Mashing-In News: Boundary Bay Lives, Beer Bible Legacy
GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!
Tuesday, August 12, 2025 — George Hamilton turns 86 today!
From bittersweet goodbyes in Bellingham to crab feasts in Seattle, medal hauls in the hop fields, and a decade’s worth of brewing perspective, today’s craft beer news pours a full flight of stories worth savoring.
Boundary Bay Brewery to Close Pub, But Beers Will Live On
Boundary Bay Brewery will close its Bellingham pub on September 20 after 30 years, but its flagship beers will continue to be available through a new brewing partnership with Black Raven Brewery and through continued distribution by Walton Beverage. (Washington Beer Blog)
Latona Pub Turns 38: Crab, Craft Beer, and Community
Seattle’s Latona Pub, a pioneer in serving only local craft beer since 1987, will celebrate its 38th anniversary on August 17 with a crab boil, honoring decades of beer innovation, quality standards, local music, and community spirit. (Washington Beer Blog)
Pints, Pines, and Punchlines at Bend’s Little Woody Festival
The Little Woody Beer, Cider & Whiskey Festival returns to Bend August 29–30 with an expanded “into the woods” theme featuring tree-inspired brews, a Friday night comedy show in partnership with the Bend Comedy Festival, a forest creature costume contest, and proceeds benefiting the Deschutes Historical Museum. (The Brew Site)
A Decade After The Beer Bible: How 2015 Changed Beer Forever
Ten years after publishing The Beer Bible, the author reflects on 2015’s transformative brewing moment—when hazy IPAs surged, big beer buyouts peaked, and Americans still craved European traditions—contrasting it with today’s matured, hop-driven U.S. beer culture that’s largely turned inward. (Beervana)
California Dominates National IPA Competition; Oregon Nabs 12 Medals
The third annual Best of the West Coast National IPA Throwdown drew 284 West Coast IPA entries from 22 states, with San Diego’s North Park Beer Co. winning Grand Champion for its Hop-Fu! and California leading the medal count, followed by Oregon, in the Oregon Brewers Guild–hosted competition at TopWire Hop Project. (The Brew Site)
For Craft Brewers, Localization Could Be the Lifeline in a Slowing Market
In 2025’s challenging beer market, new research shows that consumers—especially Gen Z and millennials—are increasingly drawn to local bars, breweries, and community-connected experiences, making quality, trust, and authentic localization key for craft brewers to sustain sales. (Craft Brewing Business)
What Craft Beer’s Struggles Teach Specialty Coffee
Specialty coffee and craft beer share parallel histories of artisanal growth and innovation, but both now face shrinking consumption, market consolidation, rising prices, and shifting Gen Z preferences—offering coffee roasters a cautionary look at beer’s struggles and lessons on balancing innovation with accessibility, consistency, and community connection. (Perfect Daily Grind)
Why America’s Hottest New Sports Bars Only Show Women’s Games
Austin’s new 1972 Pub—the city’s first women’s sports bar—joins a fast-growing, nationwide movement of inclusive, community-focused venues dedicated to showcasing women’s sports, reflecting surging fan demand, record viewership, and a cultural shift toward celebrating female athletes year-round. (Inside Hook)
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
