From – The Conversation
As the craft beer industry grows, so too do the dedicated communities that form around it – an expert explains.
Craft beer is big business. In 2021, craft beer sales in the US (the biggest beer market by sales) totaled US$26.8 billion (£22 billion) and represented 13.1% of overall sales of beer. And it’s a growing market.
In 2015 there were 4,803 craft breweries in the US, by 2021 there were 9,118. The number of UK craft breweries, in that same period grew from 1,527 to 1,755. While the sales and growth are impressive, what matters more is what these figures represent – a growing interest in a superior quality beer from both producers and consumers.
Equally important is the ideological shift in the beer market they signify. Big beer (large corporate breweries such as AB Inbev) singularly seeks and values profit. Craft beer, while also motivated by profit, equally values community, quality and independence.
Read the rest of this excellent article on The Conversation