As per usual, I end the year with a pictorial review of the breweries and taprooms that I have visited during the previous twelve months. While the situation with respect to COVID-19 did improve during 2020, the virus did hang around, restricting my travel for significant parts of the year. While personal travel was a little easier this year, professional travel to academic conferences continued to be highly restricted. With respect to visiting breweries and taprooms, I did visit 22 in 2021, slightly less than the 26 that I visited in 2020. In a non-COVID 19 year I typically visit over 60 breweries/taprooms.
Before providing more statistics on my 2020 visits, let me explain the difference between a brewery and a taproom. The difference is quite simple. A brewery is an establishment where beer is produced, whereas a taproom is an establishment owned by a brewery that sells but does not produce beer on-site.
Of the 20 breweries that I visited, 10 were in my home state of Ohio and 10 were in other states. Outside of Ohio I visited breweries in Indiana (4 visited), Michigan (3), Colorado (2), and Texas (1). Most of the Ohio breweries that I visited were in the northwest Ohio region, the two exceptions being in Cincinnati. Both of the taprooms that I visited were in northwest Ohio. Of the 12 Ohio establishments that visited, six were ones that I visited for the first time. Of the 10 non-Ohio breweries that I visited, all but one were new visits – the exception being Hop & Sting Brewing Co. in Grapevine, TX. In the lists below, establishments that I had visited before are indicated in italics.
As per usual, I have posted one photograph from each of the breweries/taprooms that I visited during 2021. I hope you enjoy them. At the time of writing, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu , Director-General of the World Health Organization , is optimistic that COVID-19 will be “beaten in 2022“. I hope that his optimism is well-founded and that we can all look forward to a happy and healthy New Year.
Vadnais Heights is a city of just over 13,600 people. It is part of the Minneapolis metropolitan area lying about 15 miles northeast of downtown. The city’s website describes the suburban community as “a vibrant community with strong neighborhoods, thriving businesses, beautiful woods, lakes, wetlands, and trails”, In a 2016 Community Survey, 97% of its residents rated its quality of life as either “good” or “excellent”.
Like many American communities, Vadnais Heights has a number of parcels of vacant land. In 2015, the City purchased a three-acre parcel of land that had once been home to a gas station and a hardware store. Once the site was cleaned-up the City had plans to build an apartment complex on it. Some residents in close proximity to the proposed apartment complex balked at the idea , feeling that an apartment complex not an appropriate addition to what was primarily a single-family neighborhood. They voiced their concerns with City leaders, who listened. The result was the creation of a 14-member task force, who were charged with identifying alternative uses for the site. The task force, which included both residents and business leaders, was led by an outside facilitator.
The 14 member task force included both neighborhood and non-neighborhood residents
Before a decision was reached the task force did due diligence. They met a total of six times, three of which included listening to experts on a variety of relevant topics including environmental issues, different financial scenarios, and market conditions. With 14 members, there was no shortage of ideas as to how the parcel of land might be best used. These included park/open space, offices, retail, and a brewery. Yes – a brewery! The suggestion of a brewery came from task force member Ashley Wilke, a neighborhood resident who had purchased her grandparent’s home nearby. Faced with a number of alternatives, the task force conducted a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis for each potential land use. To build consensus and arrive at a decision, three rounds of voting were held, with less popular options being eliminated after each round. At the end of the voting process, the task force had identified a brewery as the preferred option. As noted in the task force’s final report, a brewery represented “a unique opportunity for the city and would build community and social interaction.” The vision of the task force was a destination brewery that would also be a community gathering spot – a so-called Third Place. A brewery would also result in the adaptive reuse of the abandoned hardware store. Once the brewery was identified as the preferred use, letters were sent to over 500 existing brewers and distillers to make them aware of the opportunity.
The letter sent to prospective breweries included the above information
As it turned out the site was ideal for Big Wood Brewery who had outgrown their original location in nearby White Bear Lake. Big Wood’s owner Jason Medvec shared the task force’s vision for the new brewery. According to Medvec, “my goal is to create a community-centered venue where there is always something exciting happening and where everyone feels welcome”. Medvec anticipates that Big Wood will move to its new location in Vandais Heights in 2022, with the lot costing them $225,000.
For a number of reasons, I found the story of Vandais Heights and the desire on the part of its residents to have a brewery occupy a vacant building on a vacant piece of land to be a fascinating one. First, kudos must be given to the City for listening to its residents and creating a platform and process (the task force) through which a decision reflective of resident desires could be arrived at. As stated by Valdais Heights’ Mayor, Heidi Gunderson, “we heard loud and clear they didn’t want a high density development in that corner . . . I viewed the property as taxpayer-owned, and they should have a say in how the land was developed.” Second, kudos to Ashley Wilke, the resident who suggested a brewery as a possible occupant of the vacant lot. The brewery will be more than just a watering hole for local residents. Both the residents and the brewery owner envision the new brewery to be a community gathering spot or a so-called Third Place. All across the United States, craft breweries have strategically positioned themselves as community assets; as places that are a vital part of a community’s social fabric and which serve as a place for residents to gather. It looks as if Big Wood will continue that trend. Not only will Big Wood occupy a vacant parcel of land, but it will also occupy an abandoned hardware store. Adaptive reuse of abandoned buildings is a common practice within the craft brewing industry and is a practice that breathes new life into vacant buildings.
So well done to the City and the people of Vandais Heights. The people spoke and the City listened. As a result, residents and visitors alike will soon have a cool new place to hang-out, relax, and enjoy a pint of locally-crafted beer.
When I was a kid growing up in Scotland, one of my favorite television shows was called “Animal Magic“. The show, which ran from 1962 to 1983, was part of the BBC’s children’s programing. It’s host Johnny Morris provided the show’s young viewers with content about the animal kingdom that was both entertaining and educational. As I have visited craft breweries over the years I have come to appreciate the affection that many brewery owners have for the animal kingdom, particularly dogs. This is a topic that I have written about on several occasions – see here and here for example. Dogs seem to be a particular favorite of craft breweries. It is not difficult to find a brewery where dogs seem to be as welcome as their two-legged companions who drink the beer that the brewery produces.
Dogs are welcome at Birdsong Brewing in Charlotte, NC
On a recent trip to Indianapolis, I was reminded of the the love that many brewery owners have for our four legged friends and other animals s well. The trip was the first road trip that I had taken since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. My wife and I travelled there with my oldest daughter and boyfriend (now fiancé) for a couple of days of relaxation and sightseeing. As both my daughter and her boyfriend are craft beer aficionados visits to a couple of craft breweries were included in our itinerary. One of the breweries that I particularly wanted to visit was Metazoa Brewing Company. In February 2020, I had met Metazoa’s owner Dave Worthington at the Beer Marketing and Tourism Conference in St. Petersburg, FL. Being the super nice guy that Dave is, there was a standing invitation to visit Metazoa the next time I was Indianapolis. About a week before we left for Indy I emailed Dave and arranged for a time to drop by the brewery to say “hi” to and catch up. I knew a little bit about Metazoa as a result of my conversations with Dave in St. Petersburg. For example, I knew that Dave is passionate about animal welfare and that 5% of Metazoa’s profits are donated to animal welfare charities. However, as I was to find out, Dave’s commitment to animal welfare extends beyond just donating part of his brewery’s profits.
After arriving at Metazoa, the first thing that Dave did was to make sure that the four of us had a beer in our hands (or a soft drink in the case of my wife). Metazoa has an impressive line-up of beers, some of which have medalled at beer festivals/championships, including the Great American Beer Festival, the U.S Open Beer Championship, and the World Beer Cup. I opted to try Wicked Pawsome, a Hazy IPA, that had won a Bronze Medal at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival. And I have to say – Wicked Pawsome was Wicked Awesome. Not surprisingly, given Dave’s love of animals, there are several of Metazoa’s other beers whose names are inspired by the animal kingdom. These include Puppy Slumber Party (a Peanut Butter Milk Stout), Fast and Furriest (an American IPA), and Gnat King Kölsch (a Kölsch). The name of the brewery, Metazoa, also reflects Dave’s love for animals. The term Metazoa refers to “a major division of the animal kingdom that comprises all animals other than protozoans and sponges. They are multicellular animals with differentiated tissues.”
A sign hanging in Metazoa’s taproom defines the meaning of Metazoa
Enjoying a beer with Metazoa owner Dave Worthington (left)
But Dave’s love for animals goes well beyond the name of his brewery and some its beers. As noted above, Metazoa donates 5% of its profits to a number of different animal welfare organizations. Organizations currently supported by Metazoa include Prison Greyhounds, Save the Chimps, and the Humane Society of Indianapolis (aka IndyHumane). These organizations do amazing work. For example, Prison Greyhounds “fosters retired racing greyhounds and teaches them basic house manners prior to their adoption into permanent loving homes,” while Save the Chimps “offers life-long care for chimpanzees rescued from research laboratories, the pet trade, and entertainment industry.”
Metazoa donate 5% of its profits to a number of animal welfare charities
It is almost impossible to visit Metazoa and not be reminded of the Dave’s passion for animal welfare. Its taproom walls are decorated by chimp art. Each piece of art is the work of a chimpanzee that has been rescued by the Save the Chimps organization. Below each piece of art, the story of the artist is there for you to read and learn from.
Chimp Art by Lisa Marie at Metazoa
After chatting inside Metazoa’s taproom.,Dave took us outside to show us the brewery’s dog park. The dog park is impressive, and is funded by monies from the brewery, institutional sponsors, and individual dog lovers. To say that it is impressive is an understatement.
The Metazoa Dog Park
Welcome to the Metazoa Dog Park
Institutional sponsors support the Metazoa Dog Park
Bricks purchased by dog lovers helped to finance the Dog Park
My visit to Metazoa was a reminder of the generosity of the craft brewing industry, and the desire of many brewery owners to be an asset to their community and to give back to it. Data from the Brewers Association showed that in 2016 America’s 5,600+ craft breweries raised $73.4 million for various charitable causes. That’s an average of over $12,000 per brewery. Before he established Metazoa, Dave donated to a wide range of animal charities. Like many of us who give to our favorite charities, Dave donated $50 here, $100 there. The brewery has provided him with a platform to expand and extend his generosity. And, for Dave, it’s not just about donating money to animal welfare organizations. It’s also about raising awareness about some of the issues surrounding animal welfare. And, on a more local level it is about making dog owners and their pets welcome. If you are ever in Indianapolis, be sure to drop by Metazoa and enjoy one of their wonderful beers – a small part of every pint consumed go to some very worthy animal causes.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I travel quite a bit and that in the course of these travels I take the opportunity to visit breweries. In 2018 and 2019, I visited 66 and 63 breweries respectively. For 2020, I had set myself the target of visiting 52 different breweries – an average of one per week. But as the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns, so astutely observed in his 1795 poem, To A Mouse, “the best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley”. Translation – “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”. And so it was, with arrival of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020. Lockdowns, social distancing, and travel restrictions meant that my visits to breweries were severely curtailed. I did manage to visit 22 breweries/taprooms by the time the lockdown came into effect in mid-March. During the remainder of 2020, however, I was only able to add another four breweries/taprooms to bring my total to 26 for the year.
Thanks to the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and the easing of lockdown and other restrictions, however, I have started to travel again. Last month. my wife and I had a four-day trip that took us to Cincinnati, OH and Indianapolis, IN. While we did some sightseeing on the trip, for me it was an opportunity to visit some breweries. Our first stop was Cincinnati, where we spent the night and visited a childhood friend of my wife and her husband. After dinner and a pint of Belhaven Scottish Ale at the Cock and Bull Public House, we spent the remainder of the evening at the city’s March First Brewing. Billing itself as Cincinnati’s only brewery, cidery, and distillery, I was curious about its name – March First. Was it named that to honor the fact that the state of Ohio had been founded on March 1, 1803? Apparently not. As it turns out, the brewery’s name reflects the struggle that the owner had in coming up with a name. When completing some paperwork for the state of Ohio, the owner had to fill in the name of the company. Not yet having identified one, he looked around for a few seconds and saw from a wall calendar that it was March 1 – hence the name was selected.
March First Brewing, Cincinnati, OH
The next day, my wife and I picked up our oldest daughter and her boyfriend, both of whom live in Cincinnati, and headed for Indianapolis, IN. This was a trip that we had talked about doing last summer, but COVID-19 meant that it never happened. It had been a number of years since I had been in Indianapolis, and I was keen to explore it again. It is a city with a burgeoning craft beer scene; it was recently ranked by Real Estate Witch as the second best metro area in the country for beer drinkers. Quite an accolade to live up to.
On our first evening in Indianapolis, we visited Ellison Brewing Co. It was a beautiful evening and we enjoyed several beers on the brewery’s patio. During the evening, we had the opportunity to have several conversations with our waitress. We learned a bit about the brewery’s history and the post-COVID-19 challenges of hiring staff. Ellison Brewing Co, was founded in 2015 by Iraq War Veteran Aaron Hansen who opened a combined brewery/distillery in Lansing, MI. The space occupied by Ellison in Indianapolis previously housed Tow Yard Brewing. When Tow Yard filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors in 2018, Hansen seized the opportunity to acquire the space and expand his brewery’s footprint to Indianapolis.
Ellison Brewing Co.,
The patio of Ellison Brewing Co.
From the perspective of an Indianapolis resident, Ellison Brewery is an example of an “out-of-town” brewery that has opened its doors in their city. This appears to be a growing trend within the craft brewing industry. Earlier this year, Dogfish Head Brewery of Milton, DE announced plans to open a craft brewery in Miami, FL. When I was in Indianapolis, I noticed that Goodwood Brewery of Louisville, KY were in the process of converting a space that would give them a presence in the city. This expansion of what I term “branch breweries” is an interesting development within the craft brewing industry (maybe a topic for a future blog entry). As a footnote, since I returned from Indianapolis, the Goodwood Brewery has opened its doors and is serving pints to thirsty locals and visitors alike.
Goodwood Brewery of Louisville, KY are opening an establishment in Indianapolis, IN
The next day, after our visit to Ellison Brewing Co, we visited three other Indianapolis breweries – Metazoa Brewing Co., Sun King Brewing Company, and St. Joseph Brewery & Public House. I was particularly looking forward to visiting Metazoa, In February 2020, I had met the owner of Metazoa, Dave Worthington, at the Beer Marketing and Tourism Conference in St. Petersburg, FL. Dave had told me that if I ever found myself in Indianapolis to drop in and say “Hi”. I emailed Dave about a week before we left for Indianapolis and arranged a time to visit Metazoa. Dave, who is a very busy individual, was extremely generous of his time and with beer-in-hand gave us a tour of his brewery’s space and also answered all the questions that we had about his experience in the industry. I will not say too much about Metazoa here (the next blog entry will be dedicated to Metazoa). Suffice to say that owner Dave Wotherspoon has a passion for animals and donates 5% of Metazoa’s profits to various animal welfare causes. Metazoa served as a reminder of the generosity of America’s craft brewing industry. Data from the Brewers Association showed that in 2016 America’s 5,600+ craft breweries raised $73.4 million for various charitable causes.
Dave Worthington (left), owner of Metazoa Brewing Co., gave us a tour of his brewery space
Metazoa Brewing Co. donates 5% of its profits to various animal charities
After Metazoa, we took to the streets and walked to Sun King Brewing Company. Established in 2009, Sun King is the second largest craft brewery in Indiana (3 Floyds in Muncie is the largest). Sun King was also our dinner stop. Inside the large Sun King Tasting Room is La Margarita, a Mexican-inspired food vendor, that has several locations throughout the city.
Sun King Brewing Company in downtown Indianapolis
After Sun King, we took an Uber to St. Joseph Brewery and Public House. As the name might suggest, this brewery is in an old Catholic Church, and provides an excellent example of adaptive reuse. Coming across a craft brewery in an old church is not an uncommon experience. Indeed, a quick foray into the recesses of my memory, revealed that St. Joseph was the sixth craft brewery in an old church that I had visited.
St. Joseph Brewery & Public House was established in 2015
Entrance to Sr. Joseph Brewery & Public House
Inside St. Joseph Brewery and Public House
So that was my trip to Indianapolis. It was good to be back on the road again. It was nice to spend a couple of days being a beer tourist. Notwithstanding any more travel restrictions I hope to make a few more trips similar to this throughout the remainder of 2021.
“Sooner or later, everything old is new again” wrote Stephen King, in his novel The Colorado Kid in 2005. He might have well said it as he gazed upon the restoration of the Mill at Vicksburg in 2021.
Lee Paper Mill, circa 1915
Mill at Vicksburg 2020
From a leading producer of fine paper in the early 20th century, originally built by Lee Paper Company, eventually being abandoned at the beginning of the 21st century this massive building will soon be home to a world class destination for craft beer lovers. It’s taken many years of hard work, vision, community relationships, and cooperation from a vast number of stakeholders to restore a 420,000 square foot building and transform it into a multi-faceted facility, set to open in 2025. In addition to housing a brewery, the Mill will house a boutique hotel, conference/event space, and a museum housing beer memorabilia. The Mill is located in the village of Vicksburg (population 2,906) which is located in Kalamazoo County, MI, and sits nicely equidistant between Chicago, IL and Detroit, MI – it is about 150 miles from both.
It all started with a phone call. Chris Moore, the visionary and now owner for the Mill at Vicksburg, received from his mother Sue back in 2014. The Mill had been part of the fabric of Vicksburg for nearly a century and after paper making had left the region, it had fallen into disrepair and talk of its demolition was becoming common. The Mill had been such an important part of Chris’s life, both his father and grandfather made careers there, along with some stints for him as a young man. It was the economic engine of the community and the thought of losing this giant seemed tragic, akin to losing a part of the community identity.
Chris Moore – the visionary behind the Mill at Vicksburg
After many meetings at the local, state, and federal level Chris managed to save the Mill while also preserving its integrity indefinitely, getting it added to the Federal Historic Registry. He also began forming what the future would hold for the Mill and how it could be an economic engine once again. Beer would be a big part of the Mill’s future.
Chris has a long-held passion for beer and brewing. It began in the 80s, influenced in part by the early efforts of Larry Bell in his first foray with Kalamazoo Brewing in the mid 1980s (eventually becoming the nationally renowned Bell’s Brewery and then working at Widmer Brothers Brewing in 1989, another early pioneer in America’s brewing renaissance.
In 2016 Chris and co-founder Brian Stan opened Old Stove Brewing Co. in Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA. Old Stove has since expanded to the MarketFront of Pike Place. Their brews have won awards and the connection between the legendary gastronomic offerings of Pike Place and their beer will continue at the Mill. The importance of pairing food and beer adds to a rich layer of offerings that are being developed for the project in Vicksburg. In opening Old Stove Brewing , Chris said he felt like he was ‘standing on the shoulder of giants’ referencing all the hard work, including the tough legislative efforts pioneers like Kurt Widmer made, paving the way for thousands of breweries. It didn’t stop there. Many of these early trailblazers even had to build their own brewery equipment to see their vision through. These early influences helped shape the opportunity Chris saw to leverage his passion for beer, brewing, and history while turning the Mill into something very special once again.
Old Stove Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Chris’s deep fascination with the beer industry also includes unique and rare brewery memorabilia which he began collecting many years ago. With so much history behind the Mill at Vicksburg it was only logical that these artifacts of American brewing history would be preserved and celebrated; ideally, while enjoying a delicious brew. Leaning on reputable collectors and historians, the breweriana collection has grown substantially and will have its own museum in Vicksburg called the Cone Top Brewery Museum. The Mill is working closely with the National Association of Breweriana Advertising to collaborate on the museum.
The Mill at Vicksburg has a growing breweriana collection
Something as monumental as revitalizing the Mill cannot be done in a vacuum, and the Village of Vicksburg is a big part of what will make the Mill successful. Chris has wryly stated that ‘all roads lead to Vicksburg’, leaning on the broad infrastructure of transportation that allowed the vast papermaking industry in SW Michigan to thrive for nearly a century. Road and rail are abundant, but massive economic inputs of a project this size are significant. Vicksburg is a very charming and historic town, but like many downtowns across the Midwest, efforts need to be made to preserve and celebrate the architecture, commerce, and vibrancy to support future growth. Chris has assembled a team to help him support the Village’s efforts to not only preserve the history and vitality but also help prepare it for a significant economic lift the Mill will once again bring.
As chronicled elsewhere in this blog, the resurgence of brewing across America started with homebrewing. Homebrewing and craft brewing are intertwined in countless ways across the country. Larry Bell started as a homebrewer before opening his own homebrew equipment shop. On the other side of the country, the legendary Ken Grossman started Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., after finding his passion in homebrewing. The Mill will have features that celebrate homebrewing history and its future, the final scope of which will be finalized in the coming years. Homebrewers are perhaps the greatest advocates for craft brewing and a vital part of its identity. The Mill wants to recognize the grassroots history, entrepreneurialism and passion that has built, not only a national industry but a global one.
History will be part of the fabric that weaves through the ecosystem of the Mill, including of course, brewing. Over the last three decades innovative American craft brewers have created new styles and processes, while continuing to search for resources to create even more distinct brews. Going back over a century, rural brewers across the country and abroad had to utilize resources that were available locally, from grains to yeast. Chris has long felt the need to support American farming, sponsoring Cascadia Grains since 2016 and the Great Lakes Hop and Barley Conference since 2017. Vitality and diversity are critical for healthy agriculture and in turn, brewing. Further, it supports brewing innovation, a pillar of craft brewing enterprise. Brewing at the Mill will embrace brewing history, its rural roots, innovation and support the local farming community.
There is much, much more to share and celebrate about the future of the Mill at Vicksburg, particularly on the brewing side. With the Mill slated to open in a few years, stay tuned for more details about how the Mill will be a compelling destination for all those that love history, music, and of course, delicious brews.
Guest Blogger
This blog entry was written by guest blogger, Brian Bastien.
Brian Bastien
A passionate advocate of the craft beer industry, Brian’s brewery career began as a homebrewer before completing a BA at University of Western Ontario, in Economics. His 20-plus years of experience leading teams and building markets across North America includes senior roles with Moosehead, Carlsberg, and most recently as a VP with Newlands Systems, a custom brewery equipment manufacturer. While studying an International MBA at the University of Wales, he wrote a dissertation on strategic brewery brand growth across global markets. Brian is leading the brewery and distillery strategy, planning and design for The Mill’s multi-brewery facility, a vital economic driver for the redevelopment. The beverage operations will concurrently accomplish the goals of tenant attraction, job creation, and destination tourism for The Mill. Active in community roles, Brian has over ten years of leadership experience serving local non-profits, most recently serving as president and chair for the Women in Need Society in Calgary, Canada. In 2018 he finished brewery studies in Chicago at the World Brewing Academy and completed distillery studies at Siebel in 2019.
Back in February, I received a telephone call from Kevin Lynch, a reporter from the Daily Record, a newspaper in Wooster, OH. Kevin was writing a story about the beer can shortage that was the result of the Covid-19 pandemic. We’ll get back to that story in a minute, but let’s say a few words about the history of the beer can.
The world’s first beer can made its debut on January 24, 1935. On that day, the Krueger Brewing Company of Newark, NJ test marketed the beer can in Richmond, VA. Two different beers were available to thirsty Richmonders – Krueger’s Cream Ale and Krueger’s Finest Beer. The initial run was only 2,000 cans, but production increased after beer drinkers provided positive feedback on the new vessel. These first cans were made by the New Jersey-based American Can Company.
The world’s first beer cans contained Krueger’s Cream Ale and Krueger’s Finest Beer.
Compared with today’s cans, the first beer cans were heavy and had to be opened with a churchkey opener. With the passage of time, however, the humble beer can has evolved. In 1935, cone top cans appeared. These were followed by pull-tab cans in 1962, and stay-tab cans in 1975.
In recent years, canned beer has become increasingly popular among craft beer drinkers. This popularity has been driven by a number of factors. Cans can be taken where bottles are prohibited – for example the pool or the beach. They are also lighter than bottles, making them more portable and hence a preferred choice for outdoor activities such as hiking. Aluminum cans are also highly recyclable, more so than glass. According to data from The Aluminum Association, “nearly 75 percent of all aluminum produced in the U.S. is still in use today”. But what about taste? Does a beer in a can taste as good as the same beer in a bottle? A blind taste test conducted in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2016 demonstrated that beer drinkers could not tell the difference between canned and bottled beer.
The recent Covid-19 pandemic has created a demand for canned beer that was both unprecedented and unanticipated. The crux of the problem lies in the fact that Covid-19 forced many craft brewery taprooms to temporarily close. When they reopened, they had to do so at reduced capacities. Bars and restaurants, that sold craft beer, had similar restrictions placed upon them. Unable to sell their beer to taproom customers or to bars and restaurants, craft breweries had to either sell their beer on a to-go basis or via supermarkets and liquor stores. In either case, this meant that beer which was formerly put in kegs now had to be put in cans. The result – a significant surge in demand for aluminum cans.
Earlier this year, I listened to a webinar presentation that Bart Watson, Chief Economist of the Brewers Association, made to the Economic Roundtable of the Ohio Valley. Bart presented a number of interesting statistics during his presentation, one of which was the growing popularity of cans as the preferred packaging for craft beer. In 2016, only 16% of craft beer (measured in dollar value) was sold in cans. By 2019, this percentage had increased to 38%, and by 2020 to 50%. So while Covid-19 created an increase in demand for beer cans among craft breweries, that demand was already rising steadily on a year-by-year basis. Indeed, as far back as 2015, a shortage of cans was already creating challenges for some craft brewers.
Covid-19 demonstrated how quickly demand for aluminum cans can increase. In March 2020, retail sales of canned drinks was up 24%, compared with March 2019. For individual breweries the shift to cans has been dramatic. For example, in 2109, draft beer accounted for two-thirds of sales for Wolf‘s Ridge Brewing in Columbus, OH. As a result of Covid-19, cans now account for two-thirds of Wolf Ridge’s sales. Prior to Covid-19, Booze Brothers Brewery in Vista, CA canned about 35 percent of its beer; that increased to 80% as a result of the pandemic.
Due to insufficient production capacity, it was not easy for suppliers to meet such an uptick in demand. This mismatch between supply and demand meant that the United States market was, according to one estimate, short 10 billion cans in 2020. As a result, some American companies looked to other countries, such as Brazil and Mexico, to import cans. In Brazil, in sharp contrast to the United States, Covid-19 resulted in a drop in demand for cans. This is because canned drinks in Brazil are upscale and are sold almost exclusively in bars and restaurants which, of course, shut down.
Increase in Retail Sales of Cans in First Six Months of 2020 (Compared with Same Month in 2019). Source: IRI-Wall Street Journal
The can shortage created significant challenges for craft breweries across the United States. During a shortage, it is the larger customers (Pepsi, Coke, Anheuser Busch, etc.) whose orders get prioritized. And when demand exceeds supply, prices can go up, which is exactly what many craft breweries, such as Barrel House Z in Weymouth, MA, experienced. And, it was not uncommon for breweries to run out of cans before the next shipment arrived.
Breweries who anticipated the can shortage, and had the necessary cash, stocked up on cans – many did not have the capital (or space) to do so, however. Those that did, were better able to weather the Covid-19 can shortage. Most small brewers purchase their cans through brokers, some of whom changed the terms of business in response to Covid-19. Minimum shipment sizes increased, which was problematic for smaller breweries. Some brokers, who previously provided free storage space for cans, no longer did so. As a result, some breweries had to sublet space to store cans. Sun King Brewing in Indianapolis, IN rented warehouse space four miles from its brewery, while East Brother Beer Co. in Richmond, CA sublet space from a co-tenant in its building. Unanticipated storage were not the only additional costs incurred by breweries who shifted from selling beer on-site to canning beer for to-go sales. Other costs included increased packaging costs and higher wages for former tipped bar staff who now assisted with the canning process. Additionally, canning beer requires a canning machine. Most breweries, including many who can beer, do not own a dedicated canning machine. Instead, they utilize a mobile canning machine which is provided by an independent firm. Mobile canning is used by breweries who do not have the money or space for a dedicated on-site canning machine, or who do not wish to can large volumes of their beer.
When will the can-demic end? One forecast suggests that craft brewers may have to wait until August 2021 for a steady supply of cans to be available. Ball Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum cans, will open new production facilities in Glendale, AZ and Pittson, PA in the spring and summer of 2021 respectively. In the meantime, newly opened breweries, hoping to can their beer, may have to exercise patience as many brokers are not taking on new accounts. The pressure to supply existing accounts is simply too strong. In extreme cases, there was a fear that the can shortage may result in some breweries going out of business. In a can shortage advisory issued to its members in July 2020, the Brewers Association warned that the “can shortage may threaten the ability to survive the pandemic for some craft brewers.” Recent data released by the Brewers Association suggests that the number of breweries that closed due to Covid-19 may not be as high as first anticipated during the early days of the pandemic. This is good news. And as increasing numbers of people get vaccinated and States ease up on capacity restrictions for bars and restaurants, some of the pressure on cans is likely to start to dissipate.
The United States is a very urban society. Approximately 83% of Americans live in urban areas, up from 64% in 1950. More than 300 urban areas in the U.S. have populations greater than 100,000. I live in one of them – the city of Toledo, OH has a population of ~271,000, while the Toledo Metropolitan Area has a population of ~641,000. The largest city in the country is New York City, with a population of ~8.4 million.
Not surprisingly, most of America’s craft breweries are to be found in urban areas. Some calculations that I did for a 2018 paper that I wrote estimated that 72% of America’s craft breweries are located in metropolitan areas with populations of at least 250,000, while 16.2% of America’s craft breweries are located in just ten metropolitan areas. Brewing beer, it appears, is a big city business.
But what about brewing in small-town and rural America? I recently started thinking about that question after a Zoom conversation I had with Nicki Werner, Co-Founder and Brewer at Jefferson Beer Supply, in Jefferson, SD. Jefferson Beer Supply is a brewery in planning; it is not open and operational yet; but should be by the summer of 2021. Nicki was preparing a presentation to be made to the city council and loan approval board. She had been following my blog for some months and was reaching out to see if I could help her craft some arguments about the beneficial impact of craft breweries on small towns. Jefferson does not have a craft brewery – hardly surprising given that it has a population of 622. However, the addition of a craft brewery to the Jefferson landscape will mirror what is happening in other small towns and rural communities across America. Between 2013 and 2018 the number of breweries located in places with a population under 2,500 grew by 129%.
Nicki Werner, co-founder of Jefferson Beer Supply in Jefferson, SD
Rural communities face a number of socio-economic challenges. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, rural communities, compared to their urban counterparts, “have less internet access, fewer educational institutions, see more hospitals close and experience less economic growth.” In the past, many rural communities could depend on agriculture for their economic well-being. That is no longer the case, however. And it has been that way for some time. A 1999 report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis noted that, “agriculture is no longer the anchor of the rural economy”. In many rural economies manufacturing is the dominant income generator . . . if policymakers want to help shape the economic future of all of rural America, they must engage a much broader range of issues and economic engines.”
Now I am not naive enough to think that craft breweries are the answer to the socio-economic challenges facing rural and small-town America. But having a successful craft brewery in town can surely do no harm. In the aforementioned Valentine, NE the Bolo Brewing Company has become a place for the community to gather – or what the urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg called a Third Place. Third Places play a critical role in human societies. There is research that suggests that Third Places can combat loneliness while also strengthening community cohesion. In research conducted with colleagues, the highly regarded British Anthropologist Robin Dunbar provides evidence which suggests that enjoying a beer with friends provides us with “the single most important buffer against mental and physical illness”.
While many craft breweries function as Third Places in America’s large urban areas, Jeff Alworth believes that their importance as community gathering places “may even be stronger in smaller communities. Little towns are often underserved with regard to cool places to hang out. When they open up shop, they provide much-needed social hubs . . . They’re not only a nice place to spend an evening, but serve as venues for events like meetings, weddings, and even children’s birthday parties.” Nicki Werner of Jefferson Beer Supply shared her brewery’s business plan with me. One of Nicki’s goals for her brewery is to create “a tasting room and experience that offers a family oriented gathering space for our community.” As the business plan notes, “there are no family oriented spaces in Jefferson and very little in the surrounding areas, which offer primarily dive bars with casino machines, no children’s menus, and focus primarily on one demographic.” A family-oriented craft brewery would be a tremendous asset to Jefferson, SD. In Valentine, NE local resident Whitney Mayhew describes the taproom of the Bolo Beer Company as a “community gathering place”.
Craft breweries can also attract tourists to a small town. Beer Tourism is “a thing” and is becoming more popular every year. According to the Brewers Association, in the United States, 1.6 percent of craft-beer drinkers take 10-plus trips annually to visit breweries more than two hours from their home. Attracting tourists is critical to the success of small-town breweries as it lessens their dependence upon local residents. I recently co-edited a book with two Italian colleagues that explored how craft beer tourism, wine tourism, and agritourism can make a positive contribution to the economies of geographically peripheral areas. Last year (about 6 weeks before Covid-19 resulted in lockdowns) I gave the keynote presentation at the Beer Marketing and Tourism Conference in St. Petersburg, FL. One of the things I highlighted in my presentation is that craft beer tourists have above average incomes and, as a result, have a fair amount of disposable income to spend. A challenge facing craft breweries in small towns is that they often exist in geographic isolation – in other words, they are the only brewery in town. This contrasts with larger cities where we see the emergence of brewery districts, providing beer tourists with the opportunity to visit three of four breweries, often on foot, within the space of an afternoon or evening. Craft breweries in small towns can utilize a number of strategies to overcome their geographic isolation. For example, they can collaborate with other breweries as part of an Ale Trail. This literally puts them on the map and they become one of the suggested stops for Ale Trail participants. An excellent example of an Ale Trail in is the Finger Lakes Beer Trail in New York State. The trail, which includes both larger cities and smaller towns, comprises over 75 craft breweries, tap houses and brewing-affiliated businesses across an area spanning over 200 miles.
Craft beer tourism can benefit geographically peripheral areas
Larger cities, such as Bakersfield, CA, often have brewery districts
The Finger Lakes Beer Trail in New York spans over 200 miles
Another strategy is to collaborate with other attractions in their region. Marketing a larger geographic region and its multiple attractions is a smart approach for smaller communities. Greenbriar Valley in West Virginia is an excellent example of a rural area that does an excellent job of promoting the area’s 80+ attractions, including Greenbriar Valley Brewing Company in the town of Lewisburg (population 3,897). If a small town is located in an agricultural region, it may be possible to develop a tourism industry around agritourism. The National Law Agricultural Center sees agritourism as the “crossroads of tourism and agriculture” and defines it as “a form of commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and/or processing with tourism in order to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining and/or educating the visitors and generating income for the farm, ranch, or business owner.“ Example of agritourism include pumpkin picking patches, U-Pick operations, demonstration farms, cut-your-own Christmas tree farms, and petting and feeding zoos. As craft breweries are utilizing agricultural crops (hops and barley primarily) it is hardly a stretch to include them within a region’s agritourism attractions. A brewery in a small town where opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, and camping exist may want to utilize these assets in attracting beer tourists.
The arrival of a craft brewery in a small town can also be the catalyst for additional development. The opening of Hand of Fate Brewing in Petersburg, IL (population, 2,226) in May 2017 had a beneficial impact on the small community. According to one observer:
“After just a year, the small brewery has brought good fortune to the town. After taking over an old Dollar General discount store in the sparsely occupied town square, the brewery-and-taproom has become a community hub and a catalyst keeping businesses open later. It’s encouraged others—including two new boutiques—to open shop, and drawn visitors from across the region. “
Neil Gurnsey, Assistant Vice President of the National Bank of Petersburg, noted that after the brewery opened, “life was just injected into the square”.
Finally, because a brewery is in a small town does not mean that it has an inexperienced brewer and does not produce great beer. Nicki Werner, the Brewers at Jefferson Beer Supply, has a wealth of brewing experience. Prior to relocating to a Jefferson Nicki worked in the brewing industry for six years at three different breweries in three different states. She learned to brew at Brenner Brewing, a midsized production brewery in Milwaukee, WI. After Brenner, she took a job brewing for Left Hand Brewing company in Longmont, CO. In 2019 she moved to South Dakota to be near family and worked as a brewer at Fernson Brewing Company (the state’s largest brewery) in Sioux Falls, SD. Nicki also received a scholarship from the Pink Boots Society and spent time in Bavaria, Germany visiting breweries and learning about brewing methods. Chris Hernstrom, brewer at the aforementioned Bolo Beer Co. in Valentine, NE, cut his teeth as a brewer in the craft beer mecca of Bend, OR, before moving to Nebraska. Yes, many small town brewers come with an impressive pedigree.
Further Reading:
Dunbar, Robin I. M., Jacques Launay, Rafael Wlodarski, Cole Robertson, Eiluned Pearce, James Carney, and Pádraig MacCarron. 2017. Functional Benefits of (Modest) Alcohol Consumption. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, 3:118–133.
Pezzi, Maria Giulia, Alessandra Faggian, and Neil Reid(eds.). 2021. Agritourism, Wine Tourism, and Craft Beer Tourism: Local Responses to Peripherality Through Tourism Niches. New York: Routledge, 264pp.
So another year is about to draw to a close. And with that, it is time to look back on my brewery and taproom visits for the year. At the start of the year, I set myself a goal of 52 breweries/taprooms, an average of one per week. By the middle of March, I had visited 17 breweries and 5 taprooms, so I was well on course to meet my target. And then, as we all know, large parts of the United States started to go into lockdown mode in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. I was one of those individuals who took the threat of Covid-19 seriously, its appearance severely curtailed my brewery and taproom visits. Indeed, in the period since mid-March I have only visited 3 breweries and 1 taproom (all in my home state of Ohio). So, in total, I visited 20 breweries and 6 taprooms during 2020 – exactly half of my original target. This compares with 46 in 2017, 66 in 2018, and 63 in 2019.
Before providing more statistics on my 2020 visits, let me explain the difference between a brewery and a taproom. The difference is quite simple. A brewery is an establishment where beer is produced, whereas a taproom is an establishment owned by a brewery that sells but does not produce beer on-site.
Of the 20 breweries that I visited 5 were in Ohio and 15 were in the United States but outside of Ohio. All of my non-Ohio brewery visits were in California, Florida, Michigan, and Nebraska – states that I had the opportunity to visit before Covid-19 lockdowns were implemented. Of the 20 breweries, I had visited 4 before (all in the Toledo metropolitan area and indicated by italics in the list below). Of the 6 taprooms that I visited 4 were in San Diego, CA, 1 was in Omaha, NE, and 1 was in Hudson, OH.
Unfortunately, there are no international breweries or taprooms on this year’s list. For the first time since 2003 I did not venture outside of the United States. With several vaccines now available hope that I will be able to resume my travels and brewery/taproom visits during 2021. Due to the uncertainty that still exists with regard to the impact that Covid-19 will have on our activities during 2021 I will not set myself a target.
As is my tradition, I have provided one photograph from each of the breweries/taprooms that I visited during 2020. To me they capture the beauty and diversity of the world of craft beer. I hope that you enjoy them.
One of the attractions of craft beer is its diversity – particularly the diversity of styles (the Brewers Association recognizes over 150 styles of beer), flavors (Black Cherry Porter anyone?), and strengths. Walk into any craft brewery and the chances are that your choice will include Brown Ale, Stout, Pilsner, Pale Ale, several different IPAs, and a host of other different styles, while the strength of the beer on offer may range from a sessionable 4.2% ABV to a more intimidating 12% ABV. No one can deny, that when it comes to offering the beer drinker diversity, craft beer is king.
A diverse selection of beers at Basecamp Brewing in Portland, OR
There is, however, another type of diversity that is sorely lacking in the craft brewing industry, and that is, what I term demographic diversity. When we look at any population, we can break it down along a number of different parameters – age, gender, race/ethnicity being three of the more important ones. If we look at the U.S. population, for example, 50.8% are female, 16.5% are 65 years of age or older, 18.5% are Latino or Hispanic, 13.4% are Black or African-American, and 13.5% are foreign born (I am part of that 13.5%). No matter how you look at it, America is a diverse place. According to the Population Reference Bureau, “the U.S. population is significantly more diverse racially and ethnically now than it was in 1900“. And as the 21st century progresses, America will become more diverse.
A 2019 survey by the Brewers Association showed, not surprisingly perhaps, that ownership and employment in the craft brewing industry is disproportionately White and Male. Starting with race/ethnicity, 88.4% of brewery owners are White. In contrast, Whites only comprise 76.3% of the U.S. population. Of the various racial/ethnic groups in the United States, the one that is most underrepresented in the craft brewing industry are Blacks or African Americans. Despite compromising 13.4% of the U.S. population, only 1% of craft brewery owners and 0.6% of production brewers are Black or African American. When you walk into a craft brewery taproom, it is unlikely that the bartender pouring your pint will be Black or African American – only 4.2% of non-managerial service staff are Black or African American. When an African-American bartender serves the newly released IPA, the chances are that the person he or she is serving is White – in 2018, 85.5% of craft beer drinkers were non-Hispanic Whites.
Only 4.2% of non-managerial service staff in American craft breweries are Black or African AmericanBlack Frog Brewery – A Black-owned brewery in Holland, OH
With the recent widespread protests over racial injustice, the issue of demographic diversity within the craft beer industry has come to the fore. To their credit, the Brewers Association had already established a number of initiatives (prior to the events of 2020) to encourage, support, and facilitate diversity within the craft brewing industry. These include the establishment of a Diversity Committee, the appointment of a Diversity Ambassador, the creation of Diversity and Inclusion Event Grants Program, and a number of Diversity Best Practices resources. All of these initiatives and resources are extremely important and have the potential to make a difference. They are not enough, however.
As I ponder the issue of diversity within the craft brewing industry, I think that the ideas of Hayagreeva Rao are instructive. Rao (his friends call him Huggy) is a Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resources at Stanford University. Rao is an expert in collective action within organizations and in markets. In 2009, Rao published a book titled Market Rebels: How Activists Make or Break Radical Innovations. Rao is primarily interested in how innovations (e.g., personal computers, hybrid cars, craft beer – yes he does devote a chapter to craft beer) become a market success. Many innovations, such as craft beer, challenge the status quo. Successfully challenging the status quo requires challenging and overcoming cultural values that are often deeply entrenched within society, or a sub-group thereof. The two keys to successfully challenging the status quo are what Rao calls hot causes and cool mobilizations. According to Rao, “hot causes mobilize passions and engender new beliefs, and cool mobilization triggers new behavior while allowing new beliefs to develop.” Hot causes “inspire feelings of pride or anger“. Take the craft beer revolution as an example (which Rao does in his aforementioned book) – the hot cause was dissatisfaction with mass produced beer, while the cool mobilization were the homebrew clubs and then brewpubs and microbreweries that were established as a response. Now let’s take these two ideas and apply them to the issue of diversity (or lack thereof) in the craft brewing industry.
The hot cause is quite apparent – there is a lack of diversity within the world of craft brewing. So how do we change that? To begin with, any successful challenge to the status quo requires activists; folks who feel passionate about the cause. In the beginning, these activists are often few in number. Therefore, they have to be able to grow the movement by inspiring others to join them. Identifying a hot cause, while necessary, is an insufficient condition for change, however. Change occurs when the hot cause leads to cool mobilization. Put simply, cool mobilization is when you actually take action to bring about the change that you desire to see. Cool mobilization, as Rao notes, “requires conscious participation—indeed, participants have to ‘fill out’ the experience through their actions and experimentation.”
So with respect to increasing diversity with craft brewing, what does cool mobilization look like, and who is going to undertake it? These are important questions. When it comes to increasing diversity with craft beer, no single person or entity is (nor should they be) charged with making it happen. As I said above, the initiatives and programs started by the Brewers Association are excellent, but are insufficient. Real change is going to be grass roots and bottom-up. “Be the Change You Wish to See in the World” is a phrase we sometimes hear invoked. Erroneously attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, this maxim does, I believe, provide clues as to the way forward. What is the change we want to see? It seems astonishingly simple – we want to see more Black-owned breweries, more Black brewers, more Black brewery staff, and more Black craft beer drinkers (have I missed anything)? Now this is a blog entry (not a doctoral dissertation), so I really do not have the space to address all of these in the detail that they deserve. But take something simple, like having more Black bar staff at a craft brewery taproom. It is incumbent upon brewery owners to make this happen – they, after all, are the ones making hiring decisions. This is where the Diversity Best Practices resources available from the Brewers Association can be tremendously helpful. They provide breweries with strategies, tactics, and benchmarks for creating a more diverse and inclusive brewery staff. For example, to enhance the diversity of an applicant pool, one tactic offered by the Brewers Association is to “strategically list advertisements in locations that will increase the size and variety of your labor pool”. When it comes to creating benchmarks, the BA suggests that brewery staff should “reflect the demographic diversity of the surrounding community”. It is clear, from reviewing the Best Practices resources on the Brewers Association website, that increasing diversity within the industry will not be easy; nor will it happen overnight. It will require effort on the part of breweries. It will require them to be strategic. It will require them to be intentional. Will enough breweries be willing to step-up and do what is necessary to change the status quo? The hot cause exists. Whether it is hot enough and/or whether the necessary cool mobilization will occur, only time will tell.
Craft brewers and the breweries they represent have a reputation for creativity. As craft beer drinkers we see this manifest in the creation of new beer styles (or derivatives of existing styles) such as New England IPAs, West Coast IPAs, and Pastry Stouts. When it comes to creativity, craft breweries are facing a new challenge – that of selling their beer while the world is in the grips of the Covid19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. In attempts to mitigate the impact of the Covid19 (the so called “flattening the curve”) many Governors have ordered the closing of bars and restaurants for an indefinite period. This includes my own state of Ohio. In most cases, the restrictions do allow bars and restaurants to deliver food and drink to customers, as well as for curbside pick-up.
In some states home delivery and curbside pick-up of beer was, until Covid-19, illegal. Recognizing that craft breweries (and restaurants) need every bit of help they can get, many of these states have relaxed, albeit temporarily, these restrictions. In Tennessee, for example, craft breweries who have on-premise beer permits can request a temporary “on- and off-premise” permit that allows them to deliver beer to customers’ homes. The $250 permit application fee has been waived.
In Cincinnati, OH MadTree Brewing started sending what they called “adult ice cream trucks” into city neighborhoods. Instead of ice cream, however the trucks were selling Mad Tree beer and Catch-a-Fire pizza. After a couple days, however, MadTree suspended this initiative, as the trucks were attracting crowds that were “uncomfortably big”. In other words, social distancing, was being compromised. In Syracuse, NY, Now and Later Bottle Shop and Taproom had a similar idea, and are taking their delivery truck from neighborhood to neighborhood. Like MadTree in Cincinnati, Now and Later’s owner, Jason Purdy likens his beer delivery truck to an old fashioned ice cream truck. Other breweries, such as Stone Brewing in Escondido, CA and Karl Strauss Brewing Company in San Diego, CA are using couriers such as DoorDash to get beer to customers. In Memphis, TN, Matt Wilson, owner of three Swanky’s Taco Shops in metropolitan Memphis is going the extra mile to help craft breweries. Although his restaurants sell beers such as Budweiser, only locally brewed canned beer will be available for curbside pick-up.
In Ohio, the Ohio Craft Brewers Association (OCBA) maintain a list of breweries that are offer carry-out and delivery of beer. The list, available on the OCBA website, includes the hours the breweries are open for carry-out, whether they accept online orders, offer food for sale, and accept gift cards. At the time of writing 173 of OCBA’s operating brewery members are offering curbside pick-up. One Ohio brewery in particular is pulling out all the stops to encourage beer drinkers to utilize their curbside pick-up service. With store shelves empty of toilet paper, Black Frog Brewery of Holland, OH were offering a free roll of toilet paper with the purchase of a Howler or Growler of their beer.
Black Frog Brewery of Holland, OH were offering a free roll of toilet paper with the purchase of a Howler or Growler of their beer
States are also helping craft breweries by postponing sales tax collection. This will facilitate cash flow during this difficult period. Some private sector companies are also stepping in to help. Codi Manufacturing of Golden, CO are a mobile canning company. Realizing that some Colorado breweries have never canned their beer before, Codi offered their canning services for free. Breweries still have to pay for the cans, but not having to pay for use of the mobile canning system is a significant help. With taprooms closed, being able to offer their customers canned beer is critical to craft breweries. Closed taprooms, bars, and restaurants means that kegs have become almost obsolete (the exception is customers stopping by a brewery to get their growler refilled). As a result many breweries are scrambling to transfer kegged beers to cans. That can be a time-consuming process. For example, it took staff at Chicago’s Dovetail Brewery 13 hours to transfer (by hand) 50 kegs of beer into 5,000 sixteen ounce cans.
Despite all of these efforts, the slow down in business resulting from Covid-19, will have have an economic impact that is negative and significant. A survey by the Brewers Association paints a sobering picture. Ninety-five percent of craft brewers who responded to the survey expect year-over-year sales, for the first month of the closure period, to be down. On average, breweries expect a 59.5% drop in sales.
In the midst of these economic challenges, however, craft breweries have neither forgotten or abandoned their commitment to their local communities. As hand sanitizer is hoarded, and becomes a near-impossible product to find on the shelves of local retailers, many breweries (and distilleries) have stepped up and utilized their production capacity to produce this increasingly hard-to-get product. Craft breweries from New Orleans to Tampa Bay are producing hand sanitizer. And, in many cases, they are giving it away for free. Maumee Bay Brewing Company in my home city, Toledo, OH is one such brewery. Anyone can drop by the brewery and pick some up, for free. Last Thursday, I dropped by the brewery to pick-up some dinner and get a growler refill. While there, one of the brewery’s staff members offered a bottle of hand sanitizer to everyone in line. In addition to the general public, their ‘customers’ also include health care workers, many of whom are working with the disabled and elderly members of the northwest Ohio community. In Boulder, CO, Avery Brewing Company is giving away 4,000 cases of beer (96,000 beers) to workers at the frontline of fighting Covid-19 – healthcare, police, fire, grocery store workers etc. That craft breweries would step up and support their community at a time when they themselves are hurting may surprise some people; but to those of us who understand the industry realize that supporting their community is quite simply part of the industry’s DNA.
A bottle of hand sanitizer and a growler of Buckeye beer from Maumee Bay Brewing Company in Toledo, OH
