Brewbound Podcast

How pFriem Family Brewers and New Trail Win the Home Games

How can a craft brewer expect to win away games if they're not winning at home? That's the sports analogy pFriem Family Brewers co-founder and CEO Rudy Kellner used to describe the Hood River, Oregon-based brewery's strategy when it comes to expanding its distribution footprint.    This week's Brewbound Podcast highlights a stage conversation from Brewbound Live featuring Kellner and New Trail Brewing (Williamsport, PA) COO and partner Mike LaRosa. Both breweries have secured impressive volume growth within footprints that don't stretch far beyond their neighboring states.    Before the featured conversation, Justin – freshly returned from parental leave – and Jess discuss recent headlines, including the return of Dos Equis' Most Interesting Man in the World, and whether or not nostalgia can bring in new beer drinkers.

What the New Dietary Guidelines Mean for Bev-Alc

After a lengthy delay that included much fretting among industry insiders, the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) were unveiled earlier this month. Any fears that anti-alcohol activists had infiltrated the quinquennial process were eased, as the new guidelines preach moderation over specific daily drink allowances.    Beer Marketer's Insights senior editor Christopher Shepard, who has followed the process closely, joined the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the DGA, the fraught path to publication and what this could mean for brewers.    Before the featured interview, Zoe and Jess discuss recent beer industry headlines, including a proposed deal between the Reyes Beverage Group and Republic National Distributing Company, 2 Towns Ciderhouse's acquisition of Seattle Cider and the somewhat heartening data Circana published in the past month.

The Year in Booze News

A new year means it's Brewbound's annual roundtable conversation with our peers in beer industry journalism.  This year, the Brewbound team is joined by Kate Bernot, lead analyst for Feel Goods Insights, and David Steinman, VP and executive editor of Beer Marketer's Insights. The discussion covers the biggest bev-alc news stories of 2025, including middle-tier consolidation, overall category health and consumer sentiment.

Anderson Valley Brewing's Jason McConnell on Taking the Reins of a Beloved Brand

Earlier this year, wine industry veteran Jason McConnell acquired 38-year-old Anderson Valley Brewing Company [AVBC] (Boonville, CA). Now he is focused on maintaining AVBC's cherished traditions, such as its annual fest and its celebrated disc golf course, while adding his own flair. McConnell chatted with Brewbound editor Justin Kendall during the California Craft Beer Summit in November about AVBC's beer park and several new Japanese-inspired offerings, as well as his observations as a newcomer to craft beer. "The beer world is a lot more laid back and a lot more fun to promote than the wine world," McConnell said. "It's different, and it's awesome." Before the interview, senior reporter Zoe Licata and managing editor Jessica Infante discuss Brewbound's most-read news stories of 2025, as well as recent headlines, including Stateside's new Super Lyte and data about consumers' plans for New Year's Eve and Dry January.

A Brewbound Live Recap, Plus Karl Strauss CEO Chris Cramer

Brewbound Live 2025 is in the books! Podcast co-hosts Zoe Licata and Jessica Infante recap this year's conference, as well as news stories that broke during the week.    Then, Karl Strauss Brewing (San Diego, CA) co-founder and CEO Chris Cramer joins Brewbound editor Justin Kendall for this week's featured interview. The conversation was recorded at the California Craft Beer Summit last month in Irvine, CA, hosted by the California Craft Brewers Association.