WASHINGTON — Legislation pending before Congress to recalibrate the current federal excise tax structure for the nation’s craft brewers and distillers has gained a majority of supporters in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, according to several industry groups.

The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act recently gained 51 co-sponsors as Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) pledged their support. The House companion bill has 284 co-sponsors. Read more

DENVER — An Ohio brewer saw a brewery of the year award taken away due to a mistake by another entrant at this year’s Great American Beer Festival competition.

On the strength of winning three medals, Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon of North Olmsted initially was named the 30th competition’s Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year. Following the initial announcement, however, GABF staff discovered that Karl Strauss Brewing Co. had mistakenly registered as a mid-size brewpub; GABF competition guidelines classify the San Diego brewer as a production facility, placing it in the Mid-Size Brewing Company category. The results were recalculated, resulting in Karl Strauss’ three medals, two golds and a bronze, trumping Fat Head’s gold, silver and bronze to win Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year. Read more

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (PRNewswire) — CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries last month announced the acquisition of seven Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom locations from longtime franchise partner OCI Enterprises Inc.

The restaurants are located across the Southeast, with a presence in Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana, and will operate as corporate-owned restaurants. Read more

NEW YORK (PRNewswire) — More than 1,300 craft distillers operate in the U.S., according to research spearheaded by the American Craft Spirits Association.

The Craft Spirits Data Project found that the country’s 1,315 craft distillers produced 4.9 million cases and generate $2.4 billion in retail sales in 2015, up 27.5 percent and 27.9 percent, respectively, since 2010. Additionally, the market share of U.S. craft spirits reached 2.2 percent in volume and 3 percent in value in 2015, up from 0.8 percent and 1.1 percent in 2010. Read more

NEW YORK (PRNewswire) — Brand stories are the emotional glue that connects spirits brands to millennial consumers, according to research by a global public relations company.

Brands with compelling narratives appeal to millennials’ desire to be “in the know” and also motivate them to share their discoveries, according to the research study “Millennials & Spirits: Influencing the Path to Discovery,” by PR agency MWWPR. Read more

BOSTON (PRNewswire) — A homebrewer from Ohio was one of three winners in the annual Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Competition.

Barnstorm Saison, brewed by David Cousino of Avon, will be featured in the LongShot American Homebrew Contest variety pack when it is available in the spring of 2017. It will be joined by American Wild Ale by Duane Wilson of Horseheads, N.Y., and Imperial Stout by Samuel Adams employee Graham Johnson of Marblehead, Mass. Read more

VICTOR, N.Y. — While completing the previously announced acquisition of a Utah distillery, Constellation Brands last month announced its acquisition of a minority share in a new Kentucky distiller and a Washington state winery.

Constellation completed its acquisition of Utah’s High West Distillery, which includes all of High West’s operations and its portfolio of high-end American straight whiskeys. The company also recently acquired a minority stake in Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Bardstown, Ky. Read more