The Chronicle
Latest dispatches
55 results across all types
- news
Busch Light Returns Cult ‘Bapple’ Beer, Teases New Pickle Flavor
“Bapple,” the portmanteau of ‘Busch’ and ‘apple,’ is returning to the drinking lexicon as Busch Light is bringing its beloved apple-flavored lager back to retail shelves. Busch Light Apple — or, as fans call it, “Bapple” — will hit stores this month in limited quantities, parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) announced Monday. There’s also potential for a new pickle-flavored lager to join Busch’s portfolio of limited-edition beers. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s (TTB) Certification/Exemption of Label/Bottle Approval (COLA) registry shows a label approval from April 6 for Busch Light Pickle, which is classified as a malt-flavored beverage. The article Busch Light Returns Cult ‘Bapple’ Beer, Teases New Pickle Flavor appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Buffalo Trace Releases Eagle Rare 30, the Brand’s Oldest Bourbon Yet
Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing Eagle Rare 30, the product line’s oldest bourbon yet. Bottled at 101 proof in a 750-milliliter decanter, the ultra-mature whiskey will roll out in limited quantities to retailers, bars, and restaurants beginning in May with a suggested retail price of $12,500, the distillery announced in a release. A Bonhams auction, opening on April 24 and closing May 8, will kick off Eagle Rare 30’s release and offer up the first two publicly available bottles of the new whiskey. The worldwide rollout will then begin through parent company Sazerac’s distribution network. The article Buffalo Trace Releases Eagle Rare 30, the Brand’s Oldest Bourbon Yet appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Report: Sazerac Offered $15 Billion to Buy Brown-Forman
Sazerac reportedly offered around $15 billion to buy Brown-Forman. The offer comes after news of discussions for a potential deal between French spirits producer Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman, followed by rumors that Sazerac also approached the Louisville, Ky.-based whiskey giant. Brown-Forman’s shares are trading at $29.57 at the time of publication. Sazerac offered to buy Brown-Forman for $32 a share, the Wall Street Journal reports. Brown-Forman’s stock has climbed 25 percent since the initial reports of its discussions with Pernod. Its shares were down just over 2 percent this morning before word of the Sazerac offer was published. The article Report: Sazerac Offered $15 Billion to Buy Brown-Forman appeared first on VinePair .
- news
These Are the Top 50 Craft Breweries of 2025
The number of craft breweries in the U.S. contracted for the second year in a row in 2025 with a 2.9-percent year-over-year decrease, according to the Brewers Association’s (BA) annual production report for the craft industry. The BA recorded 9,578 operating craft breweries last year. The number of microbreweries showed the largest decline with a 4.4-percent drop. Taprooms and brewpubs trailed behind with 2.7 and 2.5 percent decreases, respectively. In its annual craft brewing industry production report, the BA documents the craft segment’s total output by volume, number of breweries, market share, and workforce size. The article These Are the Top 50 Craft Breweries of 2025 appeared first on VinePair .
- news
White Claw Maker Mark Anthony Group to Acquire The Finnish Long Drink
The Mark Anthony Group of Companies has agreed to acquire The Finnish Long Drink, a canned, gin-based sparkling cocktail. Terms of the transaction, which was announced today and is set to finalize in coming weeks, are undisclosed. Mark Anthony, which owns popular ready-to-drink brands like White Claw Hard Seltzer and Mike’s Hard Lemonade, will acquire The Finnish Long Drink as the brand comes off a year with near-20 percent growth in volume and sales of 3.3 million 9-liter case equivalents, according to Shanken News Daily’s Impact Databank. The article White Claw Maker Mark Anthony Group to Acquire The Finnish Long Drink appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Reports Suggest Sazerac in Talks With Brown-Forman Following Rumors of Pernod Merger
Weeks after news broke of discussions between Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman about a potential deal, Sazerac is allegedly throwing its hat in the ring. The Kentucky-based spirits producer Sazerac approached Jack Daniel’s maker Brown-Forman about a deal, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to the Wall Street Journal. Brown-Forman shares spiked following the news of Sazerac’s interest and are up by over 11 percent at the time of publication. A similar jump occurred after reports last month revealed its talks with French spirits supplier Pernod Ricard. The article Reports Suggest Sazerac in Talks With Brown-Forman Following Rumors of Pernod Merger appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Mapped: How Much a Pint of Beer Costs Across All 50 U.S. States in 2026
As on-premise booze sales grow, prices at bars and restaurants increase to match that rising demand. The median price for beer at bars and restaurants in the U.S. is now $6.52, a 1.9 percent year-over-year markup from 2025, according to data collected by Toast. Costs in individual states are following the upward trend. Hawaii records the highest median price for a pint of beer out of all 50 states in 2026 at $8.00. Trailing behind it are New York at $7.97 and California at $7.96. The article Mapped: How Much a Pint of Beer Costs Across All 50 U.S. States in 2026 appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Coca-Cola to Replace Pepsi Across Marriott Hotels Worldwide, Ending 34-Year Partnership
The Coca-Cola Company will replace PepsiCo as the beverage provider for Marriott International, following an agreement between the beverage giant and massive hotel chain, Atlanta News First reports. The deal will exchange all Pepsi products for its direct competitor’s beverages in all of Marriott’s lobby bars, mini-markets, and mini-fridges worldwide. The swap upends Pepsi’s 34-year deal with Marriott, which operates over 9,700 properties in 143 countries. Pepsi ousted Coca-Cola as the hotel chain’s beverage supplier in 1992, following Coke’s refusal to pay up to $100 million in loans to Marriott. The article Coca-Cola to Replace Pepsi Across Marriott Hotels Worldwide, Ending 34-Year Partnership appeared first on VinePair .
- news
New Report: NYC Is the First Major City to Cross $9 Threshold for a Pint of Beer
The median price for a pint of beer in Manhattan has climbed to $9.16, making it the first and only major city in the U.S. to surpass the $9 mark, according to data collected by Toast. The national median inched up 1.9 percent year-over-year to $6.52, per the report. Costs inflated most drastically in Philadelphia, Nashville, and Washington, D.C., with a 3 percent or more hike in each zone. Boston came in as the second-most expensive city for beer, where the most frequent price is creeping toward the $9 threshold at $8.69. The article New Report: NYC Is the First Major City to Cross $9 Threshold for a Pint of Beer appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Buffalo Trace Releases Two New Whiskeys — Single Oak Rye Bourbon and Low Entry Proof Wheated Bourbon
Buffalo Trace has announced the release of two new bourbons as part of two collections in its lineup, according to recent reporting. The distillery is cementing its 27-year-long Single Oak Project as a permanent product line with the debut of Single Oak Rye Bourbon. It is simultaneously releasing Low Entry Proof Wheated Bourbon as part of its Experimental Collection. The highly limited rollout for both newcomers will begin this month. The article Buffalo Trace Releases Two New Whiskeys — Single Oak Rye Bourbon and Low Entry Proof Wheated Bourbon appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Gallo Finalizes Acquisition of Four Roses Bourbon From Kirin Holdings
Megawatt wine, beer, and spirits producer E&J Gallo Winery announced today that it completed its acquisition of Four Roses Bourbon from Japan beverage conglomerate Kirin Holdings. Neither party disclosed the terms of the transaction. The completion comes roughly two months after Gallo agreed to acquire the premium bourbon brand for up to $775 million dollars. Kirin began shopping Four Roses around for $1 billion in October. UBS Investment Bank and Jefferies advised Kirin and Gallo, respectively, to finalize the sale. The article Gallo Finalizes Acquisition of Four Roses Bourbon From Kirin Holdings appeared first on VinePair .
- news
U.S. Spirits Exports Slid 3.8 Percent in 2025 Amid Ongoing Tariff Battle
Revenue from U.S. spirits exports dipped by 3.8 percent in 2025, a much gentler drop than the 26 percent plummet experienced by the wine and beer categories. Exports of American spirits raked in $2.37 billion last year according to the 2025 American Spirits Exports report from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Ongoing international trade battles, particularly in key markets across Canada and the European Union, account for much of the dip, DISCUS says in a press release about the report. The article U.S. Spirits Exports Slid 3.8 Percent in 2025 Amid Ongoing Tariff Battle appeared first on VinePair .
- news
With ‘High Voltage,’ Shock Top Follows Voodoo Ranger up the ABV Ladder
Now that a slew of popular craft beer brands, including Voodoo Ranger and Dogfish Head, have put out high-ABV new releases, Shock Top wants in. The brand debuted High Voltage, which comes in at 9.6 percent ABV, in Southern California markets today, making this new offering the brewery’s product with the highest alcohol content yet. The beer will reach shelves nationwide beginning in May. The article With ‘High Voltage,’ Shock Top Follows Voodoo Ranger up the ABV Ladder appeared first on VinePair .
- news
1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Breaks Record for Most Expensive Bottle of Wine Sold at Auction
A bottle of 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) sold for a record-smashing $812,500 at Acker’s annual La Paulée Auction this weekend. The auction raked in $25 million in total sales from bottles produced by additional famed Burgundian estates like Domaine Dujac, Leflaive, Coche-Dury, and others, and set an additional, 459 unspecified world records related to pricing, according to a press release. The near-$1 million sale bested the previous world record set at a Sotheby’s auction in 2018 when a different bottle of 1945 DRC went for $558,000, solidifying the cuvée as the current most-prized bottle for wine collectors. The article 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Breaks Record for Most Expensive Bottle of Wine Sold at Auction appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Costco’s ‘Got That Dog’ in New Bourbon With Iconic $1.50 Hot Dog on the Label
On Friday, Costco customers shopping in the alcohol aisles found themselves face to face with a frankfurter. Last week, Costco added to its shelves a new bourbon called “I Got That Dog in Me,” bearing a label with the chain’s famous $1.50 hot dog and soda combo. Now, Costco loyalists are vying to guzzle the viral glizzy in bourbon form: Since the product’s unannounced release, redditors have been flaunting their prized purchases to the r/Costco_alcohol, r/Costco, and r/whiskey forums. The article Costco’s ‘Got That Dog’ in New Bourbon With Iconic $1.50 Hot Dog on the Label appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Reports: Pernod Ricard Held Acquisition, Merger Talks with Brown Forman
UPDATE 3/27/26: Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman confirmed the discussions about a potential deal between the two entities in separate releases late yesterday. Both refer to the “potential business combination” as a “merger of equals.” Pernod and Brown-Forman both say they will release no further communications until they reach an agreement. We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available. Pernod Ricard is in talks to merge with or acquire Brown-Forman. The article Reports: Pernod Ricard Held Acquisition, Merger Talks with Brown Forman appeared first on VinePair .
- news
New Report Ranks Most Popular Spirits Brands for Shots on American Menus
As the affordability crisis encroaches into alcohol sales, shots, with their high ABV and relatively cheap cost, look appealing to some Americans. From February 2025 to 2026, Jameson and Fireball were the most common brands listed on shots menus at independent bars and restaurants across the U.S. according to a new report from the research company Ground Signal. Patron, Jagermeister, and Don Julio round out the top five spirits most popular for shots. The survey included menus from chains like Buffalo Wild Wings and Top Golf as a secondary data set combined with the independent brands. The article New Report Ranks Most Popular Spirits Brands for Shots on American Menus appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Buffalo Trace Releases Daniel Weller Spelt Wheat, an Experimental Bourbon With an Unlikely Grain
Buffalo Trace is expanding its Daniel Weller line of experimental wheated bourbons with Daniel Weller Spelt Wheat. The release is just the second edition in the line, which debuted in 2023 with Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat. Spelt Wheat’s rollout will be limited with a suggested retail price of $549.99. The distillery opted to work with spelt — an ancient grain typically relegated to bread and beer production — because of its nutty yet smooth flavor profile, according to a press release. The choice in wheat is an extension of the Weller bourbon tradition: The Daniel Weller line honors W.L. The article Buffalo Trace Releases Daniel Weller Spelt Wheat, an Experimental Bourbon With an Unlikely Grain appeared first on VinePair .
- news
The States That Tax Beer the Most (2026)
In the U.S., taxes account for a higher percentage of the cost of beer than ingredients, labor, and other materials combined. It’s a result of levies collected by several parties. A federal excise tax ranges from $0.11 to $0.58 per gallon of fermented malt beverages based on production, quantity and brewery location. Each state and Washington D.C. also imposes individual excise taxes on beer, and, from there, municipal-level levies and retail sales taxes drive the price up. The article The States That Tax Beer the Most (2026) appeared first on VinePair .
- news
The Glendronach Releases Limited-Edition 56-Year-Old Whisky to Commemorate Bicentennial
The Glendronach is debuting a 56-year-old Scotch whisky, the brand’s oldest expression yet, to celebrate the insider distillery’s bicentennial anniversary. With just 12 bottles allocated to the U.S. market and only 200 available worldwide, the brand is tailoring the ultrapremium release toward collectors and connoisseurs, as demonstrated by the suggested retail price of $49,000, according to a press release announcing the rollout. The 56-year age statement is more than a random choice: The Glendronach distilled the whisky in 1968, a year that produced a vintage known among devotees as the “Holy Grail” for the producer, the announcement says. The article The Glendronach Releases Limited-Edition 56-Year-Old Whisky to Commemorate Bicentennial appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Uncle Nearest Dispute Escalates as Judge Dismisses Co-Founder’s Bankruptcy Case; Lender Fight Continues
UPDATE 3/19/26: After an expedited hearing this morning, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Suzanne H. Bauknight granted the motion to dismiss brought by receiver Phillip Young. According to court documents, Bauknight ruled that Uncle Nearest co-founder Fawn Weaver was not authorized to file bankruptcy petitions while under the control of a receiver. The court stated that by filing the Chapter 11 petition earlier this week, Weaver violated U.S. District Judge Charles Atchley Jr.’s order that put the receivership in place, which only permitted her to market and manage the Uncle Nearest brand. As a result, the receivership under Young remains intact. The article Uncle Nearest Dispute Escalates as Judge Dismisses Co-Founder’s Bankruptcy Case; Lender Fight Continues appeared first on VinePair .
- news
Elijah Craig Releases First 15-Year-Old Single-Barrel Bourbon at 108 Proof
Elijah Craig is adding to its single barrel expressions with a 15-year-old bourbon, the brand announced today. The release comes in at 108 proof, or 54 percent ABV, making it the second-highest in the current lineup behind the 124.2 proof Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. With its higher-proof option, the brand wants to cater to consumers with complex, robust palates, according to the release. The article Elijah Craig Releases First 15-Year-Old Single-Barrel Bourbon at 108 Proof appeared first on VinePair .
- news
UK Energy Secretary Urges Pubs to Serve Warmer Beer to Fight Rising Electricity Costs
Across the pond, the UK secretary of state for energy security and net zero, Ed Miliband, has launched a government-funded tool aimed at reducing energy costs for hospitality businesses. The application’s advice? Pub owners should disable refrigerators overnight and monitor ovens. Registration for the energy and carbon reduction tool opened today, sparking a wave of backlash from business owners across the UK. “To be told to turn the lights off overnight really is groundbreaking stuff,” pub owner Andy Lennox sarcastically tells The Telegraph. The article UK Energy Secretary Urges Pubs to Serve Warmer Beer to Fight Rising Electricity Costs appeared first on VinePair .
- news
‘Catastrophic’: U.S. Exports Drop by $357 Million After Canada’s Wine Ban
Canada’s multiple-province ban on American products caused a $357 million deficit for the U.S. wine industry. The prohibition, which started after President Trump enacted his controversial, far-reaching tariffs, prompted the value of U.S. wine exports to Canada to plummet from $460 million in 2024 to $103 million in 2025, according to a new report from Wine Institute. The shift marks a 78 percent drop in U.S. wine exports to Canada, according to the report, which summarized data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The ban also accounts for 81 percent of all losses for global U.S. wine exports last year. The article ‘Catastrophic’: U.S. Exports Drop by $357 Million After Canada’s Wine Ban appeared first on VinePair .