Annual week-long holiday encourages on-premise craft beer sales
Boulder, Colo. • April 14, 2021 — The 15th annual American Craft Beer Week®, hosted by the Brewers Association, will be celebrated by beer lovers and breweries nationwide May 10-16, 2021. As COVID-19 restrictions ease and breweries across the country reopen their doors, the week-long holiday encourages beer lovers to visit their local taprooms, brewpubs, and breweries to purchase beer and food—whether for on-premise enjoyment, to-go, or delivery.
Following a tumultuous year, this year’s holiday honors the creativity, community, and resiliency of America’s small and independent craft breweries. As loyal community supporters, many craft breweries responded quickly to the pandemic by producing hand sanitizer for local first responders and collaborating to raise funds for frontline, restaurant, and hospitality workers. U.S. craft breweries are community gathering places and job creators as well – providing more than 138,000 direct full and part-time jobs 1 in 2020.
“America’s small and independent craft breweries have faced many hardships over the past year,” said Ann Obenchain, marketing director of the Brewers Association. “When COVID-19 hit, many breweries were forced to change their entire business models overnight. Fast forward to 2021, and we are finally able to envision gathering with friends and family at local breweries again, now or in the near future. This year’s American Craft Beer Week, more than ever, is about more than just delicious craft beer; it’s about community and showing support for hometown taprooms, brewpubs, and breweries.”
With 85% of legal drinking age adults living within 10 miles of a brewery, almost every American has a local brewery they can support. Consumers can look for the Independent Craft Brewer Seal as a way to help identify beer brewed by small and independent brewers.
Breweries nationwide will be celebrating with new beer releases, discounts, and other creative ideas. Use this map to find a local independent craft brewery to support American Craft Beer Week.
Media: Click here for the American Craft Beer Week toolkit.
1Brewers Association 2020 Beer Industry Production Survey
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,600-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The Brewers Association organizes events, including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, National Homebrew Competition, and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer® and Zymurgy® magazines, and Brewers Publications® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com® and about homebrewing via the American Homebrewers Association®. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.
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