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While new breweries "have been opening at a furious pace" in CO, closures picked up as well, Denver Post reports. Article lists 4 Front Range breweries shutting down shop, and MobCraft's Denver outpost will close just 7 months after opening, DP reported separately. That WI-based brewer took over former Liberati Brewing's space and opened in Sep after 11 mos of renovations. But it'll close on Apr 23 due to "circumstances beyond our control" and "myriad unfortunate events," per MobCraft CEO Henry Schwartz.

After laying off staff and announcing temporary closures of both its Asheville and Charlotte locations, more clarity emerged regarding Bhramari Brewing's future. Parent co Hivemind LLC aims to reopen the Asheville taproom and brewhouse in mid-May "with changes to strengthen the business financially and operationally," managing partner Jay Munro told the Asheville Citizen-Times. Restructured biz will include new investors, new leadership and new (not yet disclosed) name, along with venue renovations, a new beer garden and reimagined menus. But co's Charlotte taproom, opened just last Aug, will close for good.

BarrelHouse Brewing Co bought a historic airplane hangar and surrounding property in Paso Robles, CA, where it plans to house a new production facility and a surrounding open-market concept with local purveyors. The Sherwood Field Hangar property includes 100K sq-ft and 10 acres of property, per announcement, where co will build a larger brewhouse with new pkging equipment for a "much-needed expansion of production." It'll be more efficient using "state-of-the-art equipment and eco-friendly solar, water and CO2 technology."

After purchasing Melvin Brewing late last yr, Wyoming's Roadhouse Brewing and Melvin will now operate under new parent co dubbed Pure Madness Brewery Group. Its formation is largely a formality, as both beer brands will maintain separate identities. But they'll "gain benefits like shared staffing and ingredients," per release, with plans to jointly produce 50K bbls this yr and ability to grow to 80K bbls in coming yrs. Pure Madness will be "among the top-100" craft breweries in the US as well as the largest in WY, announcement adds.

"Sometimes, a beer trend creeps up slowly, and sometimes it smacks you in the face like nearly 20 ounces of double IPA," writes Wisc St Jnl's Chris Drosner explaining the rise of 19.2oz cans often filled with "high-octane" liquid. From 2018-2021, sales in that pkg doubled to ~$177 mil, article notes citing IRI data. But last yr it doubled again, and "if the first few months of 2023 are any indication, we might be in for another doubling." (Not quite so far this yr: craft 19.2s up "just" 54% in Q1 NielsenIQ scans reported by BWC, see above.)

Reyes Beer Division bought Allagash portfolio from Wine Warehouse in most of CA in deal that closed last week. That's nearly 150K cases it will be adding. Allagash is with Reyes in a number of other mkts. Separately, RBD also closed on its acquisition of 7-mil-cases of Constellation Brands and Sierra Nevada from Markstein Bevs last week. (A brief version of this article appeared in sibling pub INSIGHTS Express on Friday.)

Sporting soft 4.4% $$ decline in 1st qtr NielsenIQ food store scans, craft keeps losing space in this key channel, per latest review of segment performance from Bump Williams Consulting. Average number of craft items per store fell 6.7% in grocery yr-to-date thru Apr 1, BWC deck shows. Only hard seltzer items down steeper (-11.6%), within beer category shedding avg items by 2.5% overall YTD. Space within beer heading to imports (avg items per store up 4.4% YTD) and FMBs (+10.9%). Yet avg convenience store stocking 0.7% more craft items so far this yr, while total beer category items up similar 0.5%. Craft $$ up 5.8% YTD in NielsenIQ-tracked c-stores, not enough to gain share tho.

Remember the early promise of cold-brew coffee as offering an un-bitter, rounded palate best revealed without sugar or cream? Marketers are traveling further and further away from that concept, as reflected in pair of limited-time entries from Dutch Bros and Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard chains. At Ore-based Dutch Bros, special entry concocted to celebrate National Cold Brew Day is Chocolate Crunch Cold Brew, pitchedas "a triple chocolate delight" that features Dutch Bros' Cold Brew, dark chocolate sauce, chocolate macadamia nut flavor and chocolate milk topped with Soft Top and cookie crumbles - "the first time ever that customers have the option to add delicious cookie crumbles to their DB drinks!" Available with regular or nitro-infused cold brew, it breaks this Thurs, Apr 20, at all 700+ stores and will be offered until Apr 30 while supplies last.