A skilled craft: One of many tasters is poured during Central City’s Great American Beer Fest in 2023.[/caption]

The Brewers Association (BA) “promotes and protects American craft brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts.” The association is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade association, made up of brewers for brewers, and by brewers.

According to the BA, approximately 6,500 U.S. professionals and 30,000 more of the allied trade – beer wholesalers, retailers, individuals, other associate members, and staff – make up the sum of the Association..

Every year, the BA releases the previous year’s report, highlighting the structure, programs, and activities the Brewers Association’s board, committees, staff, and members have been engaged in during the most recent calendar year.

During the middle of 2023, production was at a -2% growth, changing to -1% by December. The biggest growth for nonalcoholic beer was by Athletic Brewing Co.

Homebrew shop trends continue to see a lot of competition and pressure in the market, possibly due to a shift in purchasing patterns. However, homebrews continue to diversify to add traffic.

Some diversification across all craft beer makers includes higher ABV and fruited beer, targeting seltzer and craft cocktail enthusiasts. Companies are simply looking for new ways to appeal to new customers. Roughly 650 breweries now distill spirits,

Though there was a slowdown in 2023 for onsite sales, they remained higher than tap rooms and brewpubs, further explaining why most crafters reinvent themselves as part of an every seven-year practice.

Some of the categories the association measures include quality, safety, supply chain, and sustainability. Within the top 50 breweries, Colorado took three spots. Odell Brewing Company of Fort Collins took the 25th place.

Monster Brewing of Longmont took number 9 and Tilray Beer Brands of Breckenridge landed at number 6. The top 50 were chosen for their success in focusing mostly on craft beer.

The 2024 Craft Brewers Conference was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 21-24. The conference is considered America’s largest gathering for the beverage alcohol industry.

The Brewers Association is located at 1327 Spruce Street, Boulder. You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BrewersAssoc or call them at 303-447-0816.

The complete 2023 report is available online at https:// www.brewersassociation.org/annual-report/.