Brewbound Podcast

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RNDC's Dismantling; Plus Eco Beverages and Russian River May 06, 2026

Show notes

Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) continues to unwind, so BevNET spirits editor Ferron Salniker joined the Brewbound Podcast to break down the latest. RNDC, once the country's second-largest wine and spirits distributor, has been selling-off markets piecemeal to competitors from coast to coast. Announced deals have included 11 markets to the Reyes Beverage Group, brand rights and some assets to Columbia Distributing, operations in 17 control states to Martignetti. (Note: this conversation took place before Breakthru announced it would acquire RNDC operations in Kentucky and Indiana or that it was revealed Quality Beverage would buy RNDC assets in Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.) RNDC's current state can be traced to the butterfly effect of a host of suppliers leaving its California operations over the last several years, resulting in the company exiting the state. "It's no surprise that if your biggest suppliers leave your biggest state and beyond, then the rest of your business is going to be affected," Salniker said. "What's happening now is no surprise, but it feels like it's happening all of a sudden." In addition to her analysis, the episode features conversations with Eco Beverages co-founder Anna Nadasdy and Russian River Brewing co-owner Natalie Cilurzo. Nadasdy discusses her organization's push to help craft beverage manufacturers navigate Extended Producer Responsibility laws. Cilurzao recapped her brewery's recent Pliny the Younger launch and Russian River's latest push to share its sustainability work. Justin and Jess also break down recent beer news, including Lord Hobo and Lone Pine's pivot to contact production and Q1 earnings from Boston Beer and Molson Coors.

From Beer to Better-For-You: How Octopi Brewing Is Adapting to a Shifting Beverage Industry May 04, 2026

Show notes

In this Brewbound Podcast Interview, Justin Kendall sits down with Mitch Wedemeier, Director of Planning at Octopi Brewing, live from the Brew Expo floor at the Craft Brewers Conference. Now just over two years into its acquisition by Asahi (January 2024), Octopi has refined its strategic vision under the leadership of Paul Verdu. The company is pursuing two parallel paths: continuing as a best-in-class mid-range co-packer while also growing the Asahi Super Dry brand in the U.S. market.

Mitch shares that Octopi's co-packing business is currently a 50/50 split between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, with strong demand for non-alcoholic beer (using their award-winning membrane filtration process) and rapidly growing categories like healthy sodas, prebiotics, protein sodas, and mocktails. On the format side, he's seeing real momentum in 19.2 oz single-serve cans, variety packs, and the emerging 7.5 oz "mini" can format, which Octopi is adding to its line by mid-summer. Rather than chasing volume with dozens of clients, the team is focused on partnering with 10–20 brands in the ~15,000-barrel range that have meaningful growth potential. CPG founders interested in co-packing with Octopi can visit AsahiBeerUSA.com and connect directly with Mitch through the contract manufacturing section.

From Beer to Better-For-You: How Octopi Brewing Is Adapting to a Shifting Beverage Industry May 04, 2026

Show notes

Wrapping Up CBC 2026; Plus, Chats with Carbon Copy, Brewers of PA and Love City Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

After a week of good (dare we say sunny?) vibes in Philadelphia, the Brewbound team regrouped to put a bow on the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). Jess, Zoe and Justin discussed the overall feel of this year's event compared to the previous two CBCs in Indianapolis and Las Vegas, as well as the Brewers Association attempting to change the narrative around craft beer. They discuss president and CEO Bart Watson's nudge to tell some of the more positive stories around craft beer, and his own attempts during the State of the Industry speech. Plus, the trio explored RNDC's fire sale this week, as the distributors struck deals with Martignetti for 11 control state markets and Columbia Distributing for certain wine and spirits brand rights in Washington and Oregon, as well as an agreement in Alaska. Then, we bring you a trio of Pennsylvania-centric interviews, starting with a check in with Carbon Copy co-founder Brendon Boudwin on the Philadelphia brewery's less pretentious approach compared to some legacy craft brewers. After that, we shift gears with snippets of interviews recorded during Brewbound's happy hour at Love City Brewing. In the first chat, Brewers of PA executive director Hannah Ison explained the guild's work to modernize the state's malt beverage tax credit program, which would allow craft breweries that have made facility upgrades or equipment purchases to sell those credits to other Pennsylvania producers or gain extensions. The show wraps up with Love City Brewing co-founder Kevin Walter's take on modern craft drinkers and how the brewery is pulling those drinkers into its taprooms with niche events.

CBC Week + a Blockbuster Brewery Deal Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

The Brewers Association's Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) rolled into Philadelphia this week – and so did the Brewbound Podcast On Location Studio. In this episode of the Brewbound Podcast, the team shares their early reads on a week in which the vibes seem high compared to previous years.

Zoe recaps the opening keynote speech by Unreasonable Hospitality author and former restaurateur Will Guidara, including his hyper-experiential approach to customer service and what a "dream weaver" is and whether you should be concerned that your server is eavesdropping on you.

But first, Justin provides details on Firestone Walker and Duvel USA striking an agreement to acquire the Stone Brewing brand and four California taprooms from Sapporo USA – just under four years after the Japanese brewing giant acquired the San Diego craft brewery.

Justin, Jess and Zoe dig into what the deal means for craft market share in California, how the combined company plans to approach distribution and which taprooms are on the move, as well as what this means for Sapporo in the U.S. and what happens with the Escondido production brewery.

The trio also share takeaways from Brewbound's party at Love City Brewing.

Ikasu Brewing Leans into 'Weird,' 'Good Beer' and Japanese Culinary Ingredients Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

Ikasu Brewing founder Masahiro "Masa" Kitano believes his Los Angeles-based, contract-brewed brand has found its niche, leaning into "weird and good beer" that taps into Japanese culinary ingredients.

Kitano's history as a home brewer helped him craft out-of-the-ordinary beers, such as a matcha-infused gose. "It's a sour beer with the aroma of matcha, but it doesn't look green," he said. "You smell it and it's super unique. No one's thought about combining sour beer with matcha." Kitano's beer, as well as his story of leaving a career as a medical researcher to chase his brewing dream, coupled with his infectious personality, propelled him to victory during Brewbound's Pitch Slam competition at the 2025 Brewbound Live business conference last December. On this week's Brewbound Podcast, Kitano shares an update on the business following the win and why he believes his pitch resonated. "I tried to make the pitch as simple as possible, a little bit stupid and a little be funny – magically it worked out," he said. "I'm so glad that happened." In the months since, the draft-only brand added several bar and restaurant accounts following the win and recently signed with L.A. Distributing Co., Kitano said. Ikasu continues to operate out of Los Angeles-based Native Son, where the brand has six taps dedicated to its beer. The relationship has helped Ikasu test new offerings and connect with a built-in audience. In this episode, Kitano goes deeper into his innovation process, as well as his aspirations for Ikasu, including plans to can Larigato, Ikasu's Japanese rice lager, later this year for distribution. Before the conversation, the Brewbound team discusses craft beer's 2025 production report released earlier this week by the Brewers Association. They dive into why Sierra Nevada leapfrogging Boston Beer as the No. 2 independent craft brewery by volume highlights the successes of one brewery and the shift in focus away from beer of the other. The trio also explore Mark Anthony Brands' deal for the Finnish Long Drink, and which RTD dominos are left to fall/cash in.

Q1 Craft Scans, Platform Proliferation, BrewDog's Identity Crisis – and What's a Daycap? Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

How did craft close out Q1 in scans? In this episode, the Brewbound team convenes to discuss the early read on trends in off-premise retailers with the first three months of 2026 in the books.

The conversation shifts to the latest platform builders, as Oklahoma City's Coop Ale Works and Dallas' Four Corners Brewing have created the Frontier Beverage Collective. Meanwhile, Abita Brewing Company is rechristening itself as the Abita Beverage Group, targeting 170,000 barrels this year, and potential mergers and acquisitions.

Then the focus turns to new BrewDog owner Tilray Brands' Q3 earnings report and future plans with the Scottish craft beer brand in the fold. Justin, Jess and Zoe discuss BrewDog's identity without its "punk" ethos, which now includes a residency in the Hamptons.

The show wraps with a conversation about the "Daycap," following a Business Insider story on bev-alc brands targeting daytime occasions via some creative marketing to younger LDA consumers. Is this really a thing with Gen Z?

Mega M&A Madness with Fingers' Dave Infante Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

In the wake of major shakeups in the middle-tier that will see the largest distributors getting even bigger and major manufacturers adding brands to their portfolios, Fingers newsletter author Dave Infante joins the Brewbound Podcast to recap a wild couple of weeks in the bev-alc industry. The Brewbound team and Infante cover recent distributor consolidations by the Reyes Beverage Group and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits and whether this signals a new era of mega distributors. They also discuss the effect these deals could have on small producers, especially brewers who are now competing with a variety of products outside of traditional beer in their wholesalers' books. The crew also dissect recent brand acquisitions among suppliers, including Firestone Walker's Trumer Pils pick up in the U.S. from Gambrinus and the potential fallout; Constellation Brands' deal for HOPWTR; Molson Coors' addition of Monaco; Pernod Ricard and Brown Forman's flirtation; and Phusion Project's purported interest in selling Four Loko. The show wraps with a discussion of the upcoming Craft Brewers Conference and why everyone will be vibe-checking attendees later this month.

A CBC Primer with Brewers Association CEO Bart Watson Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Brewers Association president and CEO Bart Watson believes the Craft Brewers Conference works best when it's "the big-tent event that everybody is coming to and connecting with." On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, Watson explained that he views the largest annual gathering of craft brewers (April 20-22 in Philadelphia) in four buckets:

Commerce via the BrewExpo trade show, where brewers connect with suppliers and learn about trends;
Education, with a host of new voices on the speaker roster this year;
Networking, with a more intentional approach and dedicated sessions;
And fun.

"CBC should be that week where you do all four of those things," he said. "But you come back recharged, energized with new ideas, new energy." The BA's membership base is primarily made up of brewpubs and taprooms, making hospitality and customer traffic "the thing that makes or breaks their businesses," he explained. "Craft is gonna win or lose with people wanting to come into breweries and then having a great experience or not having a great experience," Watson continued. As such, hospitality will be a key theme of this year's event, and the BA has tapped restaurateur Will Guidara, author of Unreasonable Hospitality, to give the event's opening keynote speech. "He's like a hospitality business 'Ted Lasso,'" Watson said. "He really brings a spirit and a positivity that is going to be welcomed in craft right now as people try to lean in, do better, grow in what's a challenging time but one where many people are still finding opportunities to thrive." Watson offered more insights in the interview, including the state of the industry. Before the interview, Jess and Justin recap a wild week of M&A, including Molson Coors finally nabbing its spirts-based RTD in Monaco/Atomic Brands and a flurry of big distributor consolidations with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Reyes Beverage Group and Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC).

From Blueberries to Boom Season: Baxter and Orono's Maine Strategy Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

Maine's craft brewing industry has always punched above its weight despite being among the smallest in population. The state ranked second in breweries (14.3 per 100,000 21+ adults) and economic impact per capita, and third in gallons (9.8) per 21+ adult in 2024, according to Brewers Association data. That outsized impact along with the state's robust tourism business gives Maine craft brewers a unique perspective on the industry's ebbs and flows. The latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast features two of those voices – Baxter Brewing president Jenn Lever and Orono Brewing co-owner Abe Furth – in separate conversations recorded during the New England Brew Summit. Both are also Maine Brewers Guild leaders and board members. Up first, Lever explained what it's like to navigate a business when seven months account for the lion's share of volume. "We're so proud to represent Maine year-round, but we also recognize the challenges that come when your population quadruples for less than half of the year," she said. "You've gotta be ready to activate and react as quickly as possible to that summer season. "The people that come to Maine the first time, it's never their last time." Lever also touched on how Baxter's mix shifts during the busy season, the loss of Canadian tourism amid strained international relations and why blueberry-flavored offerings have become big business for the company. Then, Furth discussed why guild participation remains important. He also shared why operating in a college town allows him to peer into the future and plan accordingly, and explained the importance of working through innovation plans with the brewery's distributors to find products that fill real whitespace in their portfolios. Before the interview, Justin and Jess recap Tilray's purchase of BrewDog's U.S. assets and the future of the platform. They also look at some not great shipment numbers to start the year and some not-so-bad scans.

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