With much discussion in the craft beer industry and beyond about the globalized supply chain, it’s more important than ever that the industry has a solid handle on what’s happening with raw materials. The November/December issue of The New Brewer focuses on this very topic from several angles, mostly on the supply side. The Supply Chain Subcommittee at the Brewers Association (BA) also provides regular updates throughout the year on the supply of many brewery inputs.

However, it’s also important that we understand the demand side of raw materials. And so, the BA has once again opened the window for its Annual Raw Material Survey. This survey is our best tool to track hop, barley, and fermentables use at a high level. The data provides the latest snapshot to suppliers, as well as supporting our government affairs efforts. The output also allows brewers to benchmark their material use against a broader set of their peers and see trends in usage over time.

We hope you’ll take just a couple minutes to fill out the survey and help support the strong data program at the BA. Please reach out with any questions to Matt Gacioch, BA staff economist.