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.

Lagunitas Releases New Iron Maiden IPA

Most band beers, are more co-branding exercises than they are a reflection of any real passion for brewing (at least on the band’s part), but what British Rock legend Iron Maiden has been doing for years is impressive,

And that difference probably comes down to the fact that Iron Maiden’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson is a seasoned brewer himself. In 2013 Dickinson personally designed and developed Trooper, a collaboration between Iron Maiden and Robinsons Brewery that went on to become an international success and single-handedly launched the band’s Trooper beer line.

The majority of Trooper beers were brewed by Robinsons in the UK. But in 2021 the band collaborated with BrewDog in the US and now in 2026 Iron Maiden has partnered with Lagunitas for its second stateside release.

Crafted with the “hot” new Krush hop variety, Lagunitas Trooper is a 6.6% ABV West Coast Style IPA that will be released around Iron Maiden’s late summer “Run for Your Lives Tour.”

“The challenge of an American beer has long been on top of my ‘To Do’ list,” Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson said. “Lagunitas are a watchword for west coast brewing excellence, and it has been a real highlight working with them on a Trooper taste for both coasts and all states in-between.

Words to Drink By

“Beer should never get political. Let the people who enjoy them do that. Brewers need to think long and hard before associating their beers with a particular political position.”  – Tom Bobak, Founder & Editor-in-Chief American Craft Beer

Anheuser-Busch Sees Surprise Uptick in Beer Demand

Anheuser-Busch InBev got an unexpected boost in beer sales during the first quarter, thanks largely to strong demand in Latin America that helped balance softer results in the U.S. and China.

On May 5, the world’s largest brewer said organic beer volumes rose 0.8% during the quarter, with beer sales alone up 1.2%. Analysts had actually been expecting a slight decline.

Mexico, Colombia, and Peru were bright spots for the company, with sales volumes in that region climbing 4.8%. Those gains helped offset slower business in North America, where volumes fell 3.1%, and in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes China, where volumes slipped 0.4%.

Like much of the beer industry, AB InBev is still navigating changing drinking habits and cautious consumer spending. More people are cutting back on alcohol for health and budget reasons, a trend that has pushed brewers to rethink their portfolios.

For AB InBev, that has meant leaning harder into alcohol-free beers and beverages beyond traditional beer. The company said much of its revenue growth came from no-alcohol products and its expanding non-beer lineup, including ready-to-drink cocktails and other RTDs.

The results suggest that while global beer consumption remains uneven, demand in key international markets is still giving the brewing giant reasons to stay optimistic.

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