The US “beer versus spirits rivalry”: spirits could be the winner

USA | Government affairs honchos from the largest US brewers are gearing up for battles with the drinks industry over what is called “tax equalisation” in several US states in 2023.

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Hard seltzer has lost its fizz: canned cocktails are all the rage now

USA | After enjoying a boom during the pandemic for their convenience and ease, hard seltzers are fading. They are being replaced by pre-mixed canned cocktails, which are made with a spirit and not with brewed alcohol.

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AB InBev launches Natural Light vodka

USA | Ah well, so AB-InBev has moved into spirits too. Under the brand name Natural Light, its beer brand, it introduced three lemonade-flavoured Natural Light vodka expressions at the end of August 2021: Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Black Cherry Lemonade. They all come with a relatively low 30 percent ABV.

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Pernod Ricard + Brown-Forman: a possible but unlikely merger

USA | Call it a sign of how desperate industry watchers have become that a merger between France’s drinks firm Pernod Ricard and US distiller Brown-Forman is being talked up again, following Diageo’s recent launch of a share buyback programme.

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Watchdog to probe into Diageo’s acquisition of Chase distillery

United Kingdom | The Competition regulator announced on 8 January 2021 that it will probe Diageo’s intended purchase of Chase Distillery.