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Boston Beer's sales dropped 3.2% to $520.1m in the three months to the end of September, its slowest quarterly decline this year, leaving the top line down 3.6% at $1.52bn year to date and shipment volumes off 5.4% over nine months. Sun Cruiser and Angry Orchard grew in volume terms, while Samuel Adams, Truly and Twisted Tea all fell.
Drinks Intel |
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A chemical spill from Diageo's Cardhu Distillery contaminated Scotland's River Spey, once among the cleanest waters in the world. The contamination killed thousands of salmon, trout, and other fish.
VinePair |
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A group representing Diageo and Pernod Ricard told India that leaving bulk Scotch imports out of a reduced 75 percent tariff conflicts with terms set in the India-UK trade deal, undercutting the benefits the pact was meant to deliver.
Malaya Business Insight |
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The rise of THC-infused beverages has pitted US alcohol producers against wholesalers and drinks retailers, as more consumers trade booze for a milder cannabis high. Brewers and distillers, wary of the new competitor, are pushing for tough regulation of drinks containing THC.
Australian Financial Review |
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In an October 2026 presentation to its UK hospitality customers seen by Reuters, Heineken warned that weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy "could reduce the desire to drink alcohol" and urged venues to push half-pints, low- and no-alcohol options, and food. Heineken, which owns more than 2,000 British pubs, confirmed the warning on the record but said it has not seen the drugs cut its own beer sales; its first-half 2026 total volume rose 1.6% and operating profit rose 6.7%.
24/7 Wall St. |
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Napa Valley's wineries are feeling pressure from President Trump's tariffs, according to the Manila Standard. The region rose to international prominence after its wines beat French rivals in a high-profile blind tasting contest.
Manila Standard |
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Treasury Wine Estates, whose annual sales fell 11.2% to A$2.56 billion ($1.81b) through June, says it has now posted three consecutive quarters of depletions growth for its U.S. luxury portfolio, with Matua, Frank Family, Daou, Stags' Leap, The Pessimist, and Beringer Knights Valley all up in Circana channels over the 52 weeks through October 4. CEO Sam Fischer expects F27 EBITS at least equal to F26 and is pushing toward a long-term margin target of 25%-plus, while a strategic review of the U.S. business works to cut grower intake, fallow vineyards, reduce winemaking capacity, and divest surplus assets, as the 19 Crimes brand continues to weigh on the portfolio.
Shanken News Daily |
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Heineken told UK hospitality customers this month that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could pressure beer and cider sales by reducing drinkers' desire for multi-pint occasions, advising operators to push half-pints, low- and no-alcohol options and small-plate pairings. Research from Drinkaware and KAM found GLP-1 users drank 29% less often and cut weekly alcohol spending 22%, while Circana data reported by Reuters found US households with a GLP-1 user spent about 7% less on alcohol after two years, and roughly 13.5% less on beer.
BeverageDaily |
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A group calling itself Emperador added AB InBev to a public ransomware-monitoring tracker on October 25, 2026, claiming 3.9 GB of stolen data (3.2 GB of it in Azure blob assets, plus corporate emails and internal PKI certificates) and setting a $1 million ransom in Bitcoin. None of the claims have been independently verified, and AB InBev had issued no public confirmation of a cyber incident in the reporting available, per shattered.io.
shattered.io |
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Wente Family Vineyards has entered a national partnership with Bronco Wine Company to expand its footprint across the U.S. Wente, which bills itself as America's longest continuously operating family-owned and operated winery, did not disclose further terms in the available excerpt.
winebusiness |
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In an Irish Liquor Lawyer column, the author contrasts Southern Glazer's defense of heavy liquor regulation with its September non-prosecution agreement, under which the distributor paid $12.5 million and accepted responsibility for employees who made improper payments to grocery buyers, including at a major California chain, and hid them with false invoices. The piece also notes Southern's recent settlement of the FTC's Robinson-Patman case, which alleged it gave the largest chains better prices than small retailers, and calls on the company to back direct-to-consumer spirits shipping and franchise-law reform.
Irish Liquor Lawyer |
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After the PLCB listed all of Stateside's ready-to-drink cocktails in September, distributors can only buy them at a 10% discount off the state's retail price, pushing a case of Super Lyte from as little as $47.99 bought directly from Stateside to the state-mandated $53.99, Spotlight PA reports. The vodka-based drink sold a million cases in 142 days, and Stateside recommends a $19.99 retail price for a variety eight-pack.
Hoodline |
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Brown-Forman is aiming to turn India into one of the top 10 markets for its Scotch whisky portfolio within five years, pointing to premiumization, free-trade-agreement benefits, and new brand launches as the drivers.
Rediff Money |
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A measure giving Massachusetts municipalities control over how many on-premises liquor licenses they can issue remains stalled in a legislative conference committee, with House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz defending the current home rule petition system as a working "checks and balances." His stance follows an Oct. 13 report from state Auditor Diana DiZoglio that called the process "opaque, inconsistent, and unpredictable" and flagged a two-tier system in which 26 municipalities have local licensing control while 302 are capped by a state quota formula.
Yahoo |
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Beverage sales in the convenience channel rose 3.5% in Q3 2026, up from a 2.9% increase in Q2, according to Goldman Sachs Equity Research's latest Beverage Bytes retailer survey. Despite the quarter-over-quarter gain, the year-end outlook declined.
BevNET |
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Adelaida Vineyards, a California winery founded in 1981, faces possible liquidation after a family feud cost it a $12.7 million judgment. A bankruptcy court has set a deadline to find a buyer.
The Times of India |
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Edibles.com president Thomas Winstanley spoke with BevNET about hemp's December cliff, potential pivots and the future of cannabis beverages.
BevNET |
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Boston Beer Company plans to give three of its 2026 test products, Lytt, Rally and Sin, full backing in 2027, founder Jim Koch told Brewbound. The company aims to use its industry relationships and large sales teams to push into current fast-growing beverage-alcohol segments.
Brewbound |
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A free-trade agreement signed this week will cut India's duty on New Zealand wine from 150% to either 50% or 25% depending on value, a reduction of up to 83% over the next decade, with a most-favored-nation clause tying New Zealand to any lower wine tariffs India grants another country in a future deal. New Zealand Winegrowers called the market "untapped" but said exports grew 48% in the last year to just under NZD438,000 (US$248,989).
Drinks Intel |
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The Supreme Court won't review wine-shipping laws, per Fingers, which also reported that the outlook for beverage-alcohol trade conferences is looking bleak.
Fingers |
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Some wine grape growers in B.C.'s south Okanagan are struggling to find buyers for their fruit as wineries are allowed to import U.S. grapes, per Wine Business. The difficulty comes in a year many growers had hoped would bring solid profit after devastating crop losses in recent years.
winebusiness |
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Carlsberg India's revenue slipped 2.2% to ₹8,708.8 crore in FY26 while profit rose 22% to ₹534.51 crore, per data from Tofler. The maker of Tuborg, Carlsberg Elephant and Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc received SEBI approval on October 1 for a proposed IPO that reports say could raise up to $700 million.
The Hindu BusinessLine |
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Napa Valley finished its 2026 harvest among the earliest ever, running roughly a month ahead of average after a dry winter, early bud break and a wet, windy bloom. Those conditions halved yields or worse across many vineyards, though winemakers call the fruit very good; growers and winery owners differ on what the short crop means for them.
Wine Industry Advisor |
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Brewbound's Press Clips roundup from September 22-23 covers a potential new brewery tax credit and the shutdown of Chandler Street Breweries, along with items on the Brewers Association and Atwater.
Brewbound |
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Quarter Proof's founders, including Rohan Radhakrishnan, are rebranding to Demi, a "mid-strength" spirits venture with a US-first strategy. The line includes a 20% ABV vodka alternative labeled "crafted with vodka."
Just Drinks |
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Carlsberg plans to invest about $65 million in its Phu Bai Brewery in Hue, Vietnam, between 2026 and 2031 on production technology, digitalization and renewable energy, calling it an investment intention not yet fully approved. The plan follows a nearly $90 million expansion inaugurated in August 2025 that lifted the site's brewing capacity by 50%, making it the group's largest beer production facility in Asia.
foodbusinessmea |
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Brookside Vineyard Company has acquired Sbragia Family Vineyards, the Dry Creek Valley winery co-founded by a noted Napa winemaker. The estate will reopen next spring as Brookside Winery.
winebusiness |
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India's Directorate of Revenue Intelligence visited Allied Blenders and Distillers' Mumbai head office and an Aurangabad plant on Wednesday as part of an industry-wide review of the customs codes applied to bulk Scotch imports, the Officer's Choice owner said in an October 22 stock-exchange filing. The directorate last week also visited Diageo's United Spirits and Pernod Ricard's New Delhi office, with officials examining whether importers misclassified goods to pay lower tariffs under the UK-India trade deal that took effect in July and halved duties on UK whisky to 75%.
Just Drinks |
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G4 Tequila, part of the PKGD Group portfolio, grew its volume 55% in the first nine months of 2026 after nearly doubling to 87,000 9-liter cases in 2025. The $40-and-up brand lifted points of distribution 43% this year and dollar sales per distribution point 7.7%, while smaller PKGD labels including Paloma Mezcal (up 44% to 5,000 cases) and El Viejito Tequila (up 500% to 1,000 cases) also climbed.
Shanken News Daily |
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Australia's Archie Rose Distilling Co launched its namesake whisky in the US on October 23, with three expressions, Single Malt Australian Whisky, Straight Rye Malt Whisky and Australian Original Whisky, priced at $59.99, $49.99 and $39.99. The rollout is backed by a global campaign fronted by Chris Hemsworth, who became a co-owner alongside founder Will Edwards in August and has worked on the brand's new identity and packaging.
Drinks Intel |
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A Wine Industry Advisor opinion piece responds to Gary Vaynerchuk's article "The Wine Business Needs to Wake Up," with the author, who cites more than 30 years in the wine business, agreeing with his points. The writer argues the industry has focused more on what consumers should appreciate than on what they actually want.
Wine Industry Advisor |
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A Wine Industry Advisor piece makes the case that Napa Valley is a sound long-term wine investment and will lead the category's recovery, citing the region's iconic status and framing its wine as both a hedge and a harbinger.
Wine Industry Advisor |
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White wine is finding a wider audience in China, moving from seafood stalls to wine bars, according to Wine Industry Advisor.
Wine Industry Advisor |
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Japan imported about 127 million litres of spirits worth ¥113.6 billion (US$725 million) in 2025, with whisky down in volume but still 61.8% of import value, according to customs data compiled by ProWine Tokyo. Tequila imports have more than doubled since 2021, reaching 3,843 kilolitres in 2025, while brandy made up 1.4% of spirits import volume but 5.6% of value.
The Spirits Business |
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Alpine Distilling, the Utah whiskey and gin maker founded in 2016 by Rob and Sara Sergent, has opened a second distillery in the historic Roundhouse & Railyards complex in Evanston, Wyoming, the first operational business in the 1912 space in 50 years. The site will expand production of Alpine's grain-to-glass whiskeys, gin and botanical spirits and open to the public, while the company also plans to expand its Park City, Utah location.
The Spirits Business |
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A Russian wine industry group is pushing to raise the tariff on imports from countries Moscow deems hostile to 200%, up from 20%. The group says the increase would further displace Western bottles in favor of domestic producers.
Vinetur |
