Worcester Business Journal

28 Worcester Business Journal | December 29, 2025 | wbjournal.com Cra beer and cannabis will struggle to adapt to change BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Managing Editor T he past year hasn't been kind to either the craft beer or cannabis spaces, as a downturn in investor enthusiasm for both sec- tors and other factors have deterred growth. Despite some hope, head- winds remain. Changing demographics Much of Generation Z is old enough to legally buy cra beer or cannabis, but that doesn't mean its members are a re- liable customer base. Health conscious, financially stressed, and coming of age during the COVID era, Gen Z is gener- ally drinking less alcohol, spending less at dispensaries, and not going out to bars nearly as much, compared to previous generations. With younger people hesitant to ven- ture out, this may make the upcoming launch of cannabis consumption lounges even more challenging. Consolidation and closures Both industries have seen businesses close their doors in 2025, while some of the biggest craft beer brands have merged. However, closures may allow more successful businesses to gain market share in 2026, and it could be argued mergers will help companies like Hendler Family Beer Co. (new parent company of Jack's Abby, Night Shift, and Wormtown) and Barrel One Collective (the new parent company of Harpoon, Greater Good Imperial Brewing, Wachusett) compete with larger companies. Investors not feeling the buzz Federal inaction toward reforming cannabis laws has tanked already-low investor enthusiasm. However, in De- cember, President Donald Trump an- nounced he is ready to make efforts to lower cannabis from a Schedule I drug to Schedule III. This would probably lead to more investment interest in the industry, although the exact impact of such a move on Massachusetts' state-legal cannabis space is cloudy. Investors have largely been turned off from the craft beer industry, with business owners looking to exit the industry finding few takers. Greater Good sold to owner of Harpoon, Wachusett Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. in Worcester has been acquired by a Boston-based collective formed in January between Mass Bay Brewing and Finestkind Brewing, the latest con- solidation effort impacting the Central Massachusetts cra beer scene. e acquisition announced June 25 sees Greater Good become part of Barrel One Collective, a company with cra beer brands including Harpoon Brewery, Wachusett Brewing, and Smuttynose Brewing as part of a larger 15-brand portfolio. "We're proud to be joining a col- lective that understands what it means to stay true to your roots while still thinking big," Paul Wengender, found- er of Greater Good, said in a June 25 press release. "e union with Barrel One helps power GG's ability to pursue new growth opportunities for the brand while continuing to deliver the balanced, drinkable, imperial beers that our fer- vent fan base expects." Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Barrel One Collective was founded in January through a merger of Mass. Bay Brewing, the Boston-based producer of Harpoon, and Finestkind Brewing, the New Hampshire-based firm that produces Smuttynose and acquired Westminster-based Wachusett Brewing in January 2024, according to a January press release from Barrel One. Founded in 2015 by former biotech leader Paul Wengender, Greater Good moved its operations from Williamsburg to Worcester in 2017. e company operates from a taproom and kitchen at 55 Milbrook St. Greater Good brewed 11,000 barrels (341,000 gallons) of beer in 2024, according to information provided to the WBJ Research Depart- ment, making it the 4th largest Central Massachusetts brewer behind Framing- ham-based Hendler Family Brewing, Tree House Brewing in Charlton, and Wachusett Brewery. With the addition of Greater Good, Barrel One now operates nine breweries and taprooms across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Ver- mont, including the Wachusett Brewing taproom in the Worcester Public Market and Wachusett's original brewery and taproom in Westminster. e acquisition of Greater Good is the latest consolidation impacting the changing Central Massachusetts cra beer market, as Hendler Family Brew- ing, the parent company behind Fram- Top craft beer and cannabis news from 2025 W PHOTO | COURTESY OF HENDLER FAMILY BREWING The outdoor porch at Greater Good Imperial Brewing, which is now part of the Barrel One Collective CRAFT BEER & CANNABIS Sam Hendler, CEO of Hendler Family Brew- ing, the largest brewer in Central Massachusetts with its Jack's Abby, Wormtown, and Night Shift brands

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