Craft beer might be in a better place than many thought. While new competition and mindful drinking trends have challenged the industry, it’s showing real resilience. A new report from the Brewers Association suggests that perhaps the glass is half full.
The report indicates that while the craft beer sector did dip slightly in 2024 in terms of production, employment within the industry rose. In terms of beer made, things decreased about 4% in 2024 compared to 2023. Yet, the craft arena added 3% in workforce, for a total of nearly 200,000 involved. Also reported was the value of craft beer at large, a whopping $28.9 billion.
Where do things stand now? Well, the IPA is still popular, lower-alcohol brews are taking the stage, and non-alcoholic beer is a legitimate player. What’s next? We’re betting on new hop varieties, the revival of lighter tried-and-true beer styles, continued collaborations, and maybe even some bigger pushes towards sustainability (fingers crossed).
With tariffs looming and an economy that’s anything but predictable, craft beer will have to adapt over and over again. But as the report shows, the industry continues to do so. It’s in craft beer’s DNA.
Also of note, the report listed the top craft breweries in the nation by production size. D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc came in at the top spot, followed by Boston Beer Co. and Sierra Nevada Brewing. Rogue rounded out the list in the 50th spot.
The Brewers Association is an American trade group made up of some 5,400 craft beer industry members. It works to promote and protect the craft beer community.
