Spirit alternative maker Ritual Zero Proof this week announced it has hired craft non-alcoholic beer veteran Tom Halaska as its National Sales Director.

The pronghorn is the second-fastest land mammal in the world, second only to the cheetah. But the pronghorn can sustain its speed for longer than a cheetah, according to Dia Simms, a co-founder of Pronghorn, an initiative focused on cultivating the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, executive leaders, and founders within the spirits business. Simms, the CEO of Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal, called the name Pronghorn symbolic of the race to correct inequity in the spirits industry, which she described as a marathon, not a sprint.

From actors to musicians to the world’s richest man, high profile figures have built their own category within the alcohol industry: celebrity spirits. But as celebrity-owned or endorsed brands become the norm, what makes them succeed or fail?

As the sun finally emerges from behind the clouds, ready-to-drink cocktail makers are rolling out new products to sip in the sunshine. Check out this gallery for two new canned cocktails from Post Meridiem, a line of desert waters from Madre Mezcal and new product formats from Red Lady and Corsair Distillery.

Like sweatpants and sourdough, golf gained an unexpected burst of popularity during the pandemic, earning droves of players looking for an outdoors oasis and socially distant entertainment. Another leisure activity that saw pandemic growth: ready-to-drink cocktails. Now the two are combining.

In this gallery, we highlight a sprinkling of notable new releases for this summer, including a single-barrel series that pays homage to Red Sox legend David Ortiz, the launch of Country Crock’s first-ever spirit and the debut of Westward’s Elements series that is inspired by the beauty of Northwest.

When Phillips Distilling Co launched Prairie Organic Spirits in 2008, organic was an emerging trend, according to Meghan Murray, director of commercial marketing. Over a decade later, that mostly still holds true.

With both tequila’s and mezcal’s growth rates soaring, the agave spirits category could surpass vodka in a number of years, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. While not an agave spirit, another new product from Mexico is starting to build an audience: Sotol.