ADVERT





March 28, 2025

Dear readers,

Pernod Ricard’s Irish whiskey arm will halt production at Midleton Distillery in County Cork, where it produces Jameson, from April until the summer, joining industry peers Diageo and Brown-Forman. Diageo has paused production at its distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky, since 7 March, while Brown-Forman mothballed its Scottish distillery Glenglassaugh earlier this year.

Although both Pernod Ricard and Diageo cited an increase in production efficiency as the reason for the halt, the pauses – longer than the usual annual shutdown for maintenance –seem to suggest that supply is exceeding demand in three major whisky nations.

After two decades of near-boundless success in the Scottish and American industries, concern has risen in recent months that the industry is facing the prospect of a downturn. Not only a downturn, but a dreaded glut. When it last happened in the US in the 1970s, it led to the closure of distilleries and a depressed market that took a generation to recover. A similar event occurred in Scotland in the 1980s, where it was termed the Whisky Loch.

Observers say that sales and volume growth had to slow down eventually, but there is no reason to believe those gains will be lost. Besides, historical comparisons bring their own risks. There are several factors affecting the alcohol industry right now: a strong neo-Prohibitionism, younger adults giving up alcohol altogether or shifting to other recreational drugs; and over-the-top price increases. However, the single biggest variable is the Trump administration imposing tariffs. None of this happened during the whiskey glut of the 1970s, though.

Perhaps all this gloom and doom talk about a whisk(e)y glut is really a media phenomenon. If everybody is writing articles about a whisky glut – what have we got? A whisk(e)y glut boom.

Yours,
Ina

Ina's topic of the week 



Russian importers want to bring in beer from the Dominican Republic

Russia | Propaganda, misinformation or fake news? According to the Russian newssite Kommersant (10 March), Russian importers want to bring in beer from the Dominican Republic. This decision was made against the backdrop of a tenfold increase in duties on beer from “unfriendly” countries, like the EU.

Read more »

Editors’ pick



Every issue we also present selected articles from our print and digital portfolio. Only available for BRAUWELT International subscribers.

The consequences of a “Little Ice Age” and a summer brewing prohibition

The offspring wins | This is the third of a four-part article series about the historical evolution of our understanding of the nature and function of yeast in fermentation. It investigates the improbable conditions that made the unlikely hybridization of S. cerevisiae and S. eubayanus in late-Renaissance in Bavaria, as well as its subsequent survival, possible.
International news




Russia’s small brewers want MUP for beer

Russia | Russia’s small brewers have asked the Ministry of Economic Development to establish a minimum unit pricing for beer, the newssite Kommersant reported on 14 March. “Opora Rossii” (“Support for Russia”), an NGO supporting small and medium-sized businesses, believes that the MUP will stop the anti-competitive practice of selling beer at below cost price, which harms small companies.

BrewDog appoints new CEO after James Arrow steps down for 'personal reasons'

United Kingdom | So many James, so little time. BrewDog has announced it has appointed a new CEO for the second time in a year. CEO James Arrow has departed for “personal reasons”, effective immediately. He had taken up the role after BrewDog’s co-founder James Watt decided to step down in May 2024.
The upper part of a beer glass, filled with light yellow liquid and foam (Photo: Luiz Felipe Silva Carmo on Unsplash) The upper part of a beer glass, filled with light yellow liquid and foam (Photo: Luiz Felipe Silva Carmo on Unsplash)

Networking event on moderation and the role of non-alcoholic beer

On 9 April 2025, The Brewers of Europe host a networking event on “Moderation and the role of non-alcoholic beer".
European Beer Star trophies (Photo: Private Brauereien/Volker Martin) European Beer Star trophies (Photo: Private Brauereien/Volker Martin)

European Beer Star 2025: Registration starts on 1 April

Registration for the 2025 edition of the European Beer Star starts on 1 April 2025. The winning beers will be awarded on 17 September 2025 at drinktec.

Budweiser APAC denies axing thousands of jobs to cut costs

Belgium | AB-InBev has denied a report that thousands of jobs are on the block this year at its Asia-Pacific unit Budweiser Brewing Co APAC. Bloomberg reported on 13 March, that the firm was looking to cut operational costs by about 15 percent this year, which may include thousands of job cuts. In 2024 already, Budweiser APAC axed some 4 000 jobs, or 16 percent of its 25 000-strong workforce.

Rajasthan: High gravity brewing could solve summer beer supply shortages

India | Indian states not only set prices for alcohol – they also determine brewing methods. The prohibition of High Gravity Brewing (HGB) has previously led to serious supply shortages during the summer months. Now the Rajasthan government, in its fiscal 2025/2026 cycle (April 2025 to March 2026), has permitted HGB, media reported on 12 March. However, this may be too late for the peak beer drinking season between May and July.
View of the audience at the SIBA Business Awards 2025; two people are especially happy (Photo: SIBA)

SIBA Business Awards 2025 winners announced

Northern Ireland’s Bullhouse Brewing Co named Brewery Business of the Year 2025 in ‘Oscar’s of the Beer Industry’ – SIBA Business Awards 2025.
Two hands are being shaken (Photo: Chris Liverani on Unsplash) Two hands are being shaken (Photo: Chris Liverani on Unsplash)

HVG strengthens sales team

Since the beginning of 2025, Alexander Epplen has been responsible for the North American, French and UK regions as well as the craft beer sector at HVG as Sales Manager.
From our shop



Brewing Techniques in Practice

This handbook addresses both students of brewing technology and technological practitioners. It provides a comprehensive overview of raw materials, modern plant and process engineering, quality characteristics, stability values, sensorics, microbiology, speciality beers and health aspects.

99 €

Technology Brewing and Malting

The book addresses professional brewer in all sizes, from ambitious homebrewer, craft brewer, micro brewer, pub brewer up to industrial brewer. Because of its  clear and thorough representation of all relevant aspects of malt and beer production, in almost 60 years, "Technology Brewing & Malting" has become to what it is today: a standard work- across the globe.

169 €

BRAUWELT on social media
Read the latest news and selected professional articles from the brewing and beverage industry at the website of Fachverlag Hans Carl GmbH. You can access the articles by entering your personal login details here