Stories

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Stories •

Turn on the Light (Lagers) | First Key Consulting

Joshua M. Bernstein 1/26/25 Joshua M. Bernstein 1/26/25

Turn on the Light (Lagers) | First Key Consulting

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A Convenient Approach: How Breweries Are Building Brands in Convenience Stores | First Key Consulting

Joshua M. Bernstein 9/8/24 Joshua M. Bernstein 9/8/24

A Convenient Approach: How Breweries Are Building Brands in Convenience Stores | First Key Consulting

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Hard Tea: A Sweet Opportunity for Breweries and Beverage Companies | First Key

Joshua M. Bernstein 1/12/24 Joshua M. Bernstein 1/12/24

Hard Tea: A Sweet Opportunity for Breweries and Beverage Companies | First Key

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Why Brewery Closures Are Leading to Big Opportunities | First Key Consulting

Joshua M. Bernstein 11/3/23 Joshua M. Bernstein 11/3/23

Why Brewery Closures Are Leading to Big Opportunities | First Key Consulting

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Why Nonalcoholic Drinks Are the Next Frontier at Brewery Taprooms | First Key Consulting

Joshua M. Bernstein 5/30/23 Joshua M. Bernstein 5/30/23

Why Nonalcoholic Drinks Are the Next Frontier at Brewery Taprooms | First Key Consulting

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What's Next for Hard Seltzer in 2022? | First Key Consulting

Joshua M. Bernstein 10/10/22 Joshua M. Bernstein 10/10/22

What's Next for Hard Seltzer in 2022? | First Key Consulting

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How Brewery Collaborations are Evolving | First Key Consulting

Joshua M. Bernstein 6/6/22 Joshua M. Bernstein 6/6/22

How Brewery Collaborations are Evolving | First Key Consulting

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The Click Economy: How Breweries Are Utilizing Online Sales | First Key Consulting

Joshua M. Bernstein 11/12/20 Joshua M. Bernstein 11/12/20

The Click Economy: How Breweries Are Utilizing Online Sales | First Key Consulting

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@joshmbernstein

In hindsight, perhaps driving to Cleveland right before a big ol’ winter snowstorm was not the best idea. But hey, we still made the best of our time before the blizzard, hitting a local toboggan course, dining @fatheadsbeer, hitting the excell

When I moved to NYC as a 22-year-old, I discovered that the best way to learn about a town was to write about it, turning my curiosity into articles that led me all around the five boroughs.

I’ve been in Columbus, oh, just about seven months

I haven’t been to Chicago in more than five years, so I made up for lost time during last week’s @pickcider CiderCon in Chicago. In between meeting so many amazing cidermakers, I did that that thing where I maximize every single minute of

An ongoing joke in the craft brewing industry is that *this* will be the year of the lager. My counterpoint: Ever since Prohibition ended, it's always been the year of the lager in America. Care for a Michelob Ultra, Miller Lite or a Modelo?

Craft b

The start of each year is packed with trend forecasts and proclamations about where [insert any industry] is headed. This is my story for beer.

But instead of just shaking a Magic 8 Ball and asking questions about what type of IPAs will people drink

I've been a journalist for just about 25 years, which means I'm typically the one asking questions that I turn into stories.

I like the behind-the-scenes nature of the business, a mix of being a curious extrovert and introvert clacking away in quie

Scenes from more than two weeks o’ holiday break. Instead of traveling, we decided to hunker down in Columbus and adventure around the area. That meant: snow tubing, Sichuan food, locally brewed saisons, holiday parties, gambling for gelt, givi

After Christmas ends, a question pops up: When is it time to get rid of that tree? There are plenty of civic mulching efforts, but breweries and cideries are increasingly encouraging folks to tote dry, tinsel-free trees to rural taprooms where they'r

Best party rules ever. Though I personally like Malört, who am I to disagree with an eight-year-old? I don’t make the rules. #malort #partyrules

We’re slowly getting into the holiday swing of things over here, from finding screaming deals on Sierra Nevada Celebration to doing my Ohio duty and drinking Great Lakes Christmas Ale, making chili oil for gifts (I still owe some folks a recipe