The indispensable tool for the Massachusetts adult beverage trade.
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MBB

IN GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD AMERICANS LIKE THEIR WINE

The US economy has been on a roller coaster for the last few years but one thing remains true: We Americans like our wine. This is the finding of the “Wine & the Economy: October 2OO8-October 2O11”, an annual report compiled by the Wine Market Council, an independent, nonprofit trade...
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SHIPWRECK CHAMPAGNE FOR SALE

This is some serious treasure. Two years after its discovery on the ocean floor in the Baltic, a cache of 2OO-year-old bottles of Champagne is being auctioned off bit by bit. Four bottles of Veuve Clicquot, six bottles from the now-defunct Champagne house Juglar, and one Heidsieck & Co were...
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DIAGEO’S GOT CABIN FEVER

Diageo has acquired New Hampshire based Cabin Fever Maple Flavored Whisky as the newest addition to its Catalyst Division, which focuses exclusively on high potential brands. The acquisition will provide Diageo with a new brand that delivers on two emerging growth trends within the US spirits market: flavored whisky and...
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MAKER’S MARK WINS THE WAX WAR

Maker’s Mark takes its red wax seriously and woe unto any other brand that attempts to use it. An appeals court has ruled that only Maker’s Mark can carry the distinctive red dripping wax seal. The decision comes in an appeal brought by Diageo North America and Casa Cuervo of...
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DIAGEO CONTINUES TO GO GLOBAL

Diageo is getting a taste of Brazil. The drinks company has agreed to buy the Brazilian cachaca brand Ypioca as the world’s biggest distiller expands in faster-growing emerging markets. Diageo will buy the brand and some production assets from Ypioca Agroindustrial Limitada for 9OO million reais (US $453 million) in...
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GEORGE T. STAGG BOURBON IS THE TOP OF THE WORLD

For the second year in row, George T. Stagg, the iconic bourbon released annually from Buffalo Trace Distillery, has been named the number one spirit in the world by noted spirits reviewer F. Paul Pacult. The list, compiled annually by Pacult, was released in his June 2O12 issue of the...
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BOOZY BOVINES

Apparently, cows in Boxford, Massachusetts like to party.  Police Lt. James Riter was directing traffic around a herd of loose cows when they took off for the backyard of a nearby home and crashed a party. “I could hear screaming coming from the back of the house.  When I ran...
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SMALL BREWERS MAKE IT BIG

Mainstream domestic beers may still dominate the market in terms of sales but craft and imports are what consumers hold in higher esteem. Harris Interactive, a market and research firm recently released the results of its annual poll, which examines the health of over 15OO brands and analyzes responses from...
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TEACHINGS FROM THE TAP: LIFE LESSONS FROM OUR YEAR IN BEER

 For many people, traveling to new places often includes a visit to the local pub or brewery.  When Merideth Canham-Nelson and her husband Chris travel, they choose to experience their destinations through the region’s beer culture.  The first beer travel book authored by a female, Teachings From The Tap: Life...
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ALCOHOL, DIMENTIA AND THE PROS AND CONS

There’s a fine line between the health benefits and detriments of alcohol consumption and research increasingly shows it really has to do with quantity. As medical concerns such as dementia and Alzheimer’s continue to escalate, the focus is on understanding how and why low to moderate alcohol consumption can serve...
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