What is the current state of independent liquor stores? For answers, we talked with Tom Slattery, owner of JJ's Wine, Spirits & Cigars, a Top 100 Beverage Alcohol Retailer located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Tom discusses the challenging business environment, how bar and food components help his store, and why it's so important to tap into experiential retail.

State Line Distillery in Madison, WI, operates both a production distillery and a cocktail lounge. This gives the company a front-row seat to a shift it’s been seeing from at-home consumption to social drinking on-premise. Founder and head distiller John Mleziva discusses this trend and others, from the two-drink night and zero-proof cocktails to how State Line enhances the lounge guest experience.

What is the state of the wine industry in 2026? And should we be worried or cautiously optimistic? For answers, we talk with Eric Hemer, Senior Vice President of Product Education for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, and the new cohost of Southern Glazer’s popular industry podcast, Served Up.

How can beverage alcohol retailers optimize sales through better category management? For answers, we speak with James Jackson, Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships & Growth Initiatives at The Association of Retail and Consumer Professionals. For more info, and to sign up for their newsletter, check out Catman.global.

With beverage alcohol wholesalers struggling to meet shifting consumer demand while keeping their customers happy, we turn to Mark Chaplin, president, commercial sales at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, for insight on how the company is facing these challenges head-on. Our discussion covers some of the struggles the middle tier is facing, such as the slow down in premiumization sales and the rise of cannabis-infused beverages, and how wholesalers can adapt.

While the beer industry has been going through a rough patch in recent years, there are some bright spots. In this episode we talk with Master Cicerone Neil Witte, a consultant to the Beer Institute, on what to look for this year, from lighter lagers and flavored brews to small packaging and an increase in no- and low-alcohol beer.

With the alcohol industry facing plenty of challenges this year, we turn to food & beverage lawyer Oren Bitan, a partner at Buchalter in Los Angeles, for insight on the biggest issues. Our discussion covers everything from tariffs and cannabis beverages to consumers cutting back on alcohol and the outlook for celebrity beverage endorsements in 2026.

What’s going to be hot for 2026? We discuss with the folks at af&co. and Carbonate, the agencies behind the 18th annual Hospitality Trends Report. Tune in to hear why modern Mexican mixology is the drink trend of the year, what wine varietals people will be looking for, the tropical flavor that will be popping up in cocktails, and why we’re excited that Minneapolis is the food city of the year for 2026.