Headed to Indianapolis for the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and looking for some light reading? We got you.
Ahead of the Brewers Association’s (BA) big event, we’ve put together a list of some of the trade group’s biggest stories from the past few months that will help you prepare for the week.
Check out our primer, and follow the links for deeper reading (and listening):
Brewers Association Taps Bart Watson as Next CEO
This CBC is the first under the leadership of former BA chief economist Bart Watson, who took over as president and CEO in January.
Watson filled the role left by Bob Pease, who is now enjoying a skiing-filled retirement (listen to Pease’s farewell interview on the Brewbound Podcast here).
With Watson’s schedule packed with his new CEO responsibilities, staff economist Matt Gacioch, hired in February 2024, has taken over the bulk of the BA’s data duties. But don’t worry, Watson will still be giving his fan-favorite state of the industry address Wednesday during CBC’s General Session 2.
Watson joined the Brewbound Podcast in December to share his vision for the BA and the evolution of the trade group. Listen here.
One of Watson’s biggest responsibilities in his new role is advocating for craft breweries’ interests with the new Trump administration, and a key topic of discussion has been tariffs.
In a webinar hosted by the BA this month, Watson acknowledged that “there isn’t a huge appetite, particularly on the House side, to act from Congress,” compared to conversations the BA has had with members in the past. Legislators are viewing tariffs as “the president’s prerogative” and allowing Trump to run economic and statecraft policy “as he sees fit.” The attitude has forced the BA to pivot from its usual practices and communicate more directly with the administration.
Watson was joined in the webinar by Rabobank global strategist, beverages, Stephen Rannekleiv; Craft ‘Ohana president and COO Scott Metzger; and GHJ managing director Kevin Michaelan. The panel detailed the short- and long-term impacts of tariffs on the bev-alc industry.
Brewers Association Senior Director of Federal Affairs Katie Marisic Departs for Diageo
In other BA people moves news, senior director of federal affairs Katie Marisic left the company in March after a decade of leading the trade group’s lobbying efforts.
Marisic is now director of trade, tax and federal government relations at Diageo, whose portfolio includes Guinness, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal and several other spirits brands. Her first day in the new role was, fittingly, St. Patrick’s Day.
The BA has posted a job opening for a new federal affairs manager, seeking a candidate with at least five years of experience in “small business issues, tax policy and a heavily regulated business environment.” For now, VP of government affairs Marc Sorini will take over Marisic’s responsibilities, including giving CBC attendees a legislative and government affairs update Tuesday in a session following General Session 1.
Read more about Marisic’s tenure here.
Craft Volume -4% in 2024, to 23.1M Barrels; Top 50 Breweries Lists Revealed
The BA released its annual craft brewing production report earlier this month. Craft volume declined 4% in 2024, to 23.1 million barrels of beer. However market share by volume held steady at 13.3%.
The BA also adjusted its opening and closing numbers for 2024, with closures (501) outpacing openings (434) for the first time since 2005. The BA’s preliminary estimates had 399 brewery closures and 335 openings.
The report also included the BA’s list of the top 50 craft breweries and top 50 overall brewers, with a bit more movement across the board compared to the past few years.
Brewers Association Predicts 2025: Draft, Differentiation, Adaptation and More Closures
Looking ahead to 2025, Watson and Gacioch shared their predictions for the beer business in a December webinar.
The duo analyzed 10 anticipated trends, including more craft brewery closures, on-premise sales increases and a leveling out of wholesaler inventories.
Dive into all the predictions here.
American Homebrewers Association to Split From Brewers Association
At the start of the year, the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) announced it would be parting ways with the BA after more than 40 years together, filing to be an independent 501(c) [the BA is classified as a 501(c)(6)].
The AHA represents more than 23,000 homebrewers. The nonprofit organization was founded in 1978 and joined forces with the BA in 1982.
AHA executive director Julia Herz told Brewbound, via a spokesperson: “We’ve been increasingly hearing from members and the AHA committee that the AHA needed a reinvigorated new vision and have been working diligently to steward the organization to a new future. Beginning in 2023, AHA member leaders and staff voiced their desire to leave the parent organization, BA, and form their own hobbyist-focused organization.”
Changes to AHA operations began ahead of the trade groups’ separation, including the AHA’s annual homebrewers event, Homebrew Con, going on hiatus – a move announced in early 2024. A reimagined version of the event is expected to return this year.
Read more about the separation, including a rundown on the AHA’s declining revenue and bounce-back plans.
Brewers Association Revenue Declined -8.5% in 2024
The BA’s own revenue declines accelerated in 2024, falling 8.5%, to $20,972,476, according to the trade group’s annual report.
Nearly every revenue driver declined versus 2023, except for “all other revenue,” which increased 76.6%. Part of the loss – which was significantly steeper than the 2% decline recorded in 2023 – was attributed to the aforementioned Homebrew Con cancellation.
Read all the details from the BA’s report here.
Read More: Brewbound’s Guide to the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference
Craft Brewers Conference Heads to Indianapolis Amid Industry Headwinds, Organizational Changes at the Brewers Association
Brewbound Podcast: Brewers Association Staff Economist Matt Gacioch on Craft Brewers’ ‘Realistic’ Mindsets, Industry Trends, Headwinds & CBC