woman in beach chairs holding Coors Light cans.

A 30-second version of the ad will be broadcast during the first half of Sunday’s (February 11) game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs on CBS. 

Watch the 90-second version here.

Silver City Brewery revealed a branding and packaging refresh last week.

The Washington-based craft brewery – which will celebrate its 28th anniversary this year – refreshed its full brand and packaging  to “better match what’s inside the can,” working with Blindtiger Design to create the new look. 

With the brand refresh, Silver City also announced its additions to its lineup, all hitting shelves in early 2024, including:

• Range West IPA, a new year-round West Coast IPA with “aromas of citrus, grapefruit, lemon and pine;”
• Silver City Pils, a “crisp, cold Pilsner” with “grainy aromatics, subtle hints of water cracker and a touch of honey;”
• A rotating 16 oz. IPA series, which will kick off with a Phantasm-infused IPA and a cold IPA;
• A rotating 16 oz. lager series, which will kick off with a helles and a Vienna style lager;
• Silver City Variety 12-Pack, featuring the new Silver City Pils and Range West IPA, as well as Tropic Haze IPA and Ridgetop red ale.