Can the Craft Beer Industry Sustain It’s Current Growth?

, Can the Craft Beer Industry Sustain It’s Current Growth?

It seems like every few months there’s another new brewery opening in the New England area. It’s almost as if you need an Excel spreadsheet just to keep track of all these new additions. Just in the Boston area alone, I know of six breweries that have opened over the last couple of years. And all of this growth got me thinking – how long can this go on and can the craft beer industry really sustain all of this intense growth? So I asked six craft beer professionals if they thought the industry could sustain its current rate of growth – and was intrigued by what they all thought.

Ben Fullelove / Brash Brewing Company – Ipswich, MA

“I definitely think the market can handle the growth. The craft beer sector is still a small percentage of the total beer market. As more people become educated about the difference in quality of craft beer and the incredible variety in beers, the demand will continue to grow. Also, there’s no such thing as an ex-craft beer drinker. Once your palate understands the difference between mass produced shit and artisan craft beer, there’s no going back. I think as long as you’re making great beers, you’ll be around for a long time to come.”

, Can the Craft Beer Industry Sustain It’s Current Growth?Chris Lohring / Notch Brewing Company Ipswich, MA

“It’s not the industry that’s the issue; the issue is the pipeline between the beer and the consumer. That pipeline is controlled by the wholesaler and retailer, and their capacity is constrained. Not every brand will have the skill to get through that pipeline and into the hand of the consumer. The brewery tap room is the great equalizer, and you will see many of them coming on line.”

Bill Herlicka / White Birch Brewing Company – Hooksett, NH

I think this time around we’re in a better situation than the first craft beer revolution in the early 90s.  It’s easy to try and draw parallels based on growth, but the internet, distribution channels, and decades of effort by the surviving pioneers of our craft have all contributed to making this craft wave a more sustainable model.”

, Can the Craft Beer Industry Sustain It’s Current Growth?Jack White / Ballast Point Brewing Company -San Diego, CA

“It can handle the volume growth but the brand proliferation is going to be the challenge. It is hard to predict how that will ultimately pan out, but the well-run businesses making a high-quality beer can survive with the right people and the right mode.”

Michael Oxton / Night Shift Brewing – Everett, MA

“I think the industry will take care of itself. By that I mean, those breweries putting out creative, high-quality, interesting beers will always be successful, and those doing otherwise will not. The more the industry grows, the more quickly and dramatically that truth will manifest itself.”

Mike Hinkley / Green Flash Brewing Company – San Diego, CA

“Craft beer will continue to grow rapidly. How craft beer is defined will determine how the statistics tally. I prefer to look at the market from a consumer viewpoint, rather than with producer definitions. With that in mind, I think that beers of superior flavor and quality will continue to grow until they are the vast majority of consumer purchases and lesser quality beer will eventually disappear. Green Flash will continue to make superior beer and consumers will buy it in increasing amounts. Any more detail than that will require a time machine.”

I’d like to thank everyone that I spoke with for their thoughtful responses – and I’m encouraged by their positive takes on the industry’s future.

Personally I’m excited about the craft beer industry as well. I believe that craft beer’s upward trajectory will continue its run and echo the sentiments expressed by many who work in the craft beer world – that if you brew something brilliant, people will find it and they’ll spread the word!

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