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Insights & Analysis

Learn about craft brewery trends, including beer styles, packaging, brewery business models and market segments, demographics, and more.

Statistics & Trends

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President & CEO

Bart Watson, president and chief executive officer for the Brewers Association, is a stats geek, beer lover, and Certified Cicerone. He holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where in addition to his dissertation, he completed a comprehensive survey of Bay Area brewpubs one pint at a time. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @BrewersStats.

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Staff Economist

Matt Gacioch (he/him), staff economist for the Brewers Association, helps members make sense of the data that enable their businesses to thrive. He brings experience from market analytics, brewery operations, and consulting, along with an MBA, MS, and BS from the University of Michigan. Follow him on Instagram @craft_econ

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Displaying results 1-10 of 60

Picking Apart Profitability Beer Profitability

Picking Apart Profitability

Growth has long been the craft beer industry’s default measure of success, despite profit maybe being the more important metric. This post breaks down the different ways breweries can measure profitability, from gross and net profit to contribution margin, and explores how pricing, sales mix, and costs shape the bottom line. It also looks at why breaking even is not enough in an unpredictable market. For brewery owners and managers, understanding profit at a more granular level can turn an accounting result into a practical tool for building a more resilient business.Read More

GLP-1s and Beer Consumption

GLP-1s and Beer Consumption

GLP-1 medications are often cited as a headwind for beer, but how much of that impact actually shows up in the numbers? This analysis compares state-level GLP-1 adoption with beer shipment and craft production trends to look for a clear relationship. The results are more complicated than the prevailing narrative suggests: higher-use states do not consistently show steeper beer declines. GLP-1s may still be influencing drinking behavior, but the current evidence suggests they are one piece of a much broader set of forces shaping beer consumption.Read More

Market Impacts of Natural Disasters
Western North Carolina experienced unprecedented destruction when the remnants of Hurricane Helene swept through the region in September 2024. The storm brought 20+ inches of rain to the region over a four day period, triggering a “once in a thousand years” extreme flooding event.

Market Impacts of Natural Disasters

When a natural disaster strikes, brewery owners first focus on safety, wellbeing, and community. But once the immediate crisis passes, another question emerges: what happens to production, sales, openings, and closures? This analysis aggregates the impact of four recent natural disasters to explore how craft beer markets were affected in the year of the event and the year that followed.Read More

The Graceful Exit: How Brewery Owners Plan Their Last Day

The Graceful Exit: How Brewery Owners Plan Their Last Day

Every brewery owner will eventually exit, even if the brewery continues on. This post explores three voluntary exit paths: passing the business on, stripping it down to preserve the strongest pieces, or winding it down with intention. Using recent examples from Icicle Brewing, Künstler Brewing, and Boone Valley Brewing, the exploration reframes exit planning as more than just a sale or a closure. For owners thinking about what they want to preserve, what they are ready to leave behind, and how to protect value, the right exit strategy starts before the decision becomes unavoidable.Read More

Brewery Visits Are Up. Wait, What? people enjoying beers outside at a craft brewery

Brewery Visits Are Up. Wait, What?

Brewery visits may be higher than ever, even as many taprooms continue to face difficult business conditions. This analysis estimates total brewery visits over time and explores why that growth may not feel evenly distributed across the industry. From the changing role of “power visitors” to regional and demographic differences in visitation, the data shows that craft drinkers are still going out to breweries. The challenge for individual businesses is turning those visits into stronger performance through positioning, hospitality, and giving customers a clear reason to choose their taproom.Read More

Displaying results 1-10 of 60