The Beer, Wine & Spirits Radio Show

Tune in every Friday at 1:00PM to WSAR1480AM
Hosted by Massachusetts Package Stores Association Executive Director and General Counsel, Robert Mellion

The Massachusetts Package Stores Association debuted “The Beer, Wine & Spirits” radio program on June 7, 2019 at WSAR1480AM | FM95.9 and www.wsar.com. The Beer, Wine and Spirits show is part of MassPack’s year-round effort aimed at educating consumers to shop at locally owned retailers of beer, wine and spirits. Episodes feature interesting and helpful content on a weekly basis that connects consumers to suppliers and locally owned stores across Massachusetts and the country.

The format of the show is a weekly, hour long program produced and sponsored by MassPack. The Beer, Wine & Spirits Show is aired live on WSAR1480AM | FM95.9, which directly serves southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is also streamed live on Facebook Live and www.wsar.com.

MassPack additionally records the show for podcast distribution that is downloadable on www.wsar.com and the www.masspack.org websites. Over 22,000 people listen to the live broadcast. Many more download the podcasts. Retailers from Massachusetts and across the country listen to the program every week. 

Industry participation ensures the success of the program. MassPack encourages the membership and participants within the alcohol beverages industry to get involved with The Beer, Wine & Spirits show. Members, suppliers and wholesalers are welcome to suggest topics and serve as guests. Those who have suggestions or an interest in being a guest should contact MassPack at info@masspack.org, or call the MassPack office at 508-366-1100. Stores and Affiliate members may also wish to advertise with WSAR or call into a live airing of the show to take part in a discussion.

Be sure to listen to The Beer, Wine & Spirits Show on WSAR1480AM every Friday at 1:00 p.m. Click the links below to watch and listen to previous episodes:

2022 EPISODES

May 20th - Gayle Corrigan, President of Saperavi USA introduces listeners to Ukrainian and Georgian wines

April 29th - Steven Rubin, Owner of Huntington Wine & Spirits provides an industry update and previews the Beer, Wine & Spirits Experience Trade Show. 

March 11th - Laura Gillis of Cove Risk Insurance advises stores about how to secure affordable Workers Compensation Insurance. 

February 11th - Igor Ostrovsky, CEO of Koverly, a payment platform for retail, discusses how retailers can save time and money by using this innovative platform to process payments.

February 4th - Rob Mellion discusses the history of Prohibition and offer explanations to why it was repealed.

January 28th -  “Drinks to Go.” There has been a lot of media coverage about “Drinks to Go.” The sunset on Drinks to Go is set for the end of June. Much of the media narrative has encouraged deregulation. Deregulation comes with a public safety cost that is overlooked.

January 21st - Let’s talk energy efficiency. Emre Schveighoffer is President of National Resource Management. He has a lot of advice on how to reduce energy consumption and costs.

January 14th - President Ryan Maloney and Rob will preview some of the products, and forecast some issues and trends that will impact the AB industry of Massachusetts in 2022.

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2021 EPISODES

December 17 - Robyn Seymour, Director of Operations at MassPack, draws attention to the leadership roles women are taking within the alcohol beverages industry. 

December 10 - Judith Fabre McDonough takes listeners on a tour of Portuguese wines.  

December 3rd, 2021 - Q & A with Rob Mellion, Executive Director of the Massachusetts package Stores Association.

November 12th - Jack Couto, National Iberian Portfolio Manager at MS Walker dives into a discussion on Port Wines with Rob.

November 5th - On today’s program, Rob Mellion will answer questions that have come in concerning alcohol beverages licenses.

October 22nd - Ryan Maloney, President of the Massachusetts Package Stores Association, and owner of Julio’s Liquors will update listeners about the “21st Century Alcohol Retail Reform” initiative petition.

October 8th - Rob is joined by guest John Bodnovich. Together they will discuss the good, bad, and ugly about direct-to-consumer shipment of alcohol.

October 1st - Bryan Lewis, CEO of Intellicheck ID Company will discuss with Rob tools for preventing illegal alcohol sales.

September 24th - Today we introduce and spotlight Velo Vodka woman owned, woman run company created in South Boston. On the program, Colleen Riley Eyges, CEO of Antidote Liquors.

September 17th - Rob and Steve discuss the largest Alcohol Beverage Industry event of its kind in New England.

September 3rd - Today’s program is about the central retail issues within the alcohol beverages industry.

August 27th - Rob and Ryan update everyone about the “Initiative Petition for Law Relative to 21st Century Alcohol Retail Reform.”

August 20th - Today’s guest, Heidi Scheid is the Executive Vice President of Scheid Family Wines. Heidi is a powerhouse within the wine industry.

August 6th - Ryan Maloney, President of Masspack will introduce the new ballot proposal, “Initiative Petition for Law Relative to 21st Century Alcohol Retail Reform.”

July 30th - Steve Rubin, owner of Huntington Wine and Spirits in Boston is our guest today and will discuss the Beer, Wine & Spirits Experience Tasting and Buying Event.

July 23rd - Today Rhonda Kallman will be our guest to talk about Boston Harbor Distillery.

July 16th - Distilling of spirits in Massachusetts with guest John Sorgini of Chattermark Distillery.

July 2nd - Don Corey, Owner of Blanchard’s Wines & Spirits, will guide listeners about what people are buying at stores this summer.

June 18th - Judith Fabre McDonough, CEO of Mariposa Fine Wines & Spirits, will explore rosé wines and answer your questions.

June 11th - Rob Mellion will discuss some of the big industry issues with Ben Weiner, owner of Sav-Mor Spirits and past President of MPSA.

June 4th - Discussion on “Cocktails to Go” extension post Covid State of Emergency.

May 21st - Rob Mellion is joined by MassPack President and owner of Julio’s Liquors, Ryan Maloney to discuss the push for deregulation of the Alcohol Beverage Industry and the push for “Cocktails to Go” to become permanent.

May 14th - Evan Parker introduces listeners to the diverse, fun and award-winning products produced by FreyJay Distillery. 

May 7th - Jack Couto is the National Iberian Portfolio Manager at M.S. Walker Fine Wines & Spirits. He is LIVE and in the studio with Rob to discuss the great wines of Portugal.

April 30th - Chris Weld, Founder, Owner and Distiller at Berkshire Mountain Distillers is this episodes guest

April 23rd - Dan Newcomb, founder and CEO at the Liquor License Advisor will join host, Rob Mellion to discuss buying and selling a liquor license or store in Massachusetts.

April 16th - Guest Chris Carlozzi, NFIB/Massachusetts State Director, will explain the UI Tax assessment

April 9th - Host Rob Mellion explores the history and growth in popularity of mini liquor bottles, which are commonly referred to as “nips” in Massachusetts.

March 26th - Question & Answer Episode with Rob Mellion 

March 12th - Steve Rubin, owner of Huntington Wine and Spirits, discusses with Rob the disruptions impacting the retail tier of the alcohol beverages industry.

March 5th - Brandon Gilson, Director of Business Development at F.B. Washburn Candy Corporation, about how adding candy retail can be a revenue maker for beer, wine, and liquor stores.

February 26th - Attorney William Kelley, President of the Beer Wholesalers association is the guest. Rob and Bill discuss the state of the industry.

February 12th - On this Special Valentines Day segment, guest, Judith Fabre McDonough, CEO of Mariposa Fine Wine & Spirits weighs in with her expertise on Champagnes for this romantic occasion and other special celebrations.

February 5th - Reports of fake alcohol are on the rise. Rob Mellion discusses this growing problem.

January 22nd - Rob Mellion discusses "Direct Shipping" of spirits and the impacts of "Cross Boarder Sales" of alcohol beverages from New Hampshire. 

January 15th - This week’s program is about Rustic Spirits Margarita. The guest for the hour is Vytas Makstutis, who is the founder and creator of Rustic Spirits Margarita.

January 8th - During this program, Rob highlights the many events and stories that influenced Beer, Wine and Spirits in 2020.

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2020 EPISODES

December 11th, 2020 - Steven Rubin, owner of Huntington Wine & Spirits joins robe Mellion as today’s guest. Steve will discuss for the hour what beer, wine and spirits products at all price levels can make the best gift.

December 4th - This shows special guest, features former Executive Director of MassPack for more than 20 years, Frank Anzalotti. Join Rob and Frank in this episode as they look back at 2020 and ahead during what will be a very interesting discussion on Beer, Wine & Spirits.

November 20th - Marisa Sebastianelli, Director of Sales - Northeast at the Wines of Substance Company educates listeners about their portfolio of brands including Substance, VINO, K Syrah and many others.

November 13th - Doug Bailey, Regional Marketing Manager at Mike’s Hard Lemonade discusses with Rob the success of the Mike’s Hard Lemonade brand.

November 6th - On November 2nd, 2020 an Executive Order was issued by Governor Charlie Baker, Rob discusses the order and its impact on MA businesses.

October 23rd -  Roger Donoghue of Murphy Donoghue Partners will join Rob to discuss what actions on Beacon Hill are impacting the alcohol beverages industry and small businesses across the state.

October 16th - Ryan Maloney, owner of Julio’s in Westborough and Presidents of Masspack, joins Rob to discuss how retailers have adjusted to operating as an essential service during the ongoing pandemic.

October 9th - John Bodnovich, Executive Director of ABL (American Beverage Licensees) will discusses with Rob the plight of taverns and bars during the Covid-19 pandemic.

October 2nd - Rob Mellion talks about why Nips Bans do not stop littering behavior

September 25th - Rob’s guest Atty. Walter Sullivan. is a highly regarded attorney with a practice that concentrates on local and state regulations; and licensing of regulated industries, such as alcoholic beverages. He is also former Chair to the Board of Commissioners to the Alcohol Beverages Control Commission of Massachusetts.

September 18th - Jarrod DiFranco, Market Manager at Devils River Whiskey is today’s guest. This program is about Devil's River Whiskey distilled in San Antonio, Texas and how Texas made whiskey is getting a lot of attention. We learn more about how Devil's River Whiskey is produced and spotlight several of their products.

September 11th - Guest, David Roberts, Jr., Co-owner and Head Distiller at South Hollow Spirits joins Rob in this episode. New England in the pre-Prohibition era was a large producer of Rum and Gin. David and Rob discuss the history of these products, the story behind South Hollow Spirits, and the popularity of various products today.

September 4th - Rob Mellion discusses the state of the AB industry in Massachusetts and summarize MassPack's legislative and judicial accomplishments.

August 14th - Rob will speak with Donnie White, VP of Sales at Vertical Spirits about Nautical Gin, which has quickly become a notable gin product available at restaurants and stores.

August 7th - On today's program, JD Whittington, VP of Sales at Drinkworks®, will introduce the Drinkworks Home Bar Drinkmaker.

July 31st - In this show Rob walks through what is a valid ID in MA, what is not valid ID, and discuss the consequences for accepting a fake ID while serving a minor.

July 17th - Rob Mellion will discuss with Josh Hammond, President and Owner of Buster’s Liquors & Wines in Memphis, TN, some of the macro issues driving the volatility and changes within the alcohol beverages industry.

July 10th - Rob welcomes back Judith Fabre McDonough, the CEO of Mariposa Fine Wines & Spirits, as she guides listeners in a discussion about Rosé wines.

June 26th - On today’s program we will take a look at what is going on with tariffs and what it means for retailers and consumers.

June 19th - Rob takes a deep dive into the disruption going on behind the scenes within the alcohol beverages industry using Covid-19 as a tool to repeal long-standing provisions aimed at protecting public safety.

May 29th - Rob discusses why MA residents should vote "NO" to the "Expanded Alcohol Beverages Licenses Ballot Question" that deregulates retail alcohol licenses and dismantles critical public safety provisions.

May 22nd - Wine 101 with Judith Fabre McDonough, the CEO of Mariposa Fine Wines & Spirits

May 15th - Warm weather is coming. A great way to cool off is by sipping Sangria. Barrielynn Wise, the founder of Sangria Lady Wines is Rob's guest for the hour.

May 8th - The discussion revolves around THRIVE Marketing powered by 3 x 3 Insights. As the nation begins to re-open, the marketplace is evolving at lightspeed, our guests from 3 X 3 will discuss how Thrive Marketing can assist businesses in getting their messages out to consumers.

May 1st - More on the history of Prohibition. Listeners will hear about how the enactment and enforcement of the 18th Amendment led to a rise in organized crime in the US.

April 24th - The history of Prohibition - Listeners will hear about the origins of the 18th Amendment, the rise of organized crime in the U.S. and learn about why Prohibition was repealed.

April 17th - This week’s is a discussion on COVID-19 and it’s affect on the retail alcohol industry.

April 10th - Rob updates listeners on the challenge by local package store owners to the SJC on the Cumberland Farms Ballot Initiative.

April 3rd - Ryan Maloney, MPSA President and owner of Julio's Liquors joined Rob on the show and discussed talk the COVID-19 crisis and how retailers across the state are working overtime to safely provide beer, wine and spirits to customers.

March 13th - Rob answers your questions and addresses the misinformation surrounding the Corona Virus and its impact on the Alcohol Beverages industry.

March 6th - Why is wine so confusing? Today's program is about selecting the right wine.

February 28th - Leveraging technology to compete in a highly competitive beer, wine & spirits retail marketplace. Mike Provance, CEO of 3X3 Insights will join Rob to discuss this topic.

February 7th - Barry Ferreira of Adega Beer & Wine Making Supplies is going to discuss with Rob about how to get started on your home wine or beer making adventure.

January 24th - On today's program Rob will speak with Ryan Maloney, President of the Massachusetts Package Stores Association and the owner of Julio's Liquors in Westborough. Ryan will update listeners about efforts by MPSA to address tariffs, the Cumberland Farms ballot question and the legislative push by big businesses to take control of the AB marketplace.

January 17th - On this week's program Rick Curtis of Curtis Liquors is the guest for the hour. Curtis Liquors served as a go-to retailer for craft beers, fine wine, and artisan spirits on the South Shore of MA for over 5 decades. Rick shares his insights with Rob about tariffs, direct shipping and many other issues.

January 10th - Rob Mellion is joined by guest, Sam Hendler, co-founder of Jack's Abby Craft Lagers. Jack’s Abby has made a name for itself all across New England, and the world. 

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2019 EPISODES

December 20th, 2019 - Rob Burns, the Co-Founder & President of Night Shift Brewing Co. joins host Rob Mellion to discuss some challenges that are being faced by the craft beer industry as spiked seltzers continue to be market movers.

December 13th - Adam Romanow, Founder and President of Castle Island Brewing Company joined Rob in discussing the craft brewing industry.

December 6th - This is a SPECIAL EDITION discussion with Chris R. Swonger, President and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council. Chris Swonger is a long-time government affairs executive and an alcohol beverages industry veteran. He and Rob discuss the state of the AB Industry going into 2020.

November 8th - Rob updates listeners on what's happening currently with the Cumberland Farms Ballot Initiative.

November 1st - John Bodnovich, Executive Director of the American Beverages Licensees, will talk with Rob about why November is Package Liquor Store Month.

October 18th - Tariffs, illegal direct shipping and the many assaults to the 21st Amendment are topics covered on this week’s show.

October 11th - This week Rob discusses Beverage Alcohol Training for retail stores across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

September 27th - Bill Kelley, President of the Beer Distributors of Massachusetts and former General Counsel of the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (“ABCC”), talks with Rob about the three-tier system.

September 13th - Rob and guest, Atty. Walter Sullivan has been following the emergence of the legal cannabis industry in MA.

September 6th - Rob discusses the complexities involving direct to consumer shipping of spirits. He will also talk about the impacts of cross border sales activities.

August 30th - Rob Mellion dives into the topic of the ballot question initiated by Cumberland Farms earlier this month to eliminate the cap on liquor licenses in the state.

August 16th - Guest, Jason Ollerhead, owner/operator of Somerset Liquors and host, Rob Mellion discuss the history of this family owned and operated local business, and what makes them unique and successful in this competitive environment.

August 9th - MPSA's President, Ben Weiner returns to the show. Among other topics, Ben and Rob discuss this week's decision by the SJC of Massachusetts against Total Wine & Spirits and answer other listener questions.

August 2nd - MPSA Executive Director and show host, Rob Mellion answers questions from listeners about issues impacting the alcohol beverages industry.