USA | Did AB-InBev change its mind over Craft Brew Alliance (CBA), or was its walking away from a deal in August just a clever tactic to negotiate a lower price?

USA | After three years of providing a free event space and beer for local charities, the Heineken-owned Lagunitas brewery shuttered its Community Room in Portland, Oregon, at the end of October 2019, forcing dozens of non-profit organisations to relocate their fundraising parties.

Brazil | An arbitration tribunal has ruled that beverages produced by Cervejaria Kaiser, one of Heineken’s subsidiaries in Brazil, will continue to be distributed by Coca-Cola bottlers in Brazil through March 2022, the alleged termination date of the original arrangements.

USA | Michigan’s brewer Founders and its former employee Tracy Evans have agreed to settle their lawsuit on 31 October 2019. Terms were not disclosed. Mr Evans alleged that Founders tolerated a racist corporate culture, and that he was fired because he had complained to HR about racism on staff.

USA | Molson Coors, the parent of MillerCoors, will be moving hundreds of corporate office jobs to Milwaukee, which could lead to the loss of 400 to 500 employees throughout the company. The move will grow a local workforce that has its roots in Miller Brewing, although the MillerCoors name will be dropped.

USA | The Supreme Court will hear arguments in November in a major environment case concerning the Clean Water Act. Sixty craft breweries have clubbed together over the summer and told the justices in a brief that weakening the federal regulation would damage their businesses.

USA | On 18 October 2018 the US slapped hundreds of European products with new tariffs, including whiskies, wines, and cheese. The levies will be unevenly felt by food and drinks producers across the region. Europe’s brewers are lucky: for now, their beers are exempted from the new tariffs.

Canada | Ten months into the partnership between Canadian cannabis company Tilray and the world’s largest brewer AB-InBev, they are ready to launch CBD-infused drinks in December. Beverages containing the psychoactive cannabis compound THC will be made available at a later stage, as they require more time to research.

USA | The Brewers Association (BA) estimates that small and independent craft brewers contributed USD 79.1 billion to the U.S. economy in 2018, which is roughly 0.4 percent of gross domestic product.

USA | Forget Irish coffee: MillerCoors is testing a ready-to-drink alcoholic coffee in a few markets in partnership with La Colombe Coffee Roasters. La Colombe Hard Cold Brew Coffee, which contains 4.2 percent ABV, is already trialled in Boston, Denver, and parts of Florida.