The craft brewing industry is always evolving, and while there have been challenges, there are also tremendous opportunities for growth and innovation. By staying agile and embracing new trends, breweries can not only survive, but thrive in this dynamic market.

Let’s explore some key brewing trends for 2024 and beyond that can help your brewery tap into new possibilities.

Diversity is key

Yes, we love beer, beer is awesome. However, today’s competitive market has spurred a growing interest in finding ways for breweries to expand their offering to attract a wider audience. Taking a closer look at what options you have for diversification may be vital.

According to this article from Hop Culture, Brewers Association Chief Economist Bart Watson reported that “the number one reason why people say they’re drinking less craft isn’t because they’re watching their waistline or watching their wallet, it’s because they are drinking more of some other type of beverage alcohol.”

The younger generation seems to be more and more excited by seltzers and non-carbonated beverages that avoid the bloat. Seltzers, alcoholic water, and hard teas are booming in popularity, and as a brewer, it may be in your brewery’s best interest to capitalize on this expanding market.

According to Bump Williams Consulting (BWC), hard tea expanded from 80 brands in 2020 to almost 150 in 2023, and this number is only set to go up in 2024.

As a brewer or brewery owner, expanding the options at your brewery and appealing to a changing demographic could be the difference between success and failure.

Cheers to N/A

In addition to an interest in other alcoholic beverages, consumer preferences are also shifting towards healthier lifestyle choices. This means a lot of customers are looking for non-alcoholic options.

According to a survey from ncsolutions.com, over 41% of consumers are trying to drink less – an increase of 7 percentage points from 2023. For Gen Z, 61% percent plan to drink less in 2024, and 49% of millennials are following suit – an increase of 26% from those surveyed a year before. By offering a selection of high-quality non-alcoholic beers, breweries can meet this demand and cater to a broader customer base.

To capture the younger generation of brewery goers, it may be helpful to explore N/A options at your brewery as a more health-conscious option.

 

Bring the Community Together

As consumers increasingly prioritize local experiences, breweries that connect with their communities will continue to thrive. Collaborations with local businesses, the use of local ingredients, and exclusive regional releases create a sense of belonging and support.

One simple way to show support for the community is by hosting community events at your brewery. In a post-pandemic world, festivals, events, and live music are all in full swing and if you have space in your brewery, this could be a great way to generate business and bring members of the community together.

Not only do events present an opportunity to diversify revenue streams beyond regular beer sales with ticketed events, merchandise sales, and collaborations with local vendors, but they also offer an opportunity to build relationships. Collaborating with local businesses for events creates a strong relationship that benefits everyone involved. Whether it’s partnering with a nearby food truck, local artists, or musicians, these collaborations not only enhance the event experience but also strengthen ties within the local business community!

Work Together with other Brewers

As brewers, we all have the same overall goal: to bring great beer into the world and to spread more “cheers!”

So in a market that is widely struggling, why not work together?

As breweries face increasing economic pressures, one strategy gaining traction is the consolidation of resources. When breweries come together to share resources, expertise, and facilities, everybody wins!

The financial burden of operating a brewery independently can be significant but consolidating resources allows breweries to share the costs of raw materials, equipment, and facilities, leading to significant economic efficiencies. By pooling resources, breweries can access state-of-the-art equipment and ingredients that might have been financially out of reach on an individual basis.

Collaboration can also help brewers create new connections and grow in the community. Sharing production facilities and logistics networks can lead to streamlined operations, reducing overhead costs and increasing overall efficiency. This, in turn, allows breweries to focus on what they do best – brewing exceptional beer – without being bogged down by logistical challenges.

As the old saying goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” So why not partner up with someone who has a similar passion for brewing and make some awesome beer?

Harness the Power of Technology for Efficiency

Technology is not only a game changer for breweries financially, but it can also help reduce some of the stress of maintaining operations. Automation, data analytics, inventory management, and more can help streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance quality control.

Beer30 brewery software offers brewers full visibility into their operations and better insight into inefficiencies that could be hurting your revenue. The software acts as a single source of truth where brewers can run their brewery operations, keep track of data, manage team workflow, and drive efficiency and profitability.

Reduce the stress of running a brewery by automating processes and keeping accurate records of everything you need, all while saving time, money, and labor by streamlining operations. Beer30 software has been a key factor in the success of hundreds of breweries across the globe. In fact, implementing Beer30 software has saved breweries like Your Mates Brewing in Australia an astonishing $100,000 AUD per year!

“With cost savings and time…you’d have to employ another person who was experienced in inventory management, scheduling, and materials resource planning. Someone who could build a database that could give you the information that Beer30 is giving you. That’s a $100,000 [AUD] salary.” says Christen McGarry, Co-Founder of Your Mates Brewing.

These kinds of savings can have a serious impact on your brewery’s bottom line.

To learn more about Your Mates Brewing’s savings with Beer30 and to see how other brewers have saved thousands of dollars a month with Beer30, check out some of Beer30’s case studies here.

Now with Beer30’s new Finished Goods Traceability Module, breweries can easily Automatically track cases and kegs on a per-batch basis, uncover hidden insights, and dial up their brewery’s efficiency.

Play the beer game smarter, not harder.

If you’re interested in learning all the ways that brewery software like Beer30 can help your brewery, explore the full list of features on their Bundles and Pricing Page or schedule a demo to learn more.

Conclusion:

The craft brewing industry is full of potential. By embracing diversity, health-conscious options, community engagement, collaboration, and technology, your brewery can navigate the market with confidence and creativity. Beer30 is here to support you on this journey, offering the tools and industry-leading customer service to help you optimize your operations and position your brewery for success.

If you’re interested in learning more about Beer30 software, book a demo to talk to an account specialist or if you’re coming to CBC later this month, be sure to stop by booth #2581 to see the Beer30 team. Cheers to brewing success!