When OpenAI released a new artificial intelligence tool called ChatGPT in November 2022, few could predict its operation and marketing impact on countless industries. Within one week, the AI platform had attracted one million users, making it the fastest-growing ‘app’ of all time (better than even Instagram and TikTok). Over the last three years, the incredibly rapid rise of this new technology has impacted businesses, such as breweries, in numerous ways, including helping to develop beer recipes, creating beer labels, and even enhancing the brewing process. While the future of AI isn’t entirely predictable, what is certain is that this technology is not going away. And breweries have to weigh the pros and cons of embracing it.

“AI is an enormous shift in tech, and I don’t think we’ve fully internalized how big the shift is,” Beer Law Center Founder John Szymankiewicz says. “This is at least as big as the difference between email and fax machines. Big changes..”

It’s no secret that light lagers are gaining traction within craft beer trends. The style has even climbed up Untappd’s Year in Beer charts, ranking third in 2023, just behind IPAs and stout. We’ve written about different ways you can make a quality lager—Mexican lager, helles, and Marzen, to name a few. Rice lager is another trending lager variation you can brew to add a low-ABV, drinkable option to your draft list. We spoke with experts in rice lagers from Atlanta, GA-based Halfway Crooks Beer and Warwick, NY-based The Drowned Lands Brewery to learn precisely what a rice lager is, how to create a recipe for it, what to know when brewing it, and how to nail the fermentation process.

In late July 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a surprising recall involving Celsius Astro Vibe Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition. Due to a packaging error involving a shared supplier, some cans labeled as this non-alcoholic energy drink were actually filled with High Noon vodka seltzer, exposing unsuspecting consumers to unintentional alcohol ingestion. While no injuries have been reported, the incident raises important concerns about labeling integrity and product safety. In this article, we’ll break down what exactly happened in the High Noon–Celsius recall, how mislabeled alcohol made its way into energy drink cans, and what it means for the beverage industry. More importantly, we’ll explore why craft breweries need to pay attention. From quality assurance lapses to packaging mix-ups, this incident underscores how vital traceability, labeling accuracy, and supplier oversight are—no matter the size of your operation. Whether you’re producing small-batch lagers or scaling up for regional distribution, the lessons here apply to you.