Instacart’s alcohol delivery is now available in 14 states, including Florida

Instacart has expanded its alcohol delivery to now be available in 14 states and Washington, DC from nearly 100 different retailers.

With the roll-out, Instacart alcohol delivery is currently available to 40 million homes in the U.S., and the number of alcohol deliveries on the platform has more than doubled since the same time last year.

Partners who participate in alcohol delivery on Instacart include Albertsons, Kroger, Publix, Schnucks and Stater Bros., alongside wine and liquor stores such as BevMo!, Binny’s Beverage Depot and Total Wine & More.

The list of states where Instacart offers alcohol delivery include California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Washington, DC.

Instacart started rolling out alcohol delivery a year ago, and has quickly become a competitive player in the space. Postmates introduced alcohol delivery in 2017, whereas strictly alcohol delivery services like Drizly, Minibar and Saucey have been around for a while.

Here is what Instacart’s chief business officer, Nilam Ganenthiran, had to say:

Part of grocery shopping for many people goes beyond getting fresh produce, meats and pantry staples, and includes picking up the perfect bottle of wine for a dinner party or their favorite beer to sip while watching the big game. By working alongside our retail partners to add alcohol to the marketplace, we’re offering customers more choice and making it easier for Instacart to be their ‘one-stop-shop’ to get the groceries they need – including beer, wine and spirits – from the retailers they love.

When Amazon bought Whole Foods in 2017, some speculated that Instacart might be hit hard. But the deal also represented the digitization of a massive, traditional industry. Considering Instacart’s retail partner growth over the past year, it seems that the Whole Foods acquisition might have made Instacart an attractive platform for some retailers.

The company now serves more than 80 percent of U.S. households, which was Instacart’s stated goal for the end of 2018. Across its 300 retail partners, Instacart now delivers from 20,000 grocery stores across 5,500 cities in North America.

1988 Was the Most Important Year for Craft Beer

Thirty years ago, Gary Fish walked into a bank looking for a loan. He told the banker about his plans to build a restaurant with a brewery in Bend, Oregon. The banker, confused by the very concept, shut Fish down, saying, “We don’t loan to restaurants.” Fish tried to explain the brewery aspect, but was met with “We don’t know beer.” “We went back and forth a while,” Fish said. “Eventually, it was, ‘All right, thanks for your time.’ Banks didn’t want to talk to us. At that time, there wasn’t a marketplace, no industry, no one knew how to make beer.” Looking back from the present era where San Diego's Ballast Point sold to Constellation Brand for $1 billion and craft beer is omnipresent, the bank sounds crazy. But 30 years back, few people knew anything outside the macro lagers. Fewer still would lend money to upstarts seeking to make their own weird beers. Fish eventually did secure enough for his little brewery. He opened Deschutes Brewery in 1988. The brewery has grown into one of the largest and most influential breweries in the US on the strength of well-respected flagships like Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale, an experimental barrel-aging program, and newer additions like Fresh Squeezed IPA. 

Deschutes made its debut in a small and stagnant beer world. Yes, there was craft beer out there: Appliance heir Fritz Maytag had purchased San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing in 1965, which is widely seen as the starting point for the modern era of craft brewing. But not many people followed suit: fewer than 90 breweries opened their doors between 1965 and 1987. The breweries that did make waves -- like Bell’s Brewery in Michigan, Sierra Nevada in California, Boston Beer Co. -- certainly helped pique interest and started the heavy lifting of making people rethink beer, but they were bright sparks on wet tinder. 

In 1988, that tinder exploded. 

Fish, way out in Bend, had no idea he was part of a burgeoning revolution, nor did the nearly 60 other independent breweries that would open during the course of that year, many of which helped shape the industry into the powerful force it is today. 

The list of so-called Class of ’88 breweries includes plenty of familiar names. In Cleveland, Great Lakes Brewing was restoring the brewing history of the Rust Belt town, while in New York Brooklyn Brewery started distributing a caramel-colored lager. In Oregon, several Nike executives branched out to brew up quirky beers at Rogue Ales & Spirits, while in Chicago, Goose Island Beer Co. started its Windy City legacy. In northern California, North Coast Brewing gained a foothold, and in Denver,Wynkoop Brewing helped lay the foundation for an all-out craft takeover a mile above sea level.

7 Irish Beers You Should Try That Aren't Guinness

By. Zach Mack



Despite being almost intrinsically linked to beer, it’s almost tragic that Ireland isn’t better known for its burgeoning brew scene. Thanks to government-enacted legislative changes and direct government support for upstart craft brewers, the number of breweries on the Emerald Isle has skyrocketed in the past decade to over 60, and while consumption of beer overall in the country was slightly down, craft beer consumption was up 12.7%. That means a demand for Irish beers beyond the ones associated with the "perfect pour." Start with these prime Irish beers, all of which are available in the US and represent a wide array of styles that go well beyond the traditional stout or whatever dyed-green adjunct lager your favorite bar calls Irish on St. Patrick's Day.

Lough Gill Round the Clock Stout

Stout, 5.2%
Sligo
Beer geeks in the Northeast are probably no stranger to Lough Gill, which has been available in the US market for close to two years. The broadly satisfying portfolio includes everything from Berliner Weisses to Irish Barleywines, and they’ve even done an “oyster gose” collab with Industrial Arts and Thin Man Brewing. But even coming from a country that is all but synonymous with stouts, they’ve managed to go above and beyond with Round the Clock, a well-balanced “breakfast stout” made with Irish oats sourced from Flavahan’s. The rich flavors of freshly brewed coffee are up front and center over the medium-full body whose creamy texture never comes close to overwhelming the palate.

Carlow Brewing O'Hara's Irish Red

Irish red ale, 4.3%
Carlow

Unlike most of the other young upstarts on this list, Carlow (better known as O’Hara’s) can actually trace its history way back to Ireland’s first craft beer boom in 1996. But even for a beer that’s been available stateside for much of its existence, there are few breweries anywhere in the world who have avoided the temptation of trend chasing as well as Carlow. Take their Irish Red, for example, a style that has been as bastardized and lost to the sands of market forces perhaps more than any other. In the hands of many, it’s an overly sweet, unbalanced toffee bomb. In the case of O’Hara’s, it is a true-to-style, honest-to-goodness take with a refreshingly light body, a caramel-kissed toasty maltiness that soothes the palate, and a crisp, smooth finish that avoids the cloying profile of other beers supposedly made in this style. You owe it to yourself to revisit this done the right way.To see the full list and continue with original article, click the link!

Corona is tapping into the non-beer drink trend with 3 tropical lime malt beverages

New from Corona is its first non-beer product, Corona Refresca, a flavored malt beverage available in three varieties: Passionfruit Lime, Guava Lime and Coconut Lime. Coming later in March to six states – California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina — and nationally in early May. (Photo: Corona)

Corona is branching out beyond beer with a trio of tropical-flavored refreshing booze-spiked beverages.

The beer brand's first non-beer beverage, Corona Refresca, is a flavored malt beverage available in three varieties: Coconut Lime, Guava Lime and Passionfruit Lime. The Guava and Passionfruit flavored drinks will be available in six-packs ($9.99), while the Coconut Lime flavor can be found in a 12-pack ($16.99) with all three flavors.

The drinks will hit the market later this month in California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina before going nationwide in early May.

Corona's new drinks, which weigh in at less than 199 calories per 12-ounce serving and 4.5 percent alcohol by volume, are the latest products in a trend that shows no signs of cooling off.

Sparkling, refreshing flavored beverages and seltzers are big sellers within a mixed drinks category that saw sales rise 6 percent in 2018, according to International Wine and Spirits, a research firm that tracks the industry. Those products were outperformers in an overall U.S. beer and spirits industry that faced declines for the third straight year, IWSR says.

Among the top sellers are Smirnoff Spiked Sparkling Spritzers, as well as Bud Light premium malt beverage drinks and Spiked Seltzers – just two of several beverages owned by Anheuser-Busch – and Redd's and Steel Reserve drinks (owned by MillerCoors). White Claw Hard Seltzers had triple-digit growth in 2018, IWSR says.

Overall, sales of the top 20 selling flavored malt beverages rose 11.6 percent to $2.6 billion over the 52-week period ending Jan. 27, 2019, according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm, which tracks retail sales at grocery stores, convenience stores, drug stores, mass market stores and other outlets.

"We know consumers are seeking an alternative malt beverage experience," said Ann Legan, vice president of brand marketing for Corona, which tested Corona Refresca with consumers. The drinks are "for multi-cultural females and males who are looking for a premium spiked refresher that delivers a taste of the tropics," she said.

Just as consumers have embraced sparkling waters as lower-sugar and lower-calorie alternatives, alcohol imbibers are also seeking healthier options with less booze, says IWSR's U.S. president Brandy Rand. "As these products are also in cans, they are portable and convenient which appeals to consumers. They also fill a gap for non-beer drinkers looking for something easy to drink," she said.

Judge: Family that ran Hogan's Irish Bar can remove property from shuttered Cape Canaveral pub

By. Rick Neale

MELBOURNE — The family that operated Hogan's Irish Bar may soon be allowed to re-enter the pub to remove inventory, equipment and possessions — some of which were imported from Ireland.

On Feb. 19, property owner Vincent Keenan shut down the North Atlantic Avenue tavern just south of Cape Canaveral,, triggering a social media uproar. Pub founder Patrick Hogan says he was wrongfully evicted, while Keenan says he fired an under-performing employee.

Keenan has not let the Hogans return to the site since the closure. On Feb. 21, Hogan requested an emergency temporary injunction to retrieve personal property and fixtures. An agreement was struck during a Wednesday hearing at the Melbourne Courthouse.

“They can have the bar. They can have everything in the building. I want an empty building," Keenan testified on the witness stand.

“They can take the sinks. I wish they’d take everything. Let’s make it that they take everything off the property. Because I don’t want to be left with four or five dumpsters of garbage — which is what I have now," Keenan said.

"Everything off the property, except the concrete building and the air conditioners and the plumbing attached," he said.

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Sunsplash Water Park in Cape Coral reopens this weekend; now serving alcohol

On Saturday, Sunsplash Water Park reopens to the public, and a controversial change has been made that now allows visitors 21 and up to drink alcohol.

Lots of planning and training has been provided to employees to help deal with the alcohol  consumption by visitors, like how to spot any drinking that is getting out of hand. The Mayor of Cape Coral likened the training to the way employees at Disney World are trained.

Park officials say beer, wine, and smoothies will be available to guests, but there is a two drink maximum that will be heavily enforced. Despite the limits on drinks, some parents aren’t on board with the new alcohol rule.

“Absolutely not, the park is for the children, let the adults go to the bar,” said Patricia Gottschalk, who lives in Cape Coral.

But other don’t see an issue with it.

“I’m not concerned about it, the majority of parents particularly the type of people who are going to invest their time and money and take their kids to a place like Sunsplash…they’re responsible.”

Despite how some may feel about the new rule, the park plans to open on Saturday, and the new Tiki Bar will be serving drinks.

The city spent thousands on the licensing to provide alcohol to guests, but officials expect close to $90K worth of revenue to be brought in.

Florida lawmakers could let dogs in breweries, reduce limitations on distilleries

By. Ryan Gillespie


As craft beer breweries blossom across the state, lawmakers are reviewing legislation that could open up other boozy businesses supporters say have stymied by regulations.

With the two-month legislative session underway, several pieces of legislation will be considered that could reduce regulation on craft distilleries, allow dogs inside of breweries and allow small restaurants in Kissimmee and St. Cloud to serve liquor.

The various proposals have been supported by various members of the of Central Florida delegation, including Republican Reps. Anthony Sabatini, Mike La Rosa, Josie Tomkow, as well as Democratic Sen. Linda Stewart.

Opposition to some of the legislation has come from Orlando-based ABC Fine Wines & Spirits and the Wine and Beer Distributors of Florida. But Phil McDaniel president of the Florida Craft Distillers Guild, is optimistic the industry could see a loosening of regulations.

“I think there will be some compromise,” McDaniel said.

Craft distilleries

While craft beer breweries and wineries are allowed to hold multiple licenses, allowing both to sell and serve their creations, distilleries aren’t able to hold more than one.

McDaniel said a Senate bill filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg would put spirit makers on equal footing. It soared through two committees.

The bills would allow for shipping to out-of-state customers, opening up local distilleries to wider markets.

“When people come on vacation, they want to experience things that are made here…and bring them back home,” McDaniel said. “If these laws change, I think you’re going to see rapid growth.”

However, Scott Dick, a lobbyist for ABC Fine Wines & Spirits, told senators last month the organization was opposing the bill because it gave distillers the benefits that breweries and wineries receive, said allows them to distribute out of state, something distributors aren’t allowed to do.

“We look at it as a work in progress,” he said.

Scott Ashley, president of the Wine and Beer Distributors of Florida, told the Commerce and Tourism Committee his group also opposed it because distillers would compete with distributors and wouldn’t be required to maintain farmland or use mostly Florida agriculture as certified Florida Farm Wineries must.

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