Brewdog claims to be the world’s first carbon negative international beer producer after announcing plans to plan a million trees in the Scottish Highlands.

Two New York breweries have apologized and swiftly discontinued a “highly inappropriate” collaboration beer named after a Hindu deity.

Moët & Chandon has teamed up with UK bar group The Alchemist to offer Champagne lovers complimentary drinks if they buy a bottle online.

Ardbeg has announced that Colin Gordon will take over as distillery manager after incumbent Mickey Heads retires in October.

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka has been appointed as creative director for SOTO after investing in the premium sake brand.

Some of the world’s leading distillers are celebrating after securing impressive medal hauls in the International Spirits Challenge 2020.

Diageo will purchase Aviation Gin and several sister brands in a deal worth up to $610 million.

Renowned bar owner Ali Burgess says his new venue Ever After will deliver an all-day drinking and dining experience which is missing from the London bar scene.

The US government has announced that the existing 25% tariffs will remain on single malt Scotch for the foreseeable future.

Danish brewer Carlsberg expects to report an organic operating decline of 10% to 15% this year as a result of on-trade closures.

Piper-Heidsieck has launched a limited-edition bottle and gift box to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Prohibition in the US.

The world’s most valuable alcoholic drinks brands could lose up to US$33bn worth of brand value as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to brand valuation company Brand Finance.

The South African government has been urged to scrap its alcohol prohibition in order to avoid “devastating consequences” at home and abroad.

UK on-trade wine and spirits supplier Enotria & Coe has secured a £6 million investment from a private equity group to help it navigate choppy waters ahead.

The US bar and restaurant industry revived 592,000 jobs across the country in July, according to new statistics from the Bureau of Labor.

Cub, the Hoxton venue by Ryan Chetiyawardana (Mr Lyan) and Doug McMaster, will not re-open at its site following lockdown.

Angostura is poised to increase its daily production capacity to 13,500 litres after unveiling a multimillion-dollar water recovery facility.

Pernod Ricard will reopen its Beefeater and Plymouth Gin distilleries to the public for tours this week.

English sparkling wine producer Black Chalk has announced plans to set up an office in Tokyo as it bids to crack the Japanese market.

British bar and casual dining group Loungers has seen its share price increase 21% this morning after it revealed strong trading figures since reopening post-lockdown.

Sales of spirits, wine and beer continue to soar in the US off-trade as shoppers shun bars and restaurants in favor of drinking at home.

Doña Sofía has launched the UK’s first CBD-infused ready-to-drink cocktails with a range of non-alcoholic varieties also on the horizon.

Ramón Bilbao has unveiled a collection of high-quality, single vineyard wines in order to showcase some of the best terroirs from across the Rioja region.

Heineken 0.0% will take over sponsorship of the Europa League when the tournament resumes on Wednesday night.

Leading Chilean wine producer Concha y Toro has reported that Q2 consolidated sales grew 16.5% in difficult trading conditions.

THe deadline for applications to the 50 Best For Recovery Fund, a global initiative to provide financial relief for the hospitality sector, has been extended.

London-based PR agency Shift6 has been offering its services free of charge to its independent hospitality clients since bars were permitted to open in the country on 4 July.

Campari has reported that organic sales declined 11.3% in the first six months of 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bar Convent Brooklyn has launched a partnership with legal firm DiPasquale & Summers to offer support and act as a resource for the hospitality community.

McGurk departs The Savoy

27 July, 2020

Declan McGurk is to leave The Savoy in London, after seven years at the helm of the hotel's famed American Bar, Drinks International can exclusively reveal.

Lebanese wine producer Ixsir is ramping up its focus on exports after the domestic market was hit by a double whammy of hyperinflation and Covid-19.

Bacardi has launched a number of initiatives to help bar owners and retailers make the most of a new era of summer socialising.

Pernod Ricard now expects the decline in full-year profits to be less severe than initially anticipated as a result of cost control and resilient sales.

The organisers of London Cocktail Week have announced that the festival will go ahead in 2020 and run for the entire month of October.

Rémy Cointreau suffered a 32.8% year-on-year sales decline in the three months to June 30 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Not long ago, India was known as a country that produced whisky from molasses, and the majority of sales came from the category of spirits called IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor).

Colin Scott has retired from his role as the custodian master blender of Chivas Regal after enjoying an illustrious 47-year career in the Scotch whisky industry. Drinks International caught up with the esteemed blender on his final day at the office.

In America, the beer category has lost volume to wine and spirit in recent years. There are several reasons for this.

Harrods has launched its first stand-alone concept bar called Baccarat Bar alongside Baccarat Crystal and Diageo World Class winner Cameron Attfield, Drinks International can exclusively reveal.

Heineken has reported a 52.5% decline in first-half earnings after the Covid-19 pandemic took a toll on its on-trade business.

A vermouth lover aims to bring finesse and balance to the category with the launch of his small-batch Agora Vermouth.

Bartender Márcio Silva will join forces with chef Manoella Buffara in a New York venture early next year, bringing two of the most famous names in Brazilian hospitality under one roof.

A private barrel selection bottling of Michter’s 10 Year Old bourbon has sold for a record £166,000 ($209,462) at a charity auction in London.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered all bars to shut their doors after a spike in Covid-19 cases across the state.

The Prosecco DOCG will reduce the maximum permitted yield to 12,000 kilos per hectare for the 2020 harvest.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has reinstated the country’s ban on alcohol sales in a bid to free up beds for Covid-19 patients.

A former Diageo marketing executive has launched the world’s first dedicated talent agency for influential bartenders.

Port producer Graham’s has released a commemorative edition of its 2015 Late Bottled Vintage to mark its bicentenary.

The Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG produced and sold a record 92 million bottles in 2019 after enjoying a large harvest the previous year.

Peroni Nastro Azzurro has launched a global ad campaign that urges viewers to appreciate the small pleasures they were denied during the coronavirus lockdown.

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Ben Branson

Ben Branson on the future of non-alc spirits

In his inaugural column for Drinks International, Branson takes a wider look at the overall non-alcoholic spirits sector to identify which brands will thrive and which won’t survive.

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