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Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | Scottish brewer and bar operator BrewDog will close down its distilling arm after ten years in operation, and stop the production of its spirits brands, including Lonewolf Gin, Abstrakt Vodka, Duo Rum, Casa Rayos Tequila and Ron Bodega rum, over the coming months, media reported on 27 January. The canned cocktail brand Wonderland, however, will continue to be produced by a third party. BrewDog did not confirm how many jobs will be impacted.
Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | It is not just pubs disappearing at an alarming rate. According to new figures released on 27 January, brewery closure rates increased dramatically during 2025 compared to previous years. The UK now has just 1578 individual breweries as of 1st January, says the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), compared to 1715 at the start of 2025, 1815 in 2024, and 1828 in 2023 when SIBA’s brewery tracker started.
Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | The struggling roll-up, Keystone Brewing Group, has been acquired by the newly-formed Great British Drinks Company for just GBP 4.5 million (USD 6.2 million), it was reported on 22 January.
Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | Diageo is reportedly considering the sale of its controlling stake in Chinese baijiu producer Sichuan Swellfun as part of a wider programme of disposals. The move would allow Diageo’s new leadership to cut debt. The new CEO, Sir Dave Lewis, started his role on 1 January.
Europe/Russia
United Kingdom | Black Sheep Brewery is still “trading as normal” despite it and the Yorkshire firm’s parent company, Keystone Brewing Group, submitting repeated notices of intention to appoint administrators in the past eight weeks.
Europe/Russia
Germany | Call it a Bavarian rescue mission. The family-owned brewery G. Schneider & Sohn (“Schneider Weisse”) from Kelheim, Bavaria, will acquire the trademark rights to “Bischofshof” and “Weltenburger” from the struggling Bischofshof brewery in Regensburg, Bavaria, on 1 January, 2027. Schneider has been contract brewing for Bischofshof before becoming its rescuer.
Europe/Russia
France | You can tell something is seriously wrong if family members of the notoriously secretive French Castel Group start talking to the media. Reports say that two Castel family members want to oust the former Swiss tax lawyer-turned-Castel CEO, Gregory Clerc, 39. They accuse him of a power grab and pursuing a vision for the group which is not in accordance with the family’s values. But the latest attempt (8 January) to sack him failed.
Europe/Russia
Italy | Although Italy is enjoying an unusual bout of economic stability, chronically low GDP growth means the government does not have enough money to satisfy all the demands of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition partners. So Assobirra, an industry body representing the majority of Italy’s breweries, is mightily pleased that the government has agreed to lower the excise on beer to EUR 2.98 (USD 3.45) per hl and per degree Plato, compared to the current EUR 2.99, for the years 2026 and 2027.
Europe/Russia
The Netherlands | Heineken will release its full year 2025 results on 11 February. Considering that Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink chose to resign on 12 January after six years at the helm of the world’s number two brewer and only a few months after outlining its new strategy, the figures may not look all that good.
Europe/Russia
Germany | The sales crisis in the German brewing industry deepens. According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office cited by the German Brewers' Association (DBB), beer sales in November 2025 were down 8.2 percent over the same month in 2024, both in total and in terms of taxable volume sales.
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BRAUWELT on tour
Most Read
BRAUWELT on tour
