Mashing-In News: Sports Bra Lands WNBA Legend, Inside Rochefort
GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!
Monday, Jan. 12, 2026 — Howard Stern turns 72 today!
Today’s craft beer news captures an industry recalibrating with purpose—where expansion is thoughtful, closures are strategic, non-alcoholic beer proves its craft credentials, and clarity, community, and restraint are shaping what comes next.
The Sports Bra Lands WNBA Legend Renee Montgomery as Investor, Launches Playmakers Initiative
The Sports Bra, the world’s first bar dedicated exclusively to women’s sports, announced WNBA legend and Atlanta Dream co-owner Renee Montgomery as an early investor and strategic advisor while launching Playmakers, a new initiative honoring young female athletes, as the brand accelerates national expansion and deepens its mission to elevate women’s sports at every level. (The New School)
Gigantic Brewing to Close Hawthorne Pub, Citing Stronger Financial Future
Gigantic Brewing Company will sell and close its Hawthorne pub on January 24, 2026, a move the brewery says leaves it debt-free and financially stronger, allowing renewed focus on brewing, community-driven events, and its remaining Portland taprooms. (The New School)
Caldera Redefines Dry January With Big Flavor, Zero Buzz
Caldera Brewing is leaning into mindful drinking with a full-flavored non-alcoholic lineup and expanded soda program, showing that craft character, bold hops, and indulgent dark beer notes can thrive at under 0.5% ABV without sacrificing personality or occasion. (Brewer Magazine)
Why the Best Brewery Brands Choose Clarity Over Cleverness
A deep dive into brewery branding argues that long-term success comes not from cleverness alone but from disciplined clarity—knowing when to simplify names, shelve beloved ideas, and focus relentlessly on helping drinkers quickly understand, trust, and connect with what’s in the can. (Brewer Magazine)
Europe’s Largest Student-Run Beer Festival Returns to Warwick for Year 46
Europe’s largest student-run beer festival returns to the University of Warwick February 19–21, 2026, bringing more than 100 beers, strong West Midlands brewery support, live music, charity fundraising, and a new generation of real-ale drinkers together for its 46th annual celebration. (Brewers Journal)
Inside Rochefort: Tradition, Precision, and the Quiet Craft of Trappist Brewing
A deep profile of Rochefort Trappist Brewery traces how brewmaster Gumer Santos blends tradition, meticulous process control, and modern upgrades to produce some of the world’s most revered Belgian ales, including the abbey’s first new beer in 65 years, while staying rooted in restraint, balance, and monastic purpose over growth. (Craft Beer & Brewing)
exBEERiment Finds LUPOMAX and T-90 Cascade Indistinguishable at Equal IBUs
A blind triangle test comparing Cascade LUPOMAX and T-90 pellets in a blonde ale found that tasters could not reliably tell the beers apart when bitterness was held constant, supporting claims that significantly less LUPOMAX can deliver comparable bitterness and flavor with improved yield. (Brulosophy)
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