Anyone looking for an answer to when craft’s current era of compounding hurdles and declines will come to an end received a reality check Wednesday during Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson’s state of the industry address, held at the start of Day 2 of the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Indianapolis.
Around 10,000 industry members are expected to make the trip to Indianapolis for the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America (April 28 to May 1). The gathering takes place against a backdrop of growing headwinds for craft breweries and an overhaul of CBC’s host organization, the Brewers Association.
All major beverage-alcohol industry trade groups have united in opposition of a draft study about alcohol consumption’s effect on health, which was released Tuesday.
As the on-premise began to reanimate after a year of pandemic-driven closures and restrictions, 28 of the top 50 Brewers Association-defined (BA) craft breweries posted volume increases in 2021, according to data published today in the May/June edition of the trade group’s New Brewer magazine. Last year, the BA reported craft beer’s volume declined -9% in 2020 – the first time the trade group that represents the nation’s small and independent breweries recorded a volume loss in the industry’s modern era – and a majority (36) of the top 50 saw their output decline compared to 2019.
Large regional breweries that fall outside of the BA’s definition of a craft brewer collectively produced more than 8.64 million barrels of beer in 2021, a +2% increase on a comparable basis, according to data provided by the trade organization. The BA excludes companies that are at least 25% owned by a larger brewing company from its craft brewery data set and sets a production ceiling for BA-defined craft brewers at 6 million barrels.
Marc Sorini, general counsel for the Brewers Association (BA), and Katie Marisic, BA director of federal affairs, gave members a rundown on pending legislation and new regulations in 2022, during the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Minneapolis last week.
The Brewers Association (BA) honored five industry members, including Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy, for their contributions in mentorship, advocacy and brewing innovation during the annual Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) this week in Minneapolis.
Russian River co-founder Natalie Cilurzo urged craft brewers to delve into the motivation and mission behind their businesses in her keynote address to the Brewers Association’s (BA) Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
“How you interpret the numbers this year is really a matter of perspective,” Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers Association (BA), said in his state of the industry address today during Day One of the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Minneapolis.
“Steeled by struggle, renewed by resilience, optimistic and independent, we are stronger than ever,” Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bob Pease said during the opening session of the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Minneapolis.
Stone Brewing Company has filed a motion to recoup attorneys’ fees after winning a $56 million judgment against Molson Coors for trademark infringement, according to court documents filed earlier this week.
The Brewers Association (BA) will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to enter the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) & BrewExpo America in Minneapolis, the trade association announced Friday.
The California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) is “getting very aggressive” on legislative initiatives in 2022, Chris Walker, the trade group’s lobbyist, said Monday at its members conference in San Diego.
2022 will be a “make or break year for a number” of craft brewers, Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson shared during a press conference Tuesday to discuss the 2021 production numbers and top 50 breweries list.
The Brewers Association (BA) also released its 2021 rankings of the top 50 craft breweries by sales volume, in addition to sharing that craft brewer volumes increased by +8% last year.
A year after recording the first production decline of the modern era, U.S. craft brewers were back in black in 2021. The Brewers Association shared that production at U.S. craft brewers who meet its craft brewer definition collectively increased production +8%, to an estimated 24.8 million barrels of beer in 2021.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) hosted a virtual listening session Tuesday with other members of Congress and a handful of bar and restaurant owners to discuss replenishment of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF).
