✨ How to Beat a 'Stuffy Old Brewery' Reputation

Brewbound Insiders are getting all the details from BevNET spirits editor Ferron Salniker’s conversation with Saint Arnold Brewing founder Brock Wagner as the brewery celebrates its 30th anniversary. Wagner dishes on why the brewery has kept its focus local, and the company stays relevant in a rapidly changing bev-alc industry. 

Brewbound Insiders are also:

• Learning about Stone-Sapporo’s expansion plans;
• Getting an update on the strike at Molson Coors’ Fort Worth, Texas facility. 
• Reading about the Federal Trade Commission's latest allegations against Albertsons (newsletter exclusive);
• Watching the TikTok clip that has Zoe hopeful for the future of beer (newsletter exclusive). 

Insiders also have access to the Brewbound Newsletter Archive, including previous newsletter-exclusive Insider content.

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Next month, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, the oldest craft brewery in the state of Texas, will celebrate its 30th anniversary. It only took about half that time for it to become “an overnight success,” joked Saint Arnold founder Brock Wagner. 

After working in investment banking for a few years post college, Wagner decided to turn his homebrewing hobby into a business. 

He told Brewbound: “Craft breweries were starting to open around the country, and Houston – where I lived – was the largest city that didn't have a microbrewery in it. I thought ‘this is going to be easy.’”

It was not. Turns out, “people in Houston and in Texas had no idea what craft beer was,” Wagner said. He spent the first decade of his business focused on education – anything from Saturday tours, to samplings, and beer tastings that included other craft beers as well.

Insiders can read more from BevNET spirits editor Ferron Salniker’s conversation with Wagner, including Saint Arnold’s local focus and how the company beat its reputation as a “stuffy old brewery” in the fast-evolving craft beer scene.

Teamsters have voted to ratify a contract with Molson Coors, ending a more than three-month-long strike at the major brewer’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility.

The three-year agreement, which covers 420 workers, “secures wage increases, improves benefits and restores retiree health care,” Teamsters shared on Twitter/X. 

Jeff Padellaro, director of the Teamsters brewery, bakery and soft drink conference, said: “Our members never gave up; they pushed back on this company until they got a fair contract that recognizes their contributions. Teamsters don’t back down from a fight, and we will always fight for what we deserve.”

Insiders can read more, including comments from Moslon Coors chief supply officer Erhardt and a recap of the past three months.

Infinite Ingredient founder and executive director Katie Muggli joins the Brewbound Podcast to discuss burnout in the brewing industry, how to recognize it, and what resources are available for both industry leaders and individuals. Recognizing burnout can help industry members physically and mentally, and can help strengthen business's bottom line, according to Muggli. 

May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, so it’s a perfect time for this discussion, which was recorded on the trade show floor last month during the Craft Brewers Conference in Las Vegas. 

Then, Ashlie Randolph chats with Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante about Lifting Lucy, the company Randolph co-founded that helps provide resources to women and non-binary people of color in the industry. Lifting Lucy helps industry members form deeper connections in beer, including providing financial assistance to travel to, attend and speak at conferences and networking events. 

Randolph is also the global vice president for Pink Boots Society, International and on the advisory board for the National Black Brewers Association (NB2A). 

Later in the episode, Justin and Zoe review the latest headlines, including Gallo’s strategic investment in Montucky Cold Snacks, and Boston Beer Company founder Jim Koch’s comments on the company’s need to repair its “embarrassing” reputation. Plus, the duo plays Another Round or Tabbing Out on resealable bev-alc packaging and candy-inspired beverages. 

Listen here or on your podcast platform of choice.

Sapporo-Stone Brewing Co. unveiled a $60 million expansion plan Tuesday that will double the company’s annual capacity to about 700,000 barrels. 

The news comes less than two years after Japanese beer giant Sapporo acquired Stone Brewing, then the seventh-largest independent craft brewery in the country, for $165 million. Post-integration, the joint company has 850 employees, 600 of whom are based in San Diego County. 

The new capacity will be spread across the company’s breweries in Escondido, California and Richmond, Virginia. The first phase of the expansion, valued at $20 million, is nearly complete, according to a press release. Part of the first phase included the addition of 200 new jobs, 125 locally and 75 outside of San Diego County. Additionally, “more than 150 team members have been promoted or moved into new or expanded roles since the acquisition,” according to the release. 

Insiders can read more, including comments from leadership and the latest scan data for Sapporo and Stone.

The Brewbound Live business conference returns December 11 and 12 in Marina del Rey, California.

Brewbound Live will feature beverage-alcohol industry leaders taking part in business-focused conversations, data presentations, networking and much more across two days at the Marina del Rey Marriott.

Brewbound announced the first speakers for this year’s conference. They include:

• Russian River co-owner Natalie Cilurzo;
• Deschutes Brewery CEO Peter Skrbek;
• National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist and VP of analytics Lester Jones;
• Draftline Technologies founder and president Jennifer Hauke.

Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Register for Brewbound Live 2024.