Brewbound Podcast

AleSmith is celebrating its 30th anniversary with momentum behind new products – in and out of beer – and a growing contract brewing business.    In this episode of the Brewbound Podcast, AleSmith president Brandon Richards shares how the San Diego craft brewery has evolved to meet drinkers’ needs with new products while fortifying its business by brewing for others.    Richards explains how the Party Tricks IPA line and addition of Sun Path fruited lager line have driven growth for the company. Party Tricks has helped “turn the business around” over the last two years, he says.    In 2025, AleSmith expects to double its contract volume year-over-year with plans for more in 2026. The company is in the process of completing facility upgrades to enable spirits-based RTD production that will expand its consumer base as well as its own product mix.   AleSmith is expanding its flagship Speedway Stout brand for its first spirit-based offering with Speedway Espresso Martini, and the company is adding a second spirit-based ready-to-drink (RTD) line with Hoptails, which Richards believes is a first-to-market product as a hard hop water cocktail.    Richards also gives insights into what AleSmith is looking for in a contract partner, what he believes the brewery offers its clients and how much volume the company has earmarked for co-packing in 2026.    Before the interview, the Brewbound team breaks down the biggest industry headlines, including Charlie Sheen’s non-alc beer, Molson Coors’ new CEO, investors’ lawsuit against Island Brands and Boston Beer’s winning pick for The Summer I Turned Pretty.

On the latest Brewbound Podcast, the Brewbound team closes the book on a lackluster selling season. Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata breaks down the final round of off-premise data, with a letdown from the historically sales boosting summer beer occasions.    Zoe along with Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and managing editor Jessica Infante also recap the latest 3 Up, 3 Down quarterly report from 3 Tier Beverages, noting a few bright spots through the halfway point of the year, including alternative packaging styles such as smaller can formats.    Plus, the team also hits the latest hot topics, including a major packaging change for Canada’s Moosehead and the ensuing consumer backlash; a Denver brewery’s closing announcement unlike any other; Iron Hill’s decision to shutter three brewpubs; recent taproom consumer trends; and Boston Beer choosing a side in the Team Conrad versus Team Jeremiah debate in an effort to tap into Gen Z culture.   And a bonus: More tomato canning talk than you’d expect.

Less has been more with BrewDog’s U.S. business over the last year and a half.    On the latest episode of the Brewbound Podcast, BrewDog USA chief sales and marketing officer Eric Teodoro Franco explains how the business has “done fewer things better,” leading with a focus on its core brands, which helped the brand increase volume 26% last year, to 89,084 barrels of beer, according to data from the Brewers Association (BA).    “We were very, very famous and very willing to be famous for throwing a lot against the wall and seeing what would stick for many, many years,” Franco shared. “We can do that in the U.K. where you have a 50-plus share and you can develop a lot of things and trial and try new things.    “In this market, we did that and it didn’t work. We’ve really taken our range plan, we’ve taken our focuses down to really doing fewer and better things.”   That’s led to improved wholesaler partnerships and led to a redeployment of BrewDog’s teams to better support its core markets, Franco said.   Additionally, BrewDog USA has been given the opportunity to run its operations with some autonomy from its homebase in Scotland as its U.S. leadership team has earned the trust of the global team.   “We’re running things the way we need to run them,” Franco said. “Same on the food side and on the retail side of our business.   “For many years, we were very much driven by what the U.K. or international bars looked like, and we would apply that narrative, if you will, or business plan to the U.S. bars. That’s gone away as well.”   Franco also discusses how the exits of founders James Watt and Martin Dickie have affected the U.S. business, how the company is approaching innovation and how the company has rethought both its distribution footprint and its taproom strategy.     Before the interview, Brewbound’s Justin Kendall, Jessica Infante and Zoe Lica break down the impending closure of 21st Amendment Brewery, the removal of a study from the dietary guidelines process and the challenges of making an alcoholic version of better-for-you soda. They also dig into TikTok trends and the latest grousing about Generation Z’s bar habits.

Columbia Distributing leaders believe they’ve tapped into a pipeline for the next generation of beer industry workers.     On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, Columbia president and CEO Chris Steffanci, VP of sales, Portland Chris Watzig and former intern Rebecca Logan share the ins and outs of the Pacific Northwest distributor’s Beer Careers Program.   Watzig and Logan offer decades-apart experience of the 10-week paid internship program, which introduces participating students to all elements of Columbia’s business and operations. Watzig entered the program in 2015 and has worked his way up the ladder over the last decade. Logan recently graduated from Oregon State University and was in the program’s 2025 cohort.     The discussion covers how candidates are selected, why the company believes it's important to invest in career development programs and what employers can learn from the emerging Gen Z workforce.   Before the conversation, Justin, Jess and Zoe share their Labor Day weekend adventures, including an unexpected encounter with a sandwich-hungry seagull. The trio also cover the latest news, including Sierra Nevada’s 2026 plans and Constellation Brands’ negatively revised guidance.

Kevin McGee used his law degree more than he expected when his family took over legacy California craft brewery Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC), including in legal battles over distribution rights.    Now that the family has sold the brewery,  a move announced in March, McGee is putting his degree to use full time.    On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, McGee recounts recent franchise law cases and victories in the Golden State and shares his expectations for more challenges to craft brewers’ ability to switch distributors in the future.    McGee, who acted as AVBC’s president and CEO, also shares when he and his family knew it was the right time to sell the brewery. He explains what brewery owners thinking about selling need to consider, how they should prepare and what the current buyer market looks like.   Before the conversation, Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and senior reporter Zoe Licata discuss Anheuser-Busch InBev’s sale of its New York City wholly owned distributor to Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits and why they believe more moves are on the way.   Plus, Justin and Zoe play Another Round or Tabbing Out on Spindrift pulling the plug on its spiked seltzer brand and the crossover bev-alc market.

Rupee Beer founders Van and Sumit Sharma believe they’re ready to meet Indian cuisine’s moment.    On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, the brothers share their journey of launching the Indian American beer brand during the COVID-19 pandemic as an add-on purchase at their family’s restaurant. Today, Rupee has expanded distribution to 18 states – most recently California – and the Sharmas are readying for an “explosion” of Indian restaurants entering the U.S market.    “We’re doing something that really directly ties it into the only story that we know, which is restaurants,” Van Sharma said. “That’s what we grew up in, more specifically, Indian restaurants.”   Rupee’s beer has found its way onto menus in Thai, Middle Eastern, Persian, Latin American and Caribbean restaurants.   “Anywhere global flavor, spice, those things hang out, that’s where we’re operating these days,” Van Sharma said. “Legacy brands out there definitely paved the way, but we’re doing something a little bit different, which also involves a little bit more of the local, craft American space as well.”    Although the Shamras built Rupee’s business primarily through the on-premise channel, they’re now getting the attention of national retailers and they’re leaning into their chain business.    Rupee is bringing new innovation to the Indian beer segment, which hasn’t seen an influx of new brands, Van Sharma said.   Later in the episode, The Sharmas discuss their strategy for engaging consumers and gaining their attention in retail stores, as well as their approach to building their distribution network and where they want to go next.    Plus, Justin, Jess and Zoe catch up on the latest headlines, including why it’s not time to panic despite the Gallup survey’s recent results on Americans drinking habits. They give a legal update on Uncle Nearest and the recipe agreement dispute between Schilling Cider and Incline. They also recap recent bev-alc experiences, from a growing dislike for black cherry flavors, to a sweaty trip to the Iowa State Fair.

Representatives of Uncle Nearest were in court last week fighting to retain control of the whiskey brand’s operations as its lender seeks the appointment of a receiver as the company has fallen into default on $108 million in loans.   BevNET spirits editor Ferron Salniker joins the Brewbound Podcast to share the latest on the case, including arguments made in court last week in favor of CEO Fawn Weaver remaining in charge, a gag order on comments to the media and on social channels and the timeline for a judge’s ruling.   Plus, the Brewbound team discusses aluminum can producer Ball Corporation cutting back on beer in its mix, and Boston Beer’s plans to shut down its Truly Hard Seltzer taproom in Los Angeles and sell the Angel City craft beer brand, as well as close its downtown LA taproom.    Justin, Jess, Zoe and Ferron also play Another Round or Tabbing Out on whether the attention the Spaghett – a bottle of Miller High Life with aperol and lemon juice added – is warranted.

While defending shelf space remains important, suppliers need to make sure they’re also retaining lucrative display, floor, promotional and feature space, Bump Williams Consulting (BWC) president Dave Williams and VP of business development and portfolio strategy Brian “BK” Krueger shared in the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast.    “That’s what really multiplies anything that you have on the shelf,” Krueger said.    Beer brands’ display losses aren’t just coming from competitors within the category – they’re coming from other mega alcohol categories and even non-alcoholic (NA) beverages.    “If you look at what’s on the floor on display now, it’s less alcohol across the board,” Krueger said. “You’re seeing more of the sodas, more of the flavor, more of the Olipops, more of the Poppis that are getting that space that used to be 50-, 60-case stacks of beer or seltzer or craft or domestic or import.    “Now, it’s gone, it’s out of the mix,” he continued. “And the frequency has also eroded away as well.”   Williams stressed that suppliers need to maintain alignment with their wholesaler and retailer partners to protect that space, which will be key to winning in the future. That alignment comes from being present in the market to maintain those relationships.   In their conversation with Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata, Williams and Krueger also discuss first-half 2025 trends in detail with a few reality checks along the way.    “It hasn’t gotten notably worse, but it hasn’t also gotten markedly better,” Williams said of early year trends. “The reality [is] that beer and malt in particular based products, that consumer isn’t coming back around in large droves.    “I don’t expect volume to come back in any meaningful way,” he continued. “There are certainly some individual winners … I think a lot of behaviors from consumers right now are drawing people outside of the beer/malt world. They’re slowing down their frequency of consumption or volume that they’re consuming when they do go out and make a purchase at the package store.   Krueger and Williams also share how craft brewers are leveraging other areas of bev-alc for growth, what’s contributing to flavored malt beverages’ (FMB) struggles this year and whether consumers are making pricing-based decisions.    Plus, the Brewbound team reconvenes to discuss Jim Koch’s return as CEO of Boston Beer and Michael Spillane’s forthcoming exit after 16 months.   Justin, Jess and Zoe explain why the CEO change felt out of left field, what it means for Koch to return to power after 24 years and how the conversation around internal candidates is being framed.

After years working at various breweries and hosting their own craft beer podcast, Chelsea Rhoads and Liz Hess finally decided to take the plunge and buy a brewery.  The pair, who co-host the Body By Beer podcast, acquired Denver’s Berkeley Alley Beer Company earlier this summer and have put their own spin on the beloved local spot. They joined Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante for a conversation about why now was the time to become brewery owners and how they plan for Berkeley Alley to be a community gathering hub. The brewery, which opened as De Steeg before being sold and rechristened Berkeley Alley in 2021, has a four-barrel brewhouse, which Hess runs.  “We get a chance to really play and learn and really get our feet wet, so I'm looking forward to that,” she said. “I'm not saying it's not scary times, as far as expense goes, because it is, right? But we think that we can push people to come in and expand that by offering more than just beer.” Ahead of the interview, Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata chats about the latest headlines, including Boston Beer’s tale of two teas and the Brewers Association’s midyear survey results. Plus, she details a recent taproom visit that blew her away.

Almanac Beer got lots of people (including the hosts of this podcast!) talking earlier this summer when it announced it was ditching the word “taproom” and rechristening its Alameda, California-based location as Alameda Adventureland.   There was a lot more than alliteration and snappy branding behind the move. Eschewing the “taproom” part of its name made way for Almanac to embrace all the other things it had become: a gathering space for all members of the community, whether or not they drank beer.   In the fourth and final installment in the Brewbound Podcast’s Learning Lounge: Taproom Tactics series, Almanac EVP of sales Kevin Scoles details the brewery’s transformation of its own-premise location from a taproom to a full-blown, family-friendly entertainment space.   In addition to Scoles’ conversation with Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante, this episode highlights news from Calicraft Brewing and New England Brewing Company, as well as Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata’s trip to Chicago, and remembers New Albion Brewing co-founder Jack McAuliffe.

Ray Latif spoke with Chris Swersey of Hop Products Australia (HPA) and Mitch Steele of New Realm Brewing about the 2025 Australian hop crop. Swersey reported a bountiful harvest for HPA, with total production up 10% and yields increasing by 30% despite reduced acreage. This success stems from favorable weather and significant investments in productivity and technology. Their new HPA HOP Central pellet plant, which processed popular varieties like Galaxy, Ella, and Eclipse, recently achieved FSSC food safety certification. Mitch Steele praised HPA's Galaxy hops, highlighting its consistent tropical fruit intensity. After extensive evaluation, Steele found the 2025 Galaxy crop to have a complex aroma and taste, featuring classic passion fruit, lime, and a developing peach mango character. New Realm Brewing is showcasing this hop in a "less-coast pilsner," a crisp, light beer with an intense hop aromatic profile.

  Worth Brewing co-owner Peter Ausenhus has some advice for fellow craft brewers looking to become innkeepers (or just short-term rental hosts): digital keypad locks and a reliable cleaner.   “It's absolutely hands-off for me,” he said of Worth’s two-bedroom apartment, which is available for rent on Airbnb.    In Episode 3 of the Brewbound Podcast’s Learning Lounge: Taproom Tactics series, Ausenhus discusses the ins and outs of adding on-site accommodations to the Northwood, Iowa-based brewery.    Since listing it for rent last summer, the apartment pulls in roughly $1,000 in monthly revenue. Guests have included people visiting family in the area or passing through during work trips.   In addition to this week’s featured interview, Justin, Jess and Zoe recap the latest headlines, including Barrel One Collective’s new CEO, Sloop Brewing’s strategic partnership with Hendler Family Brewing, the legal drama surrounding Hulk Hogan’s Real American Beer, and an interview with the national director of Ales for ALS.   Listen here or on your preferred podcasting platform.   And catch up on the prior episodes in Brewbound’s Learning Lounge: Taproom Tactics series: How Coffee Fortified Death of the Fox’s AM/PM Business How Hard Slushies Became 10% of Red Bus Brewing’s Summer Beverage Sales

Red Bus Brewing owner Erik Schmid is candid about what changed his mind about adding hard slushies to the Folsom, California-based craft brewery’s summer menu: “bottom line.”   In Episode 2 of the Brewbound Podcast’s Learning Lounge: Taproom Tactics series, Schmid shares that since Red Bus purchased a slushie machine, the fruity drinks have become 10% of Red Bus’ beverage sales and 5% of its overall business. He described their popularity from May through September as a “pleasant surprise,” attracting consumers who wouldn’t otherwise visit the brewery and offering others an alternative to beer.   Schmid walks through pricing, margin and profitability, production and the flavors that work best, plus how long the slushie machine took to pay for itself.    Plus, Justin, Jess and Zoe recap the latest headlines, including RNDC’s planned layoffs in California ahead of its September exit and recent brewery closures and acquisitions.    The trio also play Another Round or Tabbing Out on the trend of hard sports hydration drinks.    Catch up on Episode 1 of the Learning Lounge with Death of the Fox co-founder Chuck Garrity sharing how coffee has become the dominant part of the brewery’s business.

When Death of the Fox Brewing Company opened eight years ago, co-founder Chuck Garrity wanted to make sure its Clarksboro, New Jersey-based taproom stayed busy day and night.    So to “maximize” Death of the Fox’s taproom investment and utility, the company launched by also offering coffee service, Garrity shared during the first edition of the Brewbound Podcast’s Learning Lounge: Taproom Tactics series.    Offering coffee was part of a total beverage mindset that covered an overlap between beer drinkers and coffee connoisseurs, while adding a revenue stream in one of the strictest operating environments for craft brewery taprooms.    “My goal was to always have an on-site coffee roastery,” Garrity explained. “So to be able to produce and roast the coffee in the same way that we produce fresh beer for the brewery. In the same respect, we’re doing that with the coffee. To me it just made sense in terms of a business model.”   Building an on-site roastery during the COVID-19 pandemic was “a game changer” for the business due to taproom shutdowns. It’s now become the dominant portion of the brewery’s business.   “When we first opened, beer was about 75%, 80% of our sales,” he said. “Now, flash forward eight years later, coffee, in terms of the total company, is about 70% of our sales. Beer is about 20% to 25%.”   Garrity added that the brewery’s beer sales are still strong, and he’s confident that “beer’s not going anywhere.” But his philosophy is to “follow where the river takes you, don’t fight against the current,” and Death of the Fox’s customers were telling him that while they liked the combination of beer and coffee, they really loved the coffee.   Listen for more from Garrity on Death of the Fox’s mix, growing the coffee side of the business amid strict restrictions on beer and advice for adding an attractive coffee menu.    Before this week’s featured interview, Jess, Zoe and Justin break down what Barrel One Collective’s acquisition of Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company brings to the platform. And the trio play Another Round or Tabbing Out on 1990s nostalgia seeping into CPG, with more waterbed and Jelly shoes talk than you’d expect.

With Republic National Distributing (RNDC) winding down distribution operations in California ahead of September 1 exit and consolidation continuing among craft wholesalers, this week’s Brewbound Podcast explores the fallout of both in the Golden State.   Ferron Salniker, BevNET spirits editor, and Dave Infante, founder of the Fingers boozeletter, join Brewbound’s Justin Kendall and Jessica Infante to look back on how one of the top distributors in the country’s California business crumbled, the effect on smaller bev-alc producers in RNDC’s book and the trickle-down effect on craft brewers.   They also explore multistate distributor Hand Family Companies' entry into the state through the acquisitions of three craft-focused wholesalers – Stone Distributing, Classic Beverage and Scout Distribution in Los Angeles – and the formation of Sunset Distributing.    Plus, Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata and Justin chat about her recent feature on the hard refresher trend and Gen Z’s aversion to carbonated beverages.

How can you get the most out of your supply chain relationships? Communication is key, and not just when the headwinds hit.   Matt Potts, founder of Normal, Illinois-based Destihl, and Ron Schroder, Briess director of marketing, share how they’re navigating supply challenges and how craft brewers can mitigate issues by maintaining lines of communication.    Potts also explains why Destihl has supplemented its own growth with partner brands, including the Wrexham Lager, Hanson Brothers’ Mmmhops IPA, an Evel Knievel-branded beer and collegiate beers, including with the University of Illinois Fighting Illini.     Plus, U.S. Beverage VP of brand development Kris Sjolander explains the importer and platform’s sales and marketing partnership program. He also dives into what opportunities U.S. Beverage’s contract brewing process offers to potential partners in the U.S. and beyond. U.S Beverage’s partners include Uinta, Woodchuck Cider, Moosehead, Captain Lawerence and several others.    Sjolander shares why he believes U.S. Beverage excels at distributor management, how the company is expanding its national accounts presence to meet its partners’ needs and what types of brands benefit the most from partnering with the firm.    Before the conversations, Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and managing editor Jess Infante break down Tilray Brands’ latest leadership shuffle and taproom closure, as well as quick thoughts on White Claw’s dominance of hard seltzer and cutting its vodka-based canned cocktail line.    Jess and Justin play Another Round or Tabbing Out on the elders’ latest Generation Z gripe: forming a single-file line at the bar. They also talk about the Voodoo Ranger-Malört collaboration, Roulette IPA, where consumers risk getting a Malört-inspired IPA in a 6-pack.

How can brewers preserve freshness and extend their beer’s shelf life without breaking the bank?   Upslope Brewing founder Matt Cutter believes he’s found the answer with BevBoost, a Colorado company that has developed a patented dual-chambered widget that the company says is “food-safe, recyclable insert that holds fresh flavor compounds, functional ingredients, vitamins or even mood-enhancing additives such as THC and CBD, and unleashes them right when a carbonated drink is cracked open.”    In the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, Cutter explains why his attempts to maintain an IPA’s flavor led to the founding of BevBoost and gives Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and managing editor Jess Infante a third-grade science lesson. He also shares his expectations for adding shelf life to beverages, how others interested in adding the widgets to their beverages can integrate them into their systems and why he believes BevBoost is prepared to scale and meet demand. Upslope is prepared to be the guinea pig with the release of Hop-Boosted IPA, which it celebrated last week at a party that featured side-by-side taste comparisons.   Before the interview, Justin, Jess and Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata discuss the latest M&A activity in Colorado, where Wilding Brands has added decade-old Denver brewery Station 26 to its roster and Ska Brewing has been sold to two families in the beer distribution business.    Plus, in this week’s edition of Another Round or Tabbing Out, Zoe explains why anxiety may not be what’s driving Gen Z to close out their tabs after every order.

Merchandise remains an important piece of Rhinegeist Brewery’s business, and the Cincinnati brewery is leveling up under the guidance of merchandise director Jenny Morrissey.    Morrissey and Rhinegeist VP of marketing Tracey Ireland share the evolution of the company’s merch strategy from “marketing tool,” to an individual business unit.    After hitting its peak in the late 2010s, Rhinegeist’s merch business started to decline. Morrissey, who joined the company a year ago, has brought a fashion background and a new approach to the business, from assortment planning to limited-time offerings.   Morrissey and Ireland share how they’re working to engage Rhinegeist’s diverse customer base, from out-of-town visitors to the brewery’s Cincinnati taproom, to its home market “super fans.”   “We’re trying to get as many skull drop T-shirts on as many people as possible for every occasion,” Morrissey said.     Morrissey and Ireland discuss efforts to re-engage fans with new products via event-driven and limited-time offerings and monthly product drops.    “We’re exploring doing a lot more illustration, a lot more nods back to Cincinnati heritage and just having a lot more fun with it, a lot more humor,” Morrissey said. “And then driving sales with scarcity, essentially, and keeping our assortment fresh. It’s such a good lever to pull to just keep things fresh, keep people coming back to check what we have that’s new.”   The conversation covers trend spotting, sourcing inspiration, partnering with brands and tapping into a collector community. Morrissey and Ireland also share why creating emotion is key to breaking through with consumers. Plus, they share when to cut bait on slow-moving inventory.    Ahead of the interview, the Brewbound team talks through Republic National Distributing Company’s (RNDC) exit from California. Plus, the trio play Another Round or Tabbing Out on the creation of family-friendly spaces, and Almanac CEO Damian Fagan’s distaste of the word “taproom.”

The team at 3 Tier Beverages breaks down hot trends in bev-alc heading into the summer selling season on the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast.   3 Tier Beverages founder Donn Bichsel, consultant Danelle Kosmal and CGA VP Matthew Crompton share a complete look at trends in the off- and on-premise, including continued momentum for non-alcoholic beer, hard juice’s rocketing growth and the growing simplicity movement within craft.    “The biggest opportunity for this summer and within the next year is just engaging new consumers and creating new drinking occasions,” Kosmal said of NA beer.    Kosmal also covers why craft lagers are working, how flavored lagers such as lime are performing and what opportunities still exist in the space. Bichsel cautions craft brewers against playing the pricing game with mainstream lager brands.    “When most of your revenue is coming from 4-packs, 6-packs and you start playing in the 12-packs, 15s, 18s, 24s, I think you’re chasing a losing proposition,” he said.  “You’ve got to be very careful or be prepared to have a high price and just give up some of your turns.”   Kosmal and Crompton explore why ABV and style remain among the key factors driving consumer purchases. They also cover the three pillars of innovation growth – NA beer, flavor and craft line extensions – and explain why flavor is leading the way within new products, led by AriZona’s Jumex Hard Nectar.   Before the conversation, Brewbound editor Justin Kendall and senior reporter Zoe Licata analyze 2024 craft brewery production data, which the Brewers Association released last week, including New Belgium leapfrogging Anheuser-Busch InBev’s craft portfolio, big losses for Boston Beer, big gains for Athletic Brewing and the regional craft breweries leveling up.

National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) executive director Kevin Asato explains how obstacles have mounted for the trade group’s members as diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have come under fire during the Trump administration.    “The beautiful thing is, I was Black yesterday. I’m Black today. And god willing I wake up tomorrow, I’ll be Black tomorrow,” he said. “The point being, just because there isn’t a tagline like DEI available, doesn’t mean our challenges and our need for diversity and our need to help our Black brewers in this space has gone away. Nothing has changed. Not a single thing has changed for our space here.”   Asato shares with Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante how the NB2A is supporting its 86 Black-owned brewery members and its nearly 400 overall members during a special bonus edition of the Brewbound Podcast. He also explains why equipment donations have been key for up-and-coming Black breweries, teases ancient grain fonio’s potential inclusion in Volume 3 of the Black is Beautiful collaboration efforts and talks about why some retailers are doubling-down on diverse brands.    Following the conversation with Asato, Yonder Cider founder Caitlin Braam joins Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licata to explain how experimenting with events at her brand’s taproom has broadened her hard cider brand’s consumer base.    A shared taproom partnership with craft beer brand Bale Breaker has also helped Yonder breakthrough with new audiences, she explains. It’s all about “not being exclusive” and “making spaces and places for various audiences, not just one.”   “There isn’t just one audience for your brand. There are many. And you have to find ways to talk to them each individually,” she said.   Both conversations were recorded during the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference in Indianapolis.