• 🔔 Bell’s Promotes Big Hearted & Hazy Hearted
• 🌽 Big Grove to Open Taproom in Cedar Rapids
• 🗽 Brooklyn Revamps Non-Alc Variety Pack
• ❌ Firestone Walker Good Decisions NA Beer
• 🌌 Constellation Makes Several Leadership Moves

Bell’s Brewery flagship Two Hearted IPA is getting some company on shelves.

The Comstock, Michigan-headquartered brewery has elevated Hazy Hearted IPA (7.5% ABV) to nationwide distribution and Big Hearted IPA (9.5% ABV) to year-round distribution in select markets.

Both beers debuted late last year in the Hearted IPA variety pack, and, at the same time, Hazy Hearted was released in 12 oz. can 6-packs and 19.2 oz. single-serve cans in the Great Lakes region.

For its solo release, Big Hearted will be available in the same package formats as Hazy Hearted. The double IPA will be sold in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. 

Bell’s has bolted new releases onto its most popular brands to create family platforms in recent years. Earlier this fall, the brewery rolled out Oberon Eclipse as a fall/winter sibling to its summer seasonal Oberon.

EVP Carrier Yunker discussed the 38-year-old craft brewery’s approach to innovation last week at the Brewbound Live business conference in Marina del Rey, California. Bell’s views the Hearted family as a vehicle for best-in-class, true-to-style beers and the Oberon family as more playful. 

Because Hearted fans have high expectations, Bell’s was the “most precious” about line-extending the brand, Yunker said. The company invested in drinker focus groups to find out “exactly what those consumers wanted.” Taking this approach meant innovation offerings under the Hearted flag were a bit slower to reach shelves.

Yunker said: “We weren't fast to market with the imperial. We weren't fast to market with the hazy. But what we were very intentional about was making sure that, for us, it was the best hazy. That's what you expect from a Bell's beer: That you're going to drink one of the best hazies that's available to you, and so we'll take the time to make that happen.”

Insiders can read more about the expanded distribution and Bell's scan data performance here.

Modelo and Corona importer Constellation Brands announced several key leadership appointments, including within its beer division, late last week. 

Among the biggest moves, Mallika Monteiro is taking over beer marketing, while continuing to lead Constellation’s innovation, consumer insights and digital operations as EVP, Chief Growth & Digital Officer and Managing Director, Beer Brands. 

Monteiro’s star has risen quickly since joining the company in 2016.

Other Beer Division moves include:

• The promotion of SVP of brand marketing Matt Lindsay to SVP, chief marketing officer – Beer Division, leading Constellation’s beer-focused brand marketing; field, lifestyle & experiential marketing; trade marketing; and marketing enablement;
• The appointment of VP of brand marketing for Modelo Greg Gallagher as SVP of brand marketing, taking over all brand marketing efforts for Constellation’s beer portfolio;
• The promotion of Rene Ramos to SVP of brand activation;
• And the appointment of John Kester to SVP, chief supply chain officer – beer.

In Constellation’s innovation, consumer insights and digital division, the company promoted Andrew Zrike to SVP, innovation and consumer insights, and Karena Breslin to SVP, digital, transformation and media. 

Within corporate strategy, MIke McGrew has taken on additional responsibilities for corporate strategy and analytics, while also leading communications, ESG and diversity efforts as EVP, chief communications, strategy, ESG and diversity officer. 

In the finance department, Michael Becka is taking on expanded responsibilities as SVP, corporate finance, leading Constellation’s tax, controller and treasury teams. Sandy Dominach is also taking on additional responsibilities as SVP, beer finance, overseeing enterprise risk management. 

Additionally, Constellation promoted Joe Suarez to SVP of investor relations, and Steve King to SVP, corporate development, and financial planning and analytics.

Constellation Brands president and CEO Bill Newlands said in the announcement: “These new leadership appointments will help equip our rising leaders with the perspective and capabilities needed to keep our company on the forefront of emerging consumer and marketplace trends, and they exemplify the deep bench strength of talent we have across the organization to continue driving our business forward.”

Iowa City, Iowa-based Big Grove Brewery will open a lager-focused taproom in Cedar Rapids on December 14. 

The Cedar Rapids taproom will be Big Grove’s fourth outpost, with locations in Solon, Iowa City and Des Moines.

Big Grove was named as one of Brewbound’s 2023 Rising Stars during the Brewbound Live business conference in Marina del Rey, California. 

Big Grove co-founder and CEO Matthew Swift and director of industry and public relations Janelle Buxton recently discussed the brewery’s trajectory and plans to enter the Omaha market in 2024 in this video (14:24 mark). 

The Brewbound team regroups this week following last week’s Brewbound Live business conference in California. Look for coverage of the conversations and data presentations starting this week and through the end of the year. 

Jess, Zoe and Justin will give their takeaways from the two-day conference.

Keep an eye out midweek for coverage of NIQ’s year-end webinar titled “4 Alcohol Trends for 2024.” The NIQ and CGA teams will analyze: 

• “The impacts of generational differences on consumption behaviors;
• Consumer shifts based on lifestyle changes;
• Where premiumization stands in the on- and off-premise;
• And how flavor-forward products are shaking out in the consumer repertoire.”

Plus, Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson will share 10 points and predictions for 2024. Coverage will likely follow in Friday’s newsletter. 

Become a Brewbound Insider to get full access. 

The 2023 Brewbound Live is in the books, and on-demand video playback is now available. 

• Watch the keynote address by new Rhinegeist CEO Adam Bankovich (5 minute mark) and then a conversation with him and brewery co-founder Bryant Goulding on succession planning;
• How do you leverage the brand equity of your longstanding flagship offering? Bell’s Brewery EVP Carrie Yunker, Rogue Ales & Spirits president Steven Garrett, CANarchy chief commercial officer Chris Russell and Lawson’s Finest Liquids CEO Adeline Druart shared their strategies;
• Get the lowdown on the 23 data points that defined 2023 from beer industry chief economists Bart Watson (Brewers Association) and Lester Jones (NBWA);
• Delve into on-premise strategies with Karl Strauss co-founder and CEO Chris Cramer, Mellow Mushroom associate director of beverage operations Kynyetta Lester, and industry consultant Jason Murphy;
• Pulse check the current M&A landscape with Arlington Capital Advisors managing director Ryan Lake, industry board and advisory Simon Thorpe and Three Weavers co-founder Lynne Weaver;
• Gain perspective on Tilray Brands’ interest in craft breweries from beer division president Ty GIlmore and see where he views the company’s gaps;
• Get a wake-up call from Crowns and Hops founders Teo Hunter and Beny Ashburn and National Black Brewers Association executive director Kevin Asato;
• Peer into fourth-category trendsetter strategies, with BuzzBallz founder Merrilee Kick, BeatBox Beverages co-founder Aimy Steadman and Stateside Vodka CEO Clement Pappas;
• Explore how innovation, flavor and marketing strategies overlap, with Molson Coors director of marketing innovation Amanda DeVore, Liquid Death SVP of marketing Dan Murphy, Hella Cocktail Co. co-founder and CEO Eddie Simeón and WeldWerks head brewer Skip Schwartz;
• Dig into consumer trends, with NIQ beverage alcohol vertical director of thought leadership Kaleigh Theriault and 3 Tier Beverages analytics and client success consultant Stephanie Roatis;
• Win in convenience stores, with insights from Michelle Abdollah, category manager of alcoholic beverages for Extra Mile Convenience Stores, and David Williams, Bump Williams Consulting’s VP of analytics and insights;
• Level up your digital strategy, with Ruby Martinez, shopper marketing manager at Firestone Walker; Ethan Stienstra, co-founder of the E-Premise Group; Nichole Schustack, counsel for McDermott Will & Emery; and Paul Reiter, co-founder and CEO of Great Notion Brewing;
• And hear from hard tea and lemonade challenger brands, featuring Fishers Island founder Bronya Shillo, Owl's Brew founder and CEO Jennie Ripps and New Belgium senior director of brands & innovation Dave Knospe.

The 2023 Brewbound Pitch Slam winner is … The People’s Republic of South Central. The South Los Angeles brewery took the crown, with the judges complimenting both its liquid and its mission. 

• See the six up-and-coming companies that made the finals;
• Watch the semifinals and finals, and then see the announcement.

Brewbound also announced its 2023 Award Winners and class of Rising Stars. See this year’s honorees. 

The news cycle kept rolling last week. Here’s Brewbound’s coverage of other news stories from the week, including:

• White Claw officially launched its non-alcoholic seltzer, which is expected to be line-priced with its hard seltzer;
• Vermont’s von Trapp Brewing will roll out a refreshed look in Q1 2024;
• Colorado’s Westbound & Down acquired a pair of breweries from High Country Brewing, the former Legacy Breweries platform;
• The National Black Brewers Association added Molson Coors to its growing list of industry partners.

Dive into the latest data points from the Beer Institute, Circana, Bump Williams and the NBWA.

• The Beer Institute released domestic tax paid shipment numbers for October, which declined -10.8%;
• Thanksgiving provided a +12% boost for off-premise bev-alc dollar sales week-over-week, per Circana;
• Bump Williams is hearing more optimism from retailers, wholesalers, Wall Street analysts and more, particularly around beer category dollar sales share trends, as 2023 comes to a close;
• The National Beer Wholesalers Association’s November Beer Purchasers’ Index recorded the first expansion for total beer in four months, with wholesalers giving a thumbs up to ordering more beer products.

Last week’s Brewbound Podcast was a promo for Brewbound Live. Skip it and watch BBL. Or listen to it here if you must.

Brooklyn Brewery is shaking up its Special Effects (SFX) non-alcoholic variety pack.

Rolling out nationally this month, the New York craft brewery will add Grapefruit IPA into the mix with Hoppy Amber, Pils and IPA.  

SFX Grapefruit IPA will be exclusive to the variety pack. Brooklyn said its NA SFX variety pack, which launched in late 2021, is now its third largest overall package sold, and its SFX portfolio accounting for more than 10% of the company’s U.S. sales.

Brooklyn was a first-mover in the new wave of craft NA beer, releasing SFX Hoppy Amber in Sweden in 2018 and the U.S. in 2020.

The company acquired a minority stake in Boulder, Colorado-based NA hop tea maker Hoplark as part of a Series A funding round in September. 

Could Firestone Walker be the next craft brewery to get into the non-alcoholic beer game? 

Good Decisions, an NA blond, was on the rotating draft menu at Firestone Walker’s The Propagator taproom in Venice during the Brewbound Live opening night party last week.

Listed at 0.3% ABV, the offering is 60 calories per 12 oz. serving and features “a delicate noble hop character,” per the menu.

We’ll be keeping our eyes on this one.