Colorado Lost 41 Breweries in 2024

DENVER, Colorado - Colorado’s brewers faced yet another challenging year in 2024, with even more breweries, taprooms and brewpubs closing 

“We are arguably the most important beer producing state in America and should be proud to be the State of Craft Beer. But Colorado’s breweries are facing major challenges,” said Shawnee Adelson, executive director of the Colorado Brewers Guild. “Between inflation, supply chain issues, employee shortages, a pandemic and a downward trend of drinking, these local businesses need the support of the public and lawmakers to survive.”

According to Colorado’s Liquor Enforcement Division, beer sales in the state are down -3.2%, worse than the Brewers Association’s national average showing craft beer down -2% in 2024. Also, according to the Brewers Association, more breweries, taprooms and brewpubs closed in 2024 than new ones opened. Since the pandemic, Colorado's lost 140 – 41 of those in 2024 and 35 in 2023. 

“It was an incredibly difficult decision to close our Denver taproom,” said Christa Kilpatrick, former co-owner of the closed E. Colfax Fiction Beer Company taproom. “The craft beer business is a difficult and demanding one, and it was time to move on to less stressful ventures.”

Colorado’s nearly 450 breweries help create 63,000 jobs, $4 billion in wages each year and contribute $12.7 billion in economic activity for the state. Unfortunately, some state lawmakers are considering tax increases and other proposals that might negatively impact these homegrown businesses.

“To continue to serve our community and support local jobs, Colorado’s breweries need the support of our elected officials through certainty and stability in the tax code,” said Carlin Walsh, chair of the Colorado Brewers Guild and head brewer at Elevation Beer Company. “With the highest cost increases in generations and people drinking less, tax increases would only make it harder for our local businesses to invest in hiring and expansion.”

###

 The Colorado Beverage Coalition is made up of local brewers, winemakers, cidermakers, distillers and their supply and hospitality partners creating 132,000 good-paying jobs and generating $19 billion of economic activity for Colorado annually.