He is as elusive as a rare river creature, but we were able to get legendary beer innovator Minott Wessinger on the phone for an exclusive chat. The soft-spoken beer marketer speaks about his deal with Miller, Steel Reserve’s point of difference, and the evolution of Sparks’ creation.

The State of Texas turns to an unlikely savior in its bid to keep the courts from dismantling their regulated three-tier system: Granholm.

Did SABMiller overpay for the two McKenzie River brands? We crack open a nice cold Steele Reserve High Gravity Lager, pour it into our finest crystal 40 ounce glass, and ponder the numbers from a higher sphere of intellect.

SABMiller buys hot Steele Reserve and Sparks brands.

InBev tells employees that it has no deal with A-B.

InBev said there is no deal with A-B.

It souds like the name of a dog in a beer commercial, but Tied House Evil Law is the Florida alcohol code. And A-B wants to limit coupon and scanback abuses, but Miller and others are against it. Here’s the full story.

We discount during the hot times. With increased space to high end, does it still make sense to go for the hot ad?

A-B may have a bargaining chip when dealing with Modelo on importation structure. Plus, are we heading toward a one distributor per market world?

Has spirits growth peaked? We take a look at both anecdotal evidence and a consumer survey.

But maybe not for long. The industry waits to see if A-B and InBev will indeed structure an alliance or more. Plus, a theory on Modelo.

It’s a match made in heaven. Could it happen?

Brand transitions will be a way of life for awhile. Here’s what’s happening now. Plus, more on A-B’s interest in spirits, wine, and hard tea.

Wow, I didn’t anticipate the level of response to yesterday’s issue. Here are the highlights of your responses.

What will big blue do to make up lost production in capacity utitlization?