Beer Advocate is independent again, being bought back from Next Glass. I suspect Todd Alstrom came out better between the sales, but I doubt it was at the Barstool sports level. It has had me pondering what the sale means for craft beer and beverage media overall. These kinds of sales happen in a boom cycle like Ballast Point to Constellation, Ratebeer and Northern Brewer to ABInBev. All attempts to buy Street Credibility, but Glass Door was an exception, it was already in the beer technology space, while brewers know their back of the house software, few craft beer fans haven’t either heard or tried Untappd. So why sell now? Glass Door recognized the value of Beer Advocate’s place in the market, respecting it enough not to simply shutter the site. But the media landscape especially for beer has shrunk, most publications have gone strictly digital with the exception of AHA’s Zymurgy.

The future of beer media is mostly digital and likely more personally driven. I think it started with John Holl and Andy Crouch buying the assets of All About Beer magazine and restoring it’s archive of data. While new content from AAB has tended to be in podcast form I suspect a digital Zine format could return if they lined up the right sponsors. Likewise with Beer Advocate, if anyone can have success with the venture it will be Todd. Another example is Beer Connoissuer, who has dropped print but continues pumping out online content. And I nearly forgot Substack and Linkedin platforms that both feature beverage content. So while the business side of craft beer faces an uncertain future, the digital media has strong potential.

Out near Asheville Sierra Nevada gets mentioned for their new smaller can format, I think it’s a great value and been enjoying their Pils in that size.

In the Triad there is news of customers facing parking issues at RADAR Brewing.

Legion Brewing is facing a lawsuit from an investor.

Lastly in the Triangle and not exactly breaking news is Connor Tyo, Head Brewer at Wye Hill Brewing, is featured in this story from March, while digging up background for the digital media bit it popped up.

The calendar seems to be quiet for the week but of note is the NC Brewers Guild Collab Brewday Sunday at Atomic Clock Brewing and Brewsmart featuring Technical Brewing topics next Monday at Hi-Wire Durham.