Beer is starting to lose share of bev-alc dollar sales in the on-premise, according to a recent report by CGA, the on-premise arm of market research firm NIQ. 

In the L52W (ending June 14), beer claimed 39.5% share of total bev-alc dollar sales in NIQ-tracked on-premise channels, marking a 0.3 percentage point decline YoY. 

Meanwhile, RTDs and spirits gained share in the L52W: RTDs +0.4 points, to 1.3%; spirits +0.1 points, to 46.6%. Wine’s share declined 0.1 percentage point, to 12.7%. 

Results within beer are more mixed, according to the report. 

Imports lead positive trends within the category, with dollar sales (+3.2%) and volume (+3.1%) both increasing YoY in the L52W. The segment recorded the largest share gain of total beer on-premise dollar sales in the period (+1.3 share points, to 23.3%), knocking on the door of domestic premium (24.8%) for the second largest share in the category.

The segment’s on-premise growth comes as imports face declines in the off-premise – a flip in trends compared to the segment’s double-digit growth in previous years. In about the same 52-week period (data ending June 15), import off-premise dollar sales declined 2.5% YoY, while volume, measured in case sales, was down 4.2%. 

Gains in share of total on-premise beer dollar sales were also recorded by domestic super premium (+0.6 points, to 9.9%) and below premium (+0.2 points, to 5.6%). Domestic super premium recorded larger dollar sales growth than imports (+3.7%), while volume increased 2.4% YoY. Below premium dollar sales increased 1%, while volume was just above flat (+0.3%). 

Craft is still the largest beer segment in the on-premise (27.8% share of total beer dollar sales), despite recording the largest decline in share in the L52W (-1.4 share points) and second-largest dollar sales (-7.3%) and volume (-11.2%) losses YoY. 

Insiders can read more, including a dive into beer segments’ on-premise performances by state.

Total Wine & More CEO Troy Rice has resigned from the top job at the national beverage-alcohol retailer, he announced on LinkedIn Friday.

Rice wrote: “Leading Total Wine & More has been one of the greatest honors of my career and life. I am incredibly proud of what we have built together over these past nearly eight years. This company is genuinely grounded in purpose, driven by passionate people, and committed to bringing joy to our customers.”

Rice cited “a new opportunity closer to my family” as the reason for his departure. 

The chain operates nearly 300 outlets in nearly 30 states and sells beer, wine, spirits, RTD cocktails and hemp-derived, THC-infused beverages, where legal, according to its website. 

Rice did not say who would be filling the CEO position, but noted that the company would be “in excellent, capable hands with our tenured executive leadership team.”

Insiders can read more here.

Cannabis beverage brand Uncle Arnie’s is planning to nearly double its team from 40 to 75 employees after closing a $7.5 million Series A investment round co-led by Mindset Capital and Delta Emerald Ventures.

The raise, announced Wednesday morning, “pours fuel on a fire that’s already blazing, with a management team ready to lead the category nationally,” said Mindset Capital CEO Aaron Edelheit in a statement. 

Joining the team as CMO is Brian Miesieski, a former marketing executive for SweetWater Brewing, High Rise Beverage, Diageo and Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B).

Existing strategic investor Harry Rubin, a founding partner of Boston Beer Company, also participated in the round and will join Uncle Arnie’s board of directors. The brand previously secured growth capital from Rubin and fellow Boston Beer co-founder Lorenzo Lamadrid in June 2023.

Insiders can read more here.

Chicago-based Revolution Brewing has tapped Kimberly Vavrick as director of communications. 

Vavrick, joins Revolution from Puttshack, a mini golf-centric experiential on-premise chain, where she worked as communications director from March 2024 through July 2025, according to her LinkedIn profile. 

From 2016 through 2024, Vavrick managed communications in various capacities at A-B. The first half of her tenure was at Virtue Cider, then owned by the company, and the second half was spent in A-B’s craft division. 

Rupee Beer co-founders (and brothers) Van and Sumit Sharma join the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the strategy behind the beer they launched after the COVID-19 pandemic required them to jump back into their family’s Indian restaurant business. 

Now in nearly 20 states, Rupee leads with its ability to pair with global flavors, resulting in a channel strategy that favors the on-premise. Look for the episode in your feeds mid-week.

This week is shaping up to be data-heavy. Insiders can expect 3 Tier Beverages’ exclusive quarterly update, which details off-premise data trends across beer, wine and spirits. Look for it Wednesday morning.

Plus, look for a report on adult non-alcoholic beverage data from NIQ’s recent webinar, as well as our weekly scans report from Circana.

There are benefits to being associated with this generation’s biggest pop star. Kelce brothers-backed Garage Beer received the rub of Taylor Swift’s appearance on the New Heights podcast with a couple of well-placed logos for the lager brand behind co-host Jason Kelce. 

Brewbound Insider’s Week in Beer weekend newsletter writer Sean McNulty eagle-eyed those logos, along with nearly 18.5 million other people. 

In Saturday’s issue, Insiders got a recap of all the news fit to riff on, including the week’s bad chart (looking at you, Gallup), an eye-opening headline in the Wall Street Journal and a big dip in U.S. spirits exports to Canada.  

Catch up here.

After joining San Diego’s Original 40 Brewing as head brewer earlier this year, Kyle Fjalstad has launched a beer that bridges the gap between Original 40 and the last brewery on his resume, Modern Times. 

Kyle previously ran Modern Times’ famed barrel-aging program, and brought some barrels with him when he moved to Original 40, which were deployed for the brewery’s recent release, Magnetic Ribbon: Final Cut Edition. 

In the latest edition of A Round With – Brewbound’s weekly Q&A with industry leaders exclusively for Insiders – Kyle shares his philosophy on barrel-aging and offers insights on the state of craft in San Diego. (Spoiler alert: West Coast IPAs are back in, over-confident expansion is out.)

Insiders can check out the full conversation.

Brewbound Live takes place in Marina del Rey, CA on December 10+11, and the official Marriott hotel block is now available. Staying on-site means you’re just steps away from panel discussions, beer tastings, and connection-building with top industry leaders.

Secure your spot early, register now to access the room block and save $100 with early registration.

If you want to keep a star athlete in town, sometimes you have to name a beer after him. At least, that’s the strategy of Boston Beer Company, which recently announced another release in its Samuel Adams collaborative beer series with Boston athletes. 

This time, the star of the show is one of the new guys in town, Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman, who joined the team this season – marking his first team change since debuting with the Houston Astros in 2016. 

Samuel Adams has released Bregman’s Beer, a 5.8% ABV “bold, citrusy pale ale.” The limited-edition offering launched Thursday in cans and on draft at Samuel Adams 2 Boston locations (Downtown and Jamaica Plain). 

To celebrate the launch, Bregman stopped by the Downtown location Thursday to pour some pints and meet fans. Rumor has it, he filled his truck with several cases afterwards.

This is Samuel Adams’ 3rd beer in the series. The craft brewery previously collaborated with former Boston Bruins player Brad Marchand (unfortunately, not in time to keep him in town) and Boston Celtics star Derrick White.

Watch Samuel Adams announcement video for Bregman’s Beer here.

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