“Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” Cute sentiment from a sentimental movie. But if you believe that, you probably also believe that pigs can fly, hell can freeze over, and the entire alcohol beverage industry can come together and agree on something important. Well yesterday, folks, hell is a winter wonderland and my pet pig sprouted wings as the phone rang ..

We chase down the latest chatter on what could be the next transformational event in the U.S. beer business. Miller and Coors? A-B and Absolut? Approved jail break? A-B acquired? Wouldn’t you like to know. So would we.

How can the big three get back to growth? Plus, more news on the Coke bottler lawsuit, and Coke planning more direct shipping plans.

We cover the craft panel at the NBWA convention.

Could expand their canned spirit-based RTD cocktails.

Pretty calm in Orlando compared to years’ past. But we present the few whispers from the lobby bar.

As we pack up our bags and head for Orlando for the NBWA Conference this year, NBWA Board Chair Phillip Short, whose day job is leading P.A. Short Distributing Co., an Anheuser-Busch distributorship located in Hollins, Virginia, is preparing to pass the baton to incoming Chair Betty Buck. We had occasion last week to sit down with Phil for a moment to talk about his tenure at NBWA.

Craft beers in particular shone, and not just off-premise. Draft is the up and coming medium of beer language.

In WTO trade negotiations, there is the chance that our negotiators will trade away a state’s right to regulate alcohol. Plus,

Three-tier proponents get a big win in the Fourth Circuit. Plus, Southern suing state of Texas on residency requirements, imports up big again, and Modelo/Barton J-V (to be called Crown Imports, LLC) asks distribs to eat Gambrinus price increase. Details inside.

Well, I opened my big mouth and spoke what I thought was the truth, and got raked over the coals for it. You judge for yourself.

Greetings from Aspen, where your editor is helping to represent the beer industry by speaking this morning at the board meeting of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA), the group that represents the 20 control jurisdictions, control states and counties, that represent a significant part of the nation’s bev alc industry ..

We take time out to honor those brands that, despite all odds, haven’t produced growth this year. Plus, InBev posts positive US trends, and Leinie’s is expanding.

But growing soft in Q3 (as expected). A-B speaks on the state of the industry and its company. Plus, Coors sells Memphis.

Driven by growth in Heineken Premium Light and Femsa, HUSA beats expectations. Plus, Miller learning political pitfalls of immigration issue, Bud.TV to hit the web, and more.