(Burlington, Vermont)

The beer biz never sleeps at American Craft Beer. And here’s just some of what’s been happening in the beer world while you were enjoying the weekend.

Vermont Craft Brewers Enter the Self-Distribution Game

Vermont’s small breweries have a little more freedom these days. As of July 1, 2026, craft brewers can now self-distribute up to 3,000 barrels of beer each year directly to restaurants, bars, and retail stores under their existing manufacturing licenses.

The change comes after the passage of House Bill 921 and marks a significant shift for the state’s independent brewing industry.

Under the new law, breweries can deliver their own beer without creating a separate wholesale company or paying for an additional distribution license. That removes a hurdle that many smaller producers struggled to justify.

Before the new rules took effect, breweries that wanted to handle their own deliveries faced a maze of paperwork, had to establish a separate wholesale operation, and pay an annual licensing fee of about $1,200. For many, it simply made more sense to rely on third-party distributors.

Supporters of the legislation say the change reflects the realities of today’s beer market. Vermont has seen its wholesale distribution network shrink in recent years, leaving smaller breweries with fewer options for getting their beer onto store shelves and tap lines.

Allowing limited self-distribution also gives breweries a chance to keep more of each sale by avoiding mandatory distributor markups, something that can make a meaningful difference as ingredient, packaging, and labor costs continue to climb.

The move also brings Vermont more in line with neighboring states such as Maine and New Hampshire, where limited self-distribution has already been available to independent breweries. For many Vermont brewers, the new law offers greater flexibility and another tool to help them compete in an increasingly challenging craft beer market.

Words To Drink By

“The universe rewards hustle.” — Joe Rogan

Top 10 Beer Names

The 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship just wrapped up in Ohio and they’ve announced the beers and breweries judged to be the best in America.

But like many in the beer biz, the U.S. Open beer judges also appreciate the creativity behind a great beer name and judged winners subjectively (based on laughter volume) at the competition’s conclusion.

And these are this year’s big winners:

1. Middle Finger to Monday IPA — Bright Penny Brewing (North Carolina)
   2. Beaver on a Big Wheel IPA — Southern Ohio Brewing (Ohio)
   3. Tarty to the Party Marion Sour Ale — Wild Ride Brew (Oregon)
   4. Yaba Daba Brew! — Three Blondes Brewing (Michigan)
   5. The Spanish Word for Mango is Mango – Flix Brewhouse – OK City(Oklahoma)
   6. Effed Up Quad – River North Brewery(Colorado)
   7. Hop Drop n’ Roll IPA — NoDa Brewing Company (North Carolina)
   8. Creamy Fookin’ Pints – Liquid Mechanics Brewing(Colorado)
   9. Mermaid Milk Stout — Marker 48 Brewing (Florida)
   10. Skool House Bock — Moontown Brewing (Indiana) tie
   10. George Sloshington Pilsner – Mutation Brewing (Georgia) tie

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