Humboldt Distillery, Humboldt County, Calif., is planning to celebrate 4/20 with cocktails using its cannabis-infused vodka Humboldt’s Finest. 

Craft Beverage Expo (CBExpo), the conference for independent producers, announced that industry and marketing experts Christian McMahan and Tom Flanagan will lead the event’s keynote sessions. The CBExpo will take Nov. 7-9 in Portland, Ore.

Reed’s Inc., a Los Angeles-based handcrafted, all-natural beverage company, named Val Stalowir as its new chief executive officer (CEO). In conjunction with his appointment as CEO, Stalowir also will serve on the company’s Board of Directors.

 To a distiller, beer is essentially undistilled whiskey, but in the world of craft distilling, craft beer is much more than that — it might even reveal the future for craft distilleries in the United States.  

The Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo., released mid-year numbers for America’s small and independent craft brewers. Dollar sales were up 14 percent in the first half of 2012, and volume increased 12 percent during that same time period, the association said.