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Whether it’s the tortoise and the hare, David versus Goliath or small-market sports teams versus large-market franchises, many Americans have a soft spot for the “little” guy. The same could be said for the U.S. beer market in this year's beer report. According to Chicago-based Mintel’s January 2016 report “Beer – US,” craft beer’s market share of U.S. volume sales nearly doubled from 2010 to 2015 — 5.2 percent vs. 10.2 percent, respectively.

It seems as though U.S. consumers are having a love affair with import beer, based on analysis in this year's beer market report. According to Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI), dollar sales for import beer were $5.4 billion — an 11.7 percent increase — for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 27, 2015, in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, mass merchandisers, gas and convenience stores, military commissaries, and select club and dollar retail chains. Case sale gains were just shy of 10 percent during that time period.

Left Hand Brewing Co. introduced the first seasonal to the Left Hand Nitro Series with Hard Wired Nitro Coffee Porter. 

To once again showcase its support of soccer in the United States, Heineken, a brand of White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA, launched its Soccer is Here campaign. 

Inspired by the spirit of Henry Weinhard, a brewer known in the Pacific Northwest for making beers and sodas for more than a century, MillerCoors released Henry’s Hard Sodas.

Malibu Rum, a brand of Pernod Ricard USA, introduced its most recent addition to its ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail portfolio — Malibu Strawberry Kiwi cans. 

Novato, Calif.-based Winery Exchange has rebranded itself as WX. The rebranding reflects how the wine, beer and spirits producer’s business has evolved since its founding in 1999, it says.

Heineken unveiled a new integrated global marketing campaign called There's More Behind the Star. The brand of White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA is inviting consumers to discover the authentic stories that are the foundation of the global brand, it says.

Full Sail Brewing Co. now offers the latest limited-release beer from its Brewmaster Reserve series: Bourbon Barrel Aged Wheatwine Ale. 

Dos Equis, a brand of White Plains, N.Y.-based Heineken USA, announced its new Cinco De Mayo-themed, fully-comprehensive, 360-degree campaign featuring national TV advertising, media partnerships, limited-edition packaging and a national sweepstakes. The campaign will encourage consumers to celebrate with Dos Equis and enter for a chance to win items from the Most Interesting Man’s collection of worldly possessions guaranteed to upgrade any Cinco de Mayo Celebration, the company says.