Mashing-In News: TopWire Beer Club, Pelican Expands

GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!

Thursday, March 19, 2026 — Bruce Willis turns 71 today1

Thursday’s craft beer news moves from hop farm beer clubs and coastal expansion to major awards season, industry storytelling, and the economic pressures reshaping how breweries survive and grow.

TopWire Beer Club Launches at Crosby Hop Farm

TopWire Hop Project at Crosby Hop Farm will launch its new TopWire Beer Club on March 21 with a public event featuring brewery collaborations, live music, and member perks designed to connect drinkers more closely to hop growing and beer production. (Brewpublic)

Pelican Brewing Expands to Yachats Coastline

Pelican Brewing Company will expand to Yachats, Oregon with a new restaurant and taproom opening in late 2026, taking over a historic diner space as part of its continued growth along the Oregon coast. (Brewpublic)

Oregon Beer Awards Return with 1,000+ Beers and Gala Celebration

The 2026 Oregon Beer Awards will bring together more than 80 judges in Portland to evaluate over 1,000 beers in a rigorous competition, culminating in an Oscars-style public gala on April 2 celebrating the state’s top breweries and industry contributors. (The New School)

Beer Writer Awarded Hop Harvest Residency in Yakima Valley

The North American Guild of Beer Writers and Yakima Valley Tourism have named Brandon Hernández as the inaugural Yakima Valley Residency winner, awarding him a funded trip to document hop harvest and connect with the region’s brewers and growers. (Reporter’s Notebook)

Rising Costs and Changing Demand Squeeze Craft Brewers

Craft brewery leaders say rising costs, shifting consumer behavior, and tighter margins are making growth more difficult and experimentation riskier, forcing breweries to operate with greater discipline as economic pressures converge. (The Brewer Magazine)

LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory