Of the breweries that made Milwaukee famous - Schlitz, Pabst and Miller – only one, Miller, made it into the 21st century. Schlitz closed in 1982 and Pabst in 1996. Although Pabst did not disappear from the market, it only existed as a virtual brewer curtesy of having others brew its beers.

The millstones of justice turn exceedingly slowly. After ten years, the Brazilian unit of AB-InBev has settled its dispute over a fine of 352.7 million reais (USD 185 million) with the Administrative Council for Economic Defence, or CADE, which had found its reseller loyalty programme anti-competitive.

Ha, ha, the laugh is always on the loser. The German brewer Warsteiner was having some advertising fun at the expense of rival beer brand Beck’s. For five days in early July 2015 Warsteiner put up a digital billboard in New York City’s Time Square touting its German credentials. “Warsteiner. Premium German Beer From, You Know, Germany” was the slogan on the 15-storey-high billboard.

Analysts are currently drooling over Constellation Brands, whose shares just seem to go up and up: from USD 40 in 2013 to over USD 120 in early July 2015, doubling the company’s market capitalisation to over USD 20 billion.

Isn’t it ironic that the U.S., once associated with light beers, now keeps on churning out higher alcohol beers en masse?

Interesting to see where they pop up again. Chris Barrow, who was Heineken’s Chief Strategy Officer, until the Dutch brewer announced an executive reshuffle earlier this year, has joined the U.S. brewer Pabst, Beer Marketers Insights reported at the end of June 2015.

What goes best with sun and sand? A beer, by all means! In the Caribbean this is an unbeatable combo. Each part of the Caribbean has a different taste when it comes to the beers produced and consumed, which range from pale lagers to strong stouts and non-alcoholic malts. For the Caribbean countries, their beers are a source of national pride. As symbols of nationhood, these local brands are often larger than life.

There are competing proposals currently in Congress to significantly cut the federal excise tax – or eliminate it altogether – depending on the size of the brewery. The most recent one is by Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, who in early June 2015 introduced the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act into Congress.

And we thought that California was water-stressed? One of northern California’s largest craft breweries is setting down roots in Los Angeles. Lagunitas Brewing Company, based in Petaluma, north of San Francisco, and known for its hoppy pilsner, amber ale and IPAs, announced via its owner’s Twitter account at the end of June 2015 that it is currently building a new brewery in Azusa, a suburb of Los Angeles.

Congratulations. In 2011, the Brewers Association’s revenues were USD 10.5 million, but last year they stood at USD 21.1 million, says Beer Marketers Insights, a trade publication.