For most of us in the craft beer world, January is a time for self reflection and rearranging the grain room. We’ve all been there, sitting behind the bar, waiting for a brave soul in a parka to wander in.

But the data tells a different story. It turns out January was actually a bit of a party for some breweries. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

The Data

TapWyse builds custom apps for breweries to manage their membership and marketing programs. Their dataset from January 2025 through January 2026 includes 178 breweries that had apps prior to 2025 or launched apps during the year.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Taproom guests are thirsty to engage.

Taproom guests installed 12,892 brewery apps last month. This was the second highest total ever; more than peak summer of last year and surpassed only by a massive December (16,608) where new installs were largely driven by gifting of brewery memberships to friends and family.

The total number of brewery app installs was up 387% year over year, signaling strong brand loyalty and a burning desire to stay connected.

2. Push Messages lead to packed taprooms.

While social media algorithms continue to bury brewery content, Push Messages are breaking through. Push Messages are seen by 97% of brewery guests who choose to join the party. Their use is booming and they are bringing guests back to the taproom.

Year over year, the number of Push Messages sent by breweries was up 288% and App driven taproom visits were up 402%. Breweries averaged 17 taproom visits for every push message sent. The correlation between Push Messages sent and taproom visits is very strong as seen here.

3. Membership revenue is booming!

Included breweries collected $1,581,925 in membership revenue through their apps last year. January 2026 was the biggest month yet, netting breweries $343,996. This was a 25% increase from December and a 419% increase from January 2025!

Annual recurring revenue (ARR) from monthly brewery memberships has grown steadily all year. That trend grew at the fastest pace yet in January, jumping by 21% from December to $1,236,839!

From the chart below, check out how annual membership sales (dark gray) took off like a rocket in November and continued through January. The steady income from monthly programs (red) plus the spike in annual membership revenue provides a welcome cash boost to carry breweries through the cold season.

Conclusion

The gloom and doom headlines from the national media surrounding our industry do not tell the full story. The daily wins that matter deeply to local communities and their taprooms don’t make national headlines but they inspire and remind us why we chose to serve this amazing industry.

Breweries are scrappy innovators. We are finding new ways to connect with our communities. We are fighters and we are adapting rapidly.

Modern society was built on the backs of breweries. Taprooms were the original gathering places. Our world needs us now more than ever. We are committed to the next chapter. Let’s make it happen together.