October 2025

Kaleigh Theriault is Director of Beverage Alcohol Thought Leadership at NielsenIQ (NIQ), the leading global consumer intelligence company that provides data, analytics, and technology to help retailers and consumer brands understand consumer buying behavior and market trends. She has been involved with the Beverage Alcohol category for the last five years working on Thought Leadership, …

🎧Ep. 2495 Barbara Fitzgerald interviews Kaleigh Theriault of NielsenIQ Read More »

It’s Monday, Let’s raise a glass to the beginning of another week. It’s time to unscrew, uncork or saber a bottle and let’s begin Exploring the Wine Glass! W…

Podcast Episode · After Wine School · 10/14/2025 · 23m

Sebastian Tollius, beverage director at NYC’s Eleven Madison Park and the recently opened Clemente Bar, grew up around the hospitality industry. But being at the helm of one of the most acclaimed bar programs in the country wasn’t initially the dream. “My father was the director of operations for a hotel group, and we moved …

Next Wave Awards Bartender of the Year: Sebastian Tollius Read More »

Opportunity doesn’t always knock. Sometimes, opportunity comes from barriers knocked down. The New Orleans-based nonprofit Turning Tables stands tall as a remarkable battering ram on this front. Launched in 2019 by New York City native Touré Folkes, the organization’s mix of drinks education and bar training creates clear pathways for Black and brown individuals to …

Next Wave Awards Nonprofit of the Year: Turning Tables Read More »

St. Agrestis isn’t a non-alcoholic drinks brand in its entirety, but judging by the success of its cheekily named Phony Negroni, one might be inclined to believe it is. That’s likely due to the fact that, unlike most other brands producing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic products, the Phony Negroni is St. Agrestis’s top-selling SKU. And …

Next Wave Awards Rising Drinks Brand of the Year: Phony Negroni by St. Agrestis Read More »

Over the past few decades, the brewing industry has been defined by rampant innovation. The number of new substyles and pseudo-styles that have emerged from the dense thicket of breweries across the nation is head-spinning. In some respects, this evolution has been beautiful, but just like people, its growth hasn’t come without a few awkward …

Next Wave Awards Brewery of the Year: Blue Jay Brewing Co. Read More »

Typically, when a craft distiller attempts to make every spirit, none of them turn out especially well. It’s the classic jack of all trades, master of none. And the logic is simple: Try to appease every demographic — bourbon taters, vodka fans, tequila connoisseurs, rum nerds — and no one ends up truly satisfied. Then …

Next Wave Awards Distiller of the Year: Leslie Merinoff Kwasnieski Read More »

There are exceptions to the rule, but we’ve reached a point in American craft beer culture when most taprooms can’t pull in crowds with good beer alone. Some have tried to navigate the rising tides by offering experiences customers can’t replicate at home, like Lukr-poured pilsners, turning bocks into beer brûlée with piping hot iron …

Next Wave Awards Brewer of the Year: Liz Nicol Read More »