Bahamas | It has taken the Bahamian Brewery more than a year to come back on-line. In early September 2019, the tropical storm Dorian hit the islands, putting the brewery under more than one metre of water for hours and destroying all its electrical installations, finished product and raw materials.

USA | A familiar face: The former CEO of Heineken-owned craft brewer Lagunitas, Maria Stipp, joined Stone brewery on 14 September 2020 as its new CEO.

USA | The Brewers Association estimates a 10 to 20 percent decline in sales for small and independently-owned craft breweries in 2020, after a drop of around 10 percent through the first half of 2020. This could mean a loss of  3 to 6 million hl beer over 2019.

USA | Long time no hear from cannabis beverages. Although much hyped in 2019, they seem to have disappeared from view as hard seltzers have taken off. But don’t write them off yet.

Mexico | From April to May this year, beer production in Mexico declined by about 60 percent over the same period last year. Brewers large and small suffered under the shutdown, which began on 5 April 2020, when the government decreed brewing as non-essential, and lasted until early June.

Canada | Pundits wonder if Canada’s suddenly relaxed alcohol laws will make her cities more European.

USA | At long last, Coca-Cola is jumping on the hard seltzer bandwagon with a new brand, based on its sparkling water, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, which will launch in Latin America later this year.

USA | Boston Beer has been one of the stay-at-home winners. Boosted by strong sales of its Truly Hard Seltzer, Boston Beer delivered excellent second quarter 2020 results, even exceeding analysts’ expectations.

USA | With sales tripling in 2019, the low-calorie fruity boozy water continues to be a sensation. The segment leader, White Claw, owned by Mark Anthony Brands, now outsells Budweiser, while number two, Boston Beer’s Truly is bigger than Heineken.

USA | Although Boston Beer is the looser, it still agreed to revised beer distribution laws in its home state of Massachusetts, which will allow small craft brewers to now choose their own distributor.