Welcome to Brewbound’s Inside Look at the Beer Business for the week that was … Saturday, May 18, 2024.

Well, it seems the East Coast/West Coast rap battles of the ‘90s & 2000s have turned into … uh, gin battles here in the mid-2020s. Look at us being classy!

Jay-Z’s MARCY VENTURES has bought into Miles Teller’s favorite product to advertise, THE FINNISH LONG DRINK (Miles is also an investor). This product, of course, goes head-to-head with fellow hip-hop adjacent, gin-based RTD offering … the simply named GIN & JUICE by Dre and Snoop.

I mean, the kids get Kendrick and Drake, and this is what us Gen X-ers get in 2024. I think we actually win this one.

AND: Come to the beach 🏖️ with BREWBOUND in December! (Jess’ sandcastle building contest theme coming soon!) BREWBOUND Live is returning to Marina del Rey, CA, on Dec. 11 & 12 for 2 days of insightful conversations and analysis, plus top-notch industry networking opportunities. 

PLUS: Beer and beverage-alcohol brands can participate in retailer one-to-ones. Leaders from WHOLE FOODS and other businesses will be available for private, pre-scheduled meetings. Brands will be selected at each retailer’s discretion. REGISTER HERE.

THEN: Just a heads up for any breweries thinking of attending GABF this year – the BA is running a deal for breweries who register by June 2:

• “Pay $0 for a festival booth, and receive four brewery badges and one complimentary GABF competition entry.”

Yeah this is interesting on two fronts – one being a craft brewer teaming up with a biker brand in HARLEY-DAVIDSON, for a beer with no alcohol. Although it certainly makes sense in a “ride responsibly” kinda way.

But secondly, they’re going with 16 oz. 4-packs for the beer, called Road King American Pils, a format we haven’t really seen associated with NA beer to date.

The beer will initially roll out in the homestate of the two businesses, including at 18 HARLEY dealerships and over 100 biker friendly bars in Wisconsin.

Yes, the proprietor of HIGH NOON is coming for the Millennial-centric MONTUCKY COLD SNACKS lager, made at CITY BREWING’s facility in WI. No word on the % stake, or the 💰involved.

Over the past five years, MONTUCKY has gone from about 9k BBL to nearly 72k BBL last year, making it the 40th largest craft brewer on the BA’s 2023 list. 

The brand has distribution in 40 states, but the majority of MONTUCKY’s sales are in CO, CA and TX – something the GALLO folks look to expand. 

GALLO also apparently bought the WATERBIRD and SALT POINT RTD businesses last month (no price disclosed there either).

It also bought FISHERS ISLAND LEMONADE last year, and has a tequila-based RTD called VMC in partnership with boxer Canelo Alvarez … but this is the company’s first entry into the beer biz.

 “It bothers me how much money is leaking out of the business unnecessarily. It's just a waste. There’s a lot of it.” 

FUNKY BUDDHA

Brewing Manager – Oakland Park, FL

LIQUID FABLES CANNED COCKTAILS

Sales Manager – Beacon, NY

BREW THEORY

SIERRA NEVADA promoted Ellie Preslar to chief commercial officer, filling the role vacated by Joe Whitney in October. Ellie joined the company in 2021, after a long career at P&G.

Steady, in that prices for beer at home were still +3% YoY in April, the sixth consecutive month the number has come in at or below that 3% mark.

That April number is also below the overall April CPI of 3.4%.

For the week of Cinco de Mayo (week ending May 5):

• MODELO was still the #1 beer in the off-prem with $107 million in sales (+10.4%), according to CIRCANA
• #2 beer BUD LIGHT did $98 million in sales (-5.8%)

Look! It’s Donn Bichsel in a podcast! And a suit jacket! 

Enjoy more conversations from the CBC this year, with Donn alongside his colleague Mary Mills, and a separate chat with NBB brewer Kelly McKnight. 

PLUS: Justin and Zoe chat all things motorcycle beer, plus people moves (presumably not by chopper).

Listen Here!

• LOVERBOY is now available nationally at WALMART via a new deal for 6-pack and 8-pack formats in nearly 1,500 stores.
• FL’s SUNKEY Beverage Holdings is buying TX’s SILVER EAGLE Beverages, an independent A-B wholesaler. No price was disclosed. 

This week’s beer goes out to Beer Can Island! Err, I mean Pine Key … as it’s officially called in a geographical sense (although Beer Can Island does come up in a GOOGLE MAPS search). 

Indeed as you might suspect, this small island off the coast of Tampa, FL #ofcourse got the moniker due to all of the beer cans that environmentally minded boat owners would leave on its beach after a hearty afternoon of day drinking.

Sadly, the island’s owners had shut down the island for the past three months while they looked to sell it … but they have now abandoned that process and re-opened it for good times – you can even pay $1,000 for a share of the island, which gives you access to special events, among other perks (beer bottles anyone? 😱).

It’s always heartening when local people rally to maintain their heritage, and I can think of no greater local heritage for the greater Tampa area, than something called Beer Can Island.

Slainté!  

-Sean McNulty