Current national trends in beer

This morning I learned some interesting data this from Julia Herz of the Brewers Association and from Lester Jones of the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Brilliant Stream is attending the national Beer Now Conference taking place in Great Falls, Montana.

From Julia Herz

• Craft beer sales were up 3.9% in 2018 versus an overall 0.8% decline in total beer sales. Import beer sales were equally strong to the craft sector. The losses were mostly due to the continued steep decline of macro lagers.

• The brewery tasting room is the fastest growing and most common model for craft beer breweries. “The Own-Premise” category, which includes taprooms and brewpubs, is the most popular place to drink craft beer.

• Hard seltzer sales now equals cider sales. Hard tea sales are almost at that level.

• The non-alcoholic beer category is a small but hot category of interest. 

• Craft brewers are diversifying into other beverage categories. Fully 40% of brewers are exploring possibilities of getting into ciders, hard seltzers, distilling, etc.

• By far the largest (about one-third) style category of the craft beer market is IPA and IPA variants. That is so distinctly different in taste profile from American pale and light lagers, which are the largest selling beer types in the overall beer market.     

• Females made up 31% of craft beer drinkers in 2018 — up from 25% in 2015.

• A majority of craft drinkers visited a craft brewery last year. 

• Across America, over the past 10 years, bar numbers are declining, as is overall alcohol sales. But craft beer is still growing.

From Lester Jones

• Since 2012, over 1,800 pieces of beer legislation passed by states are continuing to change the landscape of the brewing industry.
• Currently, 10,629 active federal brewing permits in U.S.
• 514 new federal permits issued in 1st quarter of 2019, with 2 new permits in WV
• From 2010 to 2019, an average of 5.2 federal permits have been issued daily.
• Since 2010, the price of beer has become more expensive compared to the Consumer Price Index, while prices of liquor and wine have been more flat.
• In 2010, the average beer consumed in U.S. was 4.2% ABV. Now, it is 4.7%

Brewers Association

National Beer Wholesalers Association