Brewbound Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Brewing a New Look: Prairie Malt's Bold Refresh May 13, 2025

Show notes

In this Brewbound Podcast episode, Prairie Malt's Regional Craft Manager for North America, Liam Colford, discusses the company's bold rebranding efforts and the motivations behind them. Recognizing that ingredient suppliers often appear traditional or outdated, Prairie Malt decided to inject more personality and creativity into its brand. The refreshed look includes new logos, packaging, apparel, and a revamped website, aiming to align more closely with the dynamic and colorful world of craft brewing.

Liam also highlights the advantages of Prairie Malt being part of Boortmalt, a global malting company with extensive reach and infrastructure. This connection allows Prairie to offer a wide catalog of over 60 malts while keeping costs down through a streamlined, internal supply chain. Customers benefit from this efficiency, especially during times of international instability, with consistent pricing and reliable access to high-quality malts sourced globally.

Looking ahead, Prairie Malt is expanding its catalog with several exciting new offerings, including German Vienna and Munich malts, and a Czech-inspired "Bohemian Rhapsody" pilsner malt. These additions cater to brewers looking to innovate and differentiate their products in a maturing craft beer market. For those interested in sampling these new malts or learning more, visit prairiemalt.com or follow @prairiemalt on Instagram to stay connected and request samples.

Brewers Association CEO Bart Watson on the State of the Craft Beer May 07, 2025

Show notes

Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson entered the Brewbound Podcast studio last week fresh off stage from giving his State of the Industry speech at the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). Watson discussed key takeaways from his speech, including why the 4% volume decline for craft last year wasn't everyone's experience, as 43% of craft breweries found growth last year. "You can have a number where yes, the middle it is negative, but there's still lots of people on the positive side," Watson explained during a conversation with Brewbound's Jess Infante and Justin Kendall on the Brewbound Podcast. Watson also discussed why the growing number of closures has hit the long-tail of craft breweries – those making fewer than 500 barrels of beer – the hardest. "Running a small business is hard," Watson said. "They're just on the smallest line of, 'OK, the landlord changes the rent when our lease is up.' … Main Street gets torn up because the city is doing construction. It disrupts our traffic.' "A 2,000-barrel brewery is going to have resources and options to weather that; a 500-barrel brewery might not," he continued. "Those are members that we're trying to think about how we help, how we drive foot traffic and what we can do to improve their conditions." The conversation touches on several topics, including:

How the BA is advocating for its members with the Trump administration in Washington, D.C., and why it's important for brewery owners to connect with lawmakers;
Why full-strength spirits are being added to the Great American Beer Festival and how that's manifesting in a way to support BA members;
Whether the event could move away from Denver in the future;
Why there is a perception versus reality issue with consumers when it comes to the flavors that craft offers beyond IPA;
And his overall read on the vibe of CBC.

Ahead of the interview, the Brewbound team also discusses recent headlines, including Rhinegeist's NA beer venture and Tilray CEO Irwin Simon's honest thoughts on the company's stock price. Plus, the team plays Another Round or Tabbing Out on the commercialization of B.O.R.G.s, and Zoe dishes on her motorsport adventures.

CBC Week is Here; Plus, Drawdown Founder Liz Nicol Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

The Brewers Association's Craft Brewers Conference has taken over Indianapolis, and the Brewbound team gives a vibe check on the first day of the largest meeting of craft brewers in the U.S. Justin, Jess and Zoe recap early presentations from BA board chair Leah Cheston, president and CEO Bart Watson and Trillium founders JC and Esther Tetreault and the overarching theme of resilience in the face of adversity. Plus, Jess interviews Liz Nicol, the founder of Drawdown Brewing in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood, on her brewery's embrace of women's sports, community building and running a membership club.

Brewers Association Staff Economist Matt Gacioch on Craft Brewers' 'Realistic' Mindsets, Industry Trends, Headwinds & CBC Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

When Brewers Association (BA) staff economist Matt Gacioch is asked whether craft brewers are optimistic or pessimistic, his response is "brewers are realistic." "They are understanding that this is a new environment that they are operating in," Gacioch said during the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast. "Mid-April 2025 is very different than mid-April 2015." Gacioch, who is in his first year as a full-time employee of the BA, described a maturing and challenging craft beer market for a variety of factors, from consumer consumption shifts to increased competition and variety to economic pressures and tariffs. "The way that consumers and markets don't like uncertainty, small business owners really don't like uncertainty," he said. "That is the environment that we're in right now. There's a lot of products that go into beer making and [the] operating of a brewery [that] can be bought from within the U.S., but the supply chain is so complex and so global that certain tariffs are going to have an impact on pricing of brewery inputs. "So not being able to plan too far into the future because of how things have been changing so quickly has made it really tough for brewery owners to make great beer and feel like they can make a solid business plan for the year and years ahead," he continued. Which brings us to the 2025 edition of the Craft Brewers Conference taking place in Indianapolis next week (April 28-May 1). Gacioch anticipates that many of the conversations inside and outside of the Indiana Convention Center will center on those factors and strategies for pushing forward, including his own seminar (1:15 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 29) discussing case studies from breweries who tapped into growth drivers in 2024. Gacicoh also touches on new breweries making this year's top 50 craft list, potential opportunities and challenges for breweries adding food service and why he's excited for CBC. Plus, more conversation about kicking field goals than you'd expect. But first, the Brewbound team recaps the latest news, including the BA's recent webinar on tariffs and the NBWA and Fintech's Q1 2025 webinar on beer category sales trends. Justin, Jess and Zoe play Another Round or Tabbing Out on copycat designs infiltrating the hard lemonade and iced tea space, with a hat tip to Fingers' Dave Infante.

Top 50 Breweries, a California Craft-on-Craft Merger and a Conversation with Ibotta Apr 16, 2025

Show notes

The Brewbound team catches up on the latest headlines, including the Brewers Association's release of its top 50 breweries lists and updated data; the newest craft-on-craft merger between Fort Point Beer Co. and HenHouse Brewing in California; the closure of another Monster-owned production brewery; the surprise shutdown of a craft-centric distributor in Vermont; and the retirement of Molson Coors longtime CEO.

Jess, Justin and Zoe also play Another Round or Tabbing Out on a shower beer collaboration.

Plus, Jess and Justin interview Chris Riedy, chief revenue officer for cashback rewards app and tech and date insights firm Ibotta.

Crafting Tech for Craft Makers: Arryved's All-In-One POS and Capital Solution for Breweries Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

In this Brewbound Podcast interview, Ray Latif sat down with Ron Nelson, VP of Sales at Arryved, to discuss how the Boulder-based technology company is revolutionizing the craft beverage industry with its brewery-first approach to POS systems and now, funding.

Originally founded out of Avery Brewing Co., Arryved was created to solve a challenge that many breweries still face today: finding a point-of-sale solution specifically designed for the unique operations of a taproom or production brewery.

Arryved's dedication to the craft community doesn't stop at software. With the launch of Arryved Capital, the company is now helping breweries scale faster by providing access to quick, flexible funding. Whether it's a new tank, an expansion, or more barrels in production, Nelson says the process is fast and intuitive—because the Arryved team already understands the revenue model and rhythms of the businesses they serve.

Meet Arryved at CBC Booth #1865

Looking to upgrade your taproom technology or access funding to fuel your next stage of growth? Stop by Booth #1865 at the Craft Brewers Conference and grab a pour courtesy of Arryved's brewing customers!

The Latest Spirits News, Plus Colorado Craft-on-Craft Brewery Deals Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Tariffs and economic uncertainty were hot topics during the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States' (DISCUS) annual meeting in late March. BevNET spirits editor Ferron Salniker joins this week's Brewbound Podcast to share the scuttlebutt from the meeting, including trends to watch, distributor consolidation and supplier jumps to beer distributors. Plus, Justin and Zoe share their experiences after attending Bell's Oberon Day in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They also break down the latest craft-on-craft deal activity in Colorado with new partnerships between Left Hand-Dry Dock and Wilding Brands-Great Divide. The show wraps up with Another Round or Tabbing Out on breweries revamping existing brands, including a taste of Sierra Nevada's transformation of Big Little Thing into a hazy imperial IPA.

Exploring the Future of Hops: Hop Products Australia's Latest Harvest & Innovations Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

In this Brewbound interview, host Ray Latif speaks with Chris Swersey of Hop Products Australia and Steve Luke of Cloudburst Brewing to discuss the latest hop harvest, new investments in processing, and exciting beer collaborations. Chris shares insights on HPA's recent harvest, noting that yields and quality were well above average. He also highlights the company's new $35 million pellet plant, which will enhance the quality of their finished products.

Steve discusses his experience brewing with HPA's Galaxy hops, particularly in the new collaboration beer "Yay Space," set to debut at the CBC. He explains how the beer blends fresh and aged lots of Galaxy, creating a balanced hazy IPA with a drier finish. With enthusiasm for the latest crop, both Chris and Steve express optimism about the future of Galaxy hops and the opportunities they create for brewers worldwide.

For more information on Hop Products Australia and their latest hop innovations, visit hops.com.au. Be sure to check out Cloudburst Brewing and their latest collaboration, "Yay Space," at the Haas & HPA booth during CBC!

Road Report from the New England Craft Brew Summit Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

What's going on in the country's second-densest craft beer state? The Brewbound team hit the road to Portland, Maine, to find out. While in town for the New England Craft Brew Summit, Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante and senior reporter Zoe Licata checked in with 3 leaders to take the pulse of Maine's formidable (and cheerfully collaborative) craft scene. This special Maine-centric episode kicks off with Maine Brewers' Guild executive director Sarah Bryan. Bryan dishes on the hottest topics impacting Maine brewers right now – including concerns over decreased tourism from Canada – as well as goals for her second year as executive director. "A huge strategic goal of ours is to re-stitch-together a sense of pre-COVID[-19] camaraderie in the industry," Bryan said. "It's very easy for breweries to feel like they're on an island, there's always something more to be done, the work is never finished, there's never quite enough hands, you can never make enough beer and there's never enough storage. … Being in this role has impressed on me how deserving these breweries are of working channels of communication, creating pathways for them to work together." The team then chats with Thirsty Pig owner Allison Stevens about the craft beer bar and changes she witnessed in how the craft industry is operating, including distribution consolidation and shrinking sales teams. She also gives tips for how breweries can be the best partners for Thirsty Pig and other retail accounts. Then, Orange Bike Brewing co-founder and CEO Tom Ruff chats about the origins of the gluten-free-dedicated craft brewery, and how the venture has opened his eyes to the amount of consumers looking for GF options, and the impact the availability of diverse beer options has on connecting the community. Brewbound editor Justin Kendall also joins the episode to discuss some of this week's California-centric headlines, including the formation of Sunset Distributing in LA and San Diego and the sale of Anderson Valley Brewing.

An Exit Interview with Bell's Brewery EVP Carrie Yunker Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

Carrie Yunker ended her more than two-decade run at Bell's Brewery on a high note Monday – Oberon Day, the annual release of the company's spring-summer seasonal wheat beer. Yunker, who started at the Michigan craft brewery as a part-time receptionist and ended up leading the company as founder Larry Bell's handpicked successor, kicked off the festivities at the brewery's Kalamazoo taphouse and event space by raising an Oberon flag. Hundreds of Michiganders and fans from neighboring states, many wearing costumes, lined up and waited for hours for the taphouse to open and to drink this year's Oberon and several special variants. For Yunker, Oberon Day was a fitting way to say goodbye as employee No. 50. "This day is the best of everything," she says in this week's episode of the Brewbound Podcast. "It's the best of Kalamazoo, which is a city that I love so much. It's the best of craft beer, which if you throwback craft beer to its heyday, it's really about bringing people together and community. And what you will see is the streets of Kalamazoo, lined with people wearing teal, wearing orange, drinking Oberon, lighting up not just our account but accounts all over Kalamazoo. "It really is this wonderful amalgamation. .... It's food and fun and family and community and this day represents that, not just here in Kalamazoo, but you see that spotlighted across the Great Lakes." Yunker described her time as EVP as "the privilege of my life to lead such an amazing, amazing team and brand." So why step away? Yunker explained that she and her husband became empty nesters last fall, which led to more time for reflection. "The silence created some space for me to really think about what's next for me, what's next for our family," she said. "I have lots of dear friends and people that I love who are living in a place where they are fearful," she continued. "When I think about what I could do and take some of my leadership and my business acumen and potentially apply that in a different way to go do work either in politics or nonprofit to really make sure that people can live and love the way that they like. "That's something that really motivates me." In the conversation, Yunker discusses taking over for Larry Bell and how their leadership styles differed, guiding the brewery through several milestones and her favorite moments, including an off-the-cuff comment during a TV interview that led to 300 people showing up at the Comstock brewery for an impromptu job fair. Full Disclosure: Bell's Brewery covered airfare and hotel accommodations for the Brewbound team to record this interview during Oberon Day.

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