Last Week Can Stay in Last Week - Quench Report Issue #15

PLUS: Single Malt Evolution, Who You Calling a FLRT, Hot Jobs

Author

Matt Rice
November 10, 2025

Welcome to Issue #15 of The Quench Report, the newsletter that raises a glass and delivers the latest and greatest in Beverage Alcohol and the broader Beverage category.

What’s on tap for today:;

  • 🍺 Perspective Check - Why last week's doom and gloom deserves a history lesson

  • 🥃 Menu Intel - Scotland's single malt throne: safe or shaky?

  • 🆕 Monster's Next Move - Meet FLRT, the new energy drink aimed at her

  • ♨️ Hot Jobs - Career opportunities bubbling up in beverages

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WHAT’S ON TAP THIS WEEK

📊 Nov 11
• Nielsen data through Nov 1
• Circana data through Nov 2
• Suntory to release Q3 results

🍺 CHEERS TO A NEW WEEK

Look, last week was rough. Between Molson and Diageo's lukewarm results, executive departures, write-downs, layoffs, and uncertainty over hemp beverages, as well as the looming government shutdown that threatened to delay approvals, it felt like the sky was falling.

But here's the thing: we've been here before. 

A Trip Down (Sobering) Memory Lane 

Cast your mind back to the late 80s and early 90s. Bev Alc was going through another existential crisis. The headlines practically wrote themselves:

• "Americans Drinking Less"
• "Sobering News for the Alcohol Industry"
• "Moderation is the toast of the 90s in California"
• "Sobering sales declines' shake up previously predictable business"

Sound familiar?

What the Data Actually Showed

Consumer spending on Bev Alc confirmed the news. The early 90s showed an actual decline in consumer spending for the first time in a long time:

So did the industry collapse? Spoiler alert: Nope. Not even close. 👇️ 

The industry didn't just survive, it thrived.

The Bottom Line: When times feel uncertain, zoom out. Perspective matters. This isn't Bev Alc's first rodeo, and history suggests it won't be its last comeback either.

🥃 MENU INTELLIGENCE - SINGLE MALT EVOLUTION

We teamed up with Somm AI this week to track the evolution of single malt whisky on U.S. menus over the past few years. Since spirits categories are built in on-premise channels, menu trends are our crystal ball.

The Setup

Remember a decade ago when American Single Malt was being touted as the next big thing? Distillers across the country launched ASM products, positioning themselves to catch what seemed like an inevitable wave. So... did it happen?

So how did it actually play out? Take a look below. 👇️ 

🧠Key Takeaways

American Single Malt hasn't caught fire… yet. Balcones appears on a few thousand menus nationwide, but overall, ASM remains a niche player in the on-premise. The 20-year outlook? Still TBD.

Japanese Single Malt has flatlined. After years of growth, placements have plateaued, Japanese whisky occupies roughly the same menu real estate today as it did in 2023.

Scotland can keep sleeping soundly. Despite whispers of a changing guard, Scottish single malt's dominance remains unchallenged. Turns out the Highlands aren't losing their grip anytime soon.

🆕 MONSTER TOUTS NEW FEMALE-FOCUSED ENERGY DRINK FLRT

Monster on Thursday last week released their Q3 results and not sure they could have been any stronger:

  • Net sales jumped nearly +17%, crushing analyst expectations by $90M

  • Gross margin expanded to 55.7% thanks to pricing power and supply chain wins

  • Net income and operating income both grew +41%, outpacing revenue growth

Introducing: FLRT

However, what caught our attention was Monster's announcement of FLRT, a female-focused energy drink set to launch in early 2026. Check it out: 👇️ 

🧠Our Thoughts

Seeing the incredible growth and success of female-focused Alani, there is no doubt Monster wanted an offering to compete, especially with some distributor transition occurring.

It seems to have something some women love, flowers - and excludes what they despise, sugar and vowels. Check, Check, Check.

Will FLRT attract its target demo and carve out meaningful share? We'll be watching closely when it hits shelves in 2026. Stay tuned.

THIS WEEK’S HOT JOBS IN BEVERAGES

These roles came to us via personal recommendations (not public job boards). Want your open role featured? Email: [email protected] 👇️ 

THANKS FOR READING

The Quench Report is a free weekly newsletter from Thirsty Insights, a beverage alcohol consulting company that serves top clients in strategy, insights, and analytics.

Any questions, please email us at [email protected]