Chris Johnson’s Post

🔔 NEW DTC BILL (Part 1): Texas Senate Bill 246: Proposes In-State & Out-of-State Direct-to-Consumer Shipping for Spirits & Beer Effective Date: September 1, 2025 Key Changes Proposed: 1. Direct Shipment Rights: - Allows distillers and rectifiers to ship spirits directly to consumers - Permits breweries and brewpubs to ship beer directly to consumers - Continues allowing wineries to ship wine to consumers 2. Out-of-State Shipping: - Creates new permits for out-of-state distilleries and breweries to ship directly to Texas consumers - Requires these businesses to obtain Texas sales tax permits and submit to Texas jurisdiction 3. Delivery Requirements: - All deliveries must be made through licensed carriers or consumer delivery permit holders - Recipients must be 21 or older and show valid ID - Packages must be clearly labeled as containing alcohol - Delivery only to purchaser, designated recipient, or someone 21+ at delivery address 4. Volume Limitations: - Breweries limited to 288 fluid ounces per consumer per day - Out-of-state shippers follow same volume limits as in-state producers Sponsored by Senator Pete Flores: District 24 📝 Notably, this legislation follows New York State, which will begin allowing direct-to-consumer spirits shipping next week, signaling a growing trend in alcohol shipping modernization. Source: https://lnkd.in/e2bVvVVP #AlcoholLaw #Texas #Legislation #DirectToConsumer #Spirits #Beer #Wine

Instead of wine, let’s look at craft cannabis vs craft beer, which holds 24.7% of total US beer market share at retail! This means craft cannabis will be the same? Right? Not really… At wholesale, (where they actually make their money) craft brewers only hold 13.3% of sales. In some ways, yes, there are models in this category that could be feasible for cannabis companies to follow, (Tilray thinks so…) But that’s the point….TILRAY is the #6 ‘craft brewing’ company in the country… Simply put, ‘craft cannabis’ doesn’t equate to ‘craft beer’. “Craft Brewers” are defined by the Brewers Association as: SMALL Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to rules of alternating proprietorships. INDEPENDENT Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. So… you can own 3% of total national market share, and Anheuser Busch can own 25% of your company, and you’d still be considered a craft brewer. This includes companies like: Boston Beer Co. (2,793 employees), $2B in sales Sierra Nevada (1,050 employees), $320M in sales Tilray , (1,600 employees*), $152M in sales *includes cannabis employees One vital point being missed in the comparison between wine and beer and cannabis… we have to note that both wine and beer exist in complex supply chains, wher the grower of the grape very often may not bottle or brand (i.e.selling bulk), and where beer requires hops and barley, which are grown by farmers. So… who are the cultivators in this scenario? The brewers? Or are they barley farmers?

Accounting for two million jobs, more than €50 billion in value-added, and €40 billion in government tax revenues, the #beer industry is a major contributor to the EU's socio-economic development. But if the EU is to support its 10,000 breweries, it needs a more progressive excise tax framework. Brewing is unlike any other process, and EU policymakers should recognise its unique character. Alcohol produced by fermentation in beer costs more than two-and-a-half times more to produce than the alcohol in hard liquor. The nature of the product and the beer value chain also means that retailing and distributing beer can be almost eight times more costly for beer than for strong alcoholic beverages. A fiscal system that distinguishes amongst beverage types can nudge consumers toward lower-alcohol beverages. This is a time-tested, evidence-based way to align business with public health objectives. Read our Manifesto to know more: https://loom.ly/Yv0kY-Y #BeerFuture #EUElections2024

Here's what is going on in the US craft spirits and distilling space. Our editor Malvika Patel chats with Erik Owens, President of the American Distilling Institute (ADI). Erik Owens, President of the American Distilling Institute (ADI), is at the forefront of the craft distilling movement in the United States. With a background in biology and biotech, Erik brings a unique perspective to the industry. From his early days brewing beer to leading ADI, Erik has witnessed the growth and evolution of craft distilling. In this exclusive interview, Erik shares insights into the challenges and triumphs of the industry, the impact of ADI, and his vision for the future of craft spirits. Questions we ask: AS THE PRESIDENT OF ADI, WHAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES, AND WHAT ARE YOUR KEY OBJECTIVES FOR THE ORGANIZATION? WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF CRAFT DISTILLING, AND HOW IS ADI PREPARING ITS MEMBERS TO ADAPT TO THESE CHANGES? HOW DOES ADI SUPPORT ITS MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY SMALL TO MID-SIZED DISTILLERIES, AND WHAT RESOURCES DOES IT PROVIDE TO HELP THEM SUCCEED? THE CRAFT DISTILLING INDUSTRY HAS FACED CHALLENGES SUCH AS REGULATORY ISSUES AND COMPETITION FROM LARGER DISTILLERIES. HOW HAS ADI ADVOCATED FOR ITS MEMBERS AND HELPED NAVIGATE THESE CHALLENGES? WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF CRAFT DISTILLING, AND HOW IS ADI PREPARING ITS MEMBERS TO ADAPT TO THESE CHANGES? HOW DO YOU BALANCE INNOVATION AND TRADITION IN THE CRAFT DISTILLING INDUSTRY, AND HOW DOES ADI SUPPORT DISTILLERS IN EXPLORING NEW TECHNIQUES AND FLAVORS? WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ASPIRING CRAFT DISTILLERS LOOKING TO ENTER THE INDUSTRY? and more. Full interview on Bartender Spirits Awards. https://lnkd.in/d5wSV-iM

Check this out 👍

Brewery Unit meaning A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. What is another name for a brewery? Synonyms: still , distillery, microbrewery, bottling works, winery, factory , brewhouse.

Michael Roper, owner of one of the US's best beer bars, described Maine Beer Company thusly: "You could almost say that they are diabolically brilliant in their counterintuitive marketing strategy." If a brewery sticks to its guns long enough, and its beers are great enough, maybe those unorthodox choices become a point of distinction rather than a liability. That's what's happened for Maine, and it's set the brewery up for growth at a time when most other regional breweries are treading water. I dive into the brewery's decision-making, trade-offs, pricing, and more for this Brewing Industry Guide case study: https://lnkd.in/gSb-akKE

If you fancy bragging you have money in the craft whisky boom sweeping the world, Waikato’s Good George Brewing distilling company has a single malt barrel with your name on it. The craft beer, cider and gin maker is launching a whisky share venture called the People’s Cut. It offers whisky fans a chance to team up with others to buy a share in a barrel of single malt whisky distilled with their flavour choice - or if they have no friends, to buy a whole barrel for themselves, sit back for five years and wait for the contents, and hopefully the returns, to age nicely. A barrel costs $16,000 and yields about 250 bottles. Investors can buy a whole barrel or take a 10 per cent or 50 per cent stake in a barrel. Good George says it’s already sold 35 barrels pre-launch. Precise profit returns are difficult to forecast but investors can be confident this is an appreciating asset in a sector set to outshine gin in the premium spirits market over the next 10 years, says Good George co-founder and in-house whisky maker Brian Watson. “Barrel owners can expect anything from an 8 to 15 per cent return based on current market trends from overseas,” he says. When investors choose to bottle their whisky, they’ll have to pay an alcohol excise tax, which Watson says works out at about $20 a bottle. Insurance and storage fees are included in the whole barrel price. A certificate of title is issued with each barrel. “Whisky is product where you (the investor) bring the secret sauce. We just help you make it happen - with a few guard rails in place. What’s most exciting about the flavour combinations in the pipeline is they are uniquely Kiwi and will stand out from the crowd,” says Watson. 🔗 tinyurl.com/bdhkjxdy

📣 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧: 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩! From humble beginnings in a backyard shed in Champlain, New York, Country Malt Group Group has grown into one of North America’s leading suppliers to the craft beverage industry. Founded in 1995 with just six bags of malt, a homebrew mill, and a single van, Country Malt Group has spent nearly three decades supporting brewers and distillers with unparalleled service, expertise, and passion. 𝐀 𝐎𝐧𝐞-𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 & 𝐈𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 🔥 Whether brewing beer, distilling whiskey, or crafting cider or seltzer, Country Malt Group provides the knowledge, resources, and tools that makers need to thrive in a competitive industry. The offering is so comprehensive and high-quality that Toby Tucker, Director of Sales, says: "Every time I come into one of our warehouses, it’s like I just got a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory." 🍺 🥃 𝐀 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 Today, Country Malt Group operates 𝟏𝟐 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 across North America, ensuring seamless access to the products and services brewers and distillers rely on. Country Malt Group is also the exclusive supplier of Great Western Malting and Canada Malting Co. Limited. products for North America. Adam Hieronimus, Territory Manager, emphasizes the importance of building strong customer relationships: "Relationships are number one. We want to be that partner—not just a place to buy products. The most important thing to me right now is building those relationships with customers, getting face-to-face with them. Any one of our customers knows they can reach out to someone for help—whether it’s technical support or product recommendations." From supporting small local breweries to serving global beverage producers, 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 is a vital link in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧, connecting craft makers to the ingredients and expertise they need to 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐭. #UnleashThePowerOfMalt #CountryMaltGroup #MaltPowerChain #CraftBrewing #CraftDistilling

The number of breweries, wineries, and distilleries in Iowa has increased significantly in recent years, and the industry is now a major contributor to the state's economy. Fourth Economy was engaged by the Iowa Economic Development Authority to conduct an economic impact analysis of the craft beer, wine, and distillery industries in the state, including the direct, indirect, and induced impact. The report found that Iowa breweries generated a total economic impact of $1.25 billion from brewery operations, trade, and tourism in 2022. Read the article to explore additional findings 👉