After chilly spring, beer industry hopes Memorial Day weekend will kickstart sales

A lagging beer industry hopes a strong Memorial Day weekend can help make the glass look half full again.

So far, 2018 has not been kind to beer-makers, in part because of the uncooperative weather. When the sun is blazing, beers are swilled on golf courses, boats and patios across the country. But after a chilly start to the year, particularly in the Midwest, domestic beer shipments are down 2.7 percent through the first four months, according to the Beer Institute, the trade