Craft Beer & Spirits — 2026-05-16
Ole Smoky Distillery and Yee-Haw Brewing Co. are set to open a massive 40,000-square-foot entertainment venue in Myrtle Beach on May 20, combining moonshine and craft beer under one roof. Industry watchers are also tracking the explosion of April spirits launches — from 100% agave tequilas to canned cocktails — alongside fresh trend data showing brewers calling time on "slushie sours" and other hyper-sweet styles. Beer market analysts confirm volumes remain under pressure worldwide, with premiumization and no-alcohol segments picking up the slack.
Craft Beer & Spirits — 2026-05-16
New Releases
Ole Smoky + Yee-Haw Brewing Co. Open Myrtle Beach Venue May 20
The most buzzed-about opening of the week: Ole Smoky Distillery — the self-described most-awarded moonshine and flavored whiskey brand — is teaming up with Yee-Haw Brewing Co. to debut a joint South Carolina location on May 20, 2026. The venue, billed as an entertainment-driven distillery and brewery experience, spans 40,000 square feet and promises guests great drinks, good times, and live music.
This kind of distillery-brewery hybrid concept — pairing moonshine heritage with craft beer culture in a single experiential space — reflects a broader hospitality push by spirits brands to drive foot traffic and diversify revenue beyond the bottle.
Top April 2026 Spirits Launches Arrive in Retail
The Spirits Business rounded up April's standout new-product lineup, noting the month's releases addressed several of today's biggest consumer trends: 100% agave tequilas, canned cocktails, and "earlier occasions" (products designed for daytime or early-evening drinking). The full slate is now hitting retail and on-premise accounts.
Tasting Notes
No fresh single-product tasting note could be independently verified from sources published after May 9, 2026. The Ole Smoky Myrtle Beach venue opens May 20, so first-pour reviews are forthcoming. Watch this space next week for tasting coverage.
Industry Watch
Beer Under Pressure — But Premium and No-Alcohol Hold Firm
Global Drinks Intel's category report (published this week) paints a nuanced picture of the world beer market: worldwide volumes declined in 2025, yet value held firm thanks to growth in the premium-plus segment and the no-alcohol category. The report credits increased diversification and innovation by leading brewers for stabilizing revenue even as core volume slips.
Brewers Declare the "Slushie Sour" Officially Dead
VinePair's freshly published roundup asked eight working brewers which craft beer style is done in 2026. The verdict: the slushie sour. Multiple respondents cited consumer palate fatigue with "thick, viscous beers and adjunct-driven flavors," including milkshake IPAs and pastry stouts. One brewer — Sean McGuire of Future Days Beer Company in Philadelphia — named the black IPA as a style worth reviving, announcing a new black IPA release planned for August.
Bar & Cocktail Trend Report: NA Growth, RTDs, and Low-ABV Surge
Distiller Magazine's 2026 trend analysis — published last week — identifies non-alcoholic (NA) growth, ready-to-drink (RTD) products, and low-ABV options as the dominant reshaping forces on bar menus. As drinking moderates broadly, bars are responding with culinary-driven cocktails and nostalgic-escape programming. The piece also highlights the role of RTDs in shifting retail habits alongside on-premise consumption.
Coverage period: May 9–16, 2026. All claims sourced from verified publications within this window.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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