For the first time since late May, the open rate of on-premise locations pouring beer grew, increasing +2%, to 93% during the weekend of December 16-19, compared to the period before (November 4-7), draft beer data firm BeerBoard reported.
Open rates have held firm at 91% every period since July 22-25, and have remained above 90% since late January. The latest period ties May 20-23 and June 3-6 for the highest open rate of 2021.
While more locations were open, both draft volume and rate of sale fell during the period.
After a period of growth November 4-7 (+6.1%), national volume fell -5.8% week-over-week in the latest period, to levels similar to late October. Despite the decrease, it remains above 2020 levels, increasing +22.3% year-over-year versus the same weekend last year.
Georgia recorded the largest decline in draft volume of the states observed, decreasing -19.1% versus the period before, followed by Nevada (-10.1%) and Illinois (-8.2%). Georgia was also one of two states to record a decline in volume versus the same weekend in 2020, declining -9.8%, while South Carolina declined -10.8%.
Tennessee (+9.4%), Minnesota (+7.9%) and New York (+3.2%) were the only key states to record volume gains versus the previous period, while Illinois (+238%), Michigan (406.5%) and Minnesota (272.7%) reported the largest increase year-over-year.
Rate of sale (ROS) decreased -1.3% nationally during the weekend versus the period before. Georgia (-14.9%) recorded the largest decline in ROS in the period, followed by South Carolina (-9.9%), Florida (-8.8%) and Illinois (-8.7%). Tennessee (+9.1%) had the largest increase in ROS of the four states which recorded growth, followed by Minnesota (6.9%), Michigan (+2.7%) and New York (+1.8%).
Year-over-year, ROS increased +92.1% versus the same weekend in 2020. Every state observed recorded increased ROS year-over-year, led by South Carolina (+201%), Georgia (+187.4%) and Tennessee (+157.8%).
The average number of taps per location remained at 20 nationally for the sixth consecutive period, a +33.3% increase versus the same weekend in 2020. New York was the only state to report an increase in taps, increasing 5% from 20 taps to 21 – a +31.3% increase year-over-year. Georgia (-5.6%), Nevada (-4.5%) and Michigan (-4.2%) each decreased one tap on average versus the period before.
The percentage of taps pouring declined -1%, from 75% to 74% nationally. Nevada reported the largest decrease in percentage (-3.7%), now tied with Minnesota for the highest percentage of taps pouring (79%). Georgia (-1.4%) and Florida (-1.3%) also recorded declines versus the period before, while South Carolina (+1.4%), Illinois (+1.4%), Michigan (+1.3%) and Minnesota (+1.3%) recorded increases.