Craft Beer - The Facts

The numbers prove it. Your supermarkets and package stores show it. But most importantly, you know it and are probably curious about it. The fact is, gourmet craft beer now has a growing cachet and social distinction similar to wine…and is actually overtaking it in the adult beverage marketplace. And when I say the numbers prove it, I really mean it. The Brewers Association, one of the largest and most comprehensive organizations dedicated to craft beer in the world, has been crunching these numbers for years. And here’s what they have to say about craft beer’s explosive growth, over the last few years:

Craft Beer Growth — An American Success Story

Double-Digit Gain Reflects Consumer Demand
For Beer Made by Small, Independent, Traditional Brewers

Boulder, CO – February 20, 2007 – The continuing growth of craft beer entered double-digit territory in 2006, with sales by craft brewers up 11.7% by volume for the year. This comes on top of strong growth in each of the prior three years and illustrates the ongoing surge of consumer interest in craft beers. “American tastes are clearly changing thus the demand for more flavorful and diverse beers is exploding,” said Paul Gatza, Director of the Brewers Association, which tabulates industry growth data.

The Brewers Association estimates 2006 sales by craft brewers at over 6,600,000 barrels (one barrel equals 31 U.S. gallons) up from an adjusted total of just under 6,000,000 barrels in 2005. The increase totals over 690,000 barrels or 9.5 million case-equivalents. For 2006 craft beer posted a retail sales figure of $4.2 billion. A strong area of distribution for craft beer is grocery, convenience, drug and liquors stores. According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), “The beer category reaped growth from import (+10.9%) and micro-brew (+16.9%) products, while suffering losses across domestic and non-alcoholic varieties.”

“Craft beer has become a great American success story and today U.S. craft brewers are being watched, emulated and celebrated globally,” stated Julia Herz, Director of Craft Beer Marketing for the Brewers Association. “Demand has become contagious. Craft beer is satisfying the thirst and beer enthusiasm of a continuously growing number of beer drinkers who are seeking flavor, diversity and value.” A more extensive release of the 2006 production numbers will be available from the Brewers Association on April 19 at the Craft Brewers Conference in Austin, TX and unveiled in the May/June issue of The New Brewer magazine. The craft beer segment includes 1377 breweries.