The Craft Brewing Industry Hits a Speed Bump | The New York Times

Cambridge Brewing Company brewmaster, Will Meyers, left, and founder, Phil Bannatyne, introduced beer drinkers to barrel-aged barley wines, spiced pumpkin ales and Belgian-style ales. Photo: Sophie Park

The creativity and proliferation of craft breweries has permanently expanded America’s beer fridge, from bland light lagers to bold I.P.A.s and barrel-aged stouts. Today, the majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a brewery, according to the Brewers Association trade group, with the number of producers ballooning from just 89, in 1978, to 9,906, in 2023. As a result, the craft brewing industry employs around 460,000 people nationwide.

“What better story of the American dream is there than all these breweries?” said Josh Deth, who founded Revolution Brewing in Chicago in 2010.

But after an extended period of breakneck growth, the number of breweries declined in 2024, with 335 craft breweries opening and 399 closing, according to the Brewers Association.

For my latest article in The New York Times, I dive into what’s driving this change in the marketplace. I attached a gift link so anyone can read.