The numbers don't lie, but they don't tell the whole story either. While industry reports show beer volumes falling 3.2% and craft beer facing its second consecutive year of decline, the brewing landscape isn't uniformly bleak. It's simply changing shape.
In 2025, success won't come from chasing every trend or trying to please everyone. It will come from seeing the market clearly and responding with intention. Let's talk about what's actually happening and what it means for your taproom, your customers, and your bottom line.
The Landscape As It Exists, Not As We Wish It Were
If you've been watching your sales numbers with concern, you're not alone. The brewing industry is facing what SevenFifty Daily calls "slumping sales, closures, consolidations, competition from cannabis and ready-to-drink cocktails, and an existential crisis surrounding alcohol."
Traditional beer consumption continues its steady decline. Dollar sales dropped 1% and volumes fell 3.2% in late 2024. For craft specifically, the Brewers Association expects volumes to decline again in the low single digits throughout 2025.
But within these broader trends lie pockets of undeniable growth:
- Non-alcoholic beer grew dollar sales and volumes 26.6% and 21.6% respectively
- About 20% of consumers plan to choose higher-quality food and beverages
- 75% of consumers surveyed dined out in January 2025, with 50% visiting bars specifically for drinks
This isn't a market in free fall. It's a market in transition.
Six Approaches Worth Your Attention
1. Return to Clarity and Purpose
"Focus will be the word of the year," says Rob Day of Better Crafted Business. This isn't just consultant-speak—it's a practical response to market reality.
The days of boundless experimentation are giving way to something more grounded. As Alex McNamara of Redhook Brewery and Widmer Brothers notes, "We'll need to be hyper aware of who we are and what we stand for. We can't be all things to all people."
This doesn't mean playing it safe. It means playing it smart:
- Look honestly at which of your beers actually drive revenue and customer loyalty
- Articulate in simple terms what makes your brewery different
- Stop chasing fleeting trends that don't align with your strengths
- Consider what you can afford to do well, not just what you could theoretically do
At Devils Backbone Brewing, founding brewmaster Jason Oliver has seen enough of "gimmickry, forced creativity, and pun thoroughly to death." Their response? Returning to their bestseller, Vienna Lager—a beer that's "easygoing enough to resonate with many consumers."
2. Pay Attention to What People Actually Want
The conversation about beer is changing in living rooms and at bar tables across the country. People are thinking differently about alcohol, health, and value. They're not abandoning beer—they're redefining their relationship with it.
A third of consumers surveyed plan to choose healthier food and drink options in 2025. Another 25% aim to moderate their alcohol consumption. Nearly half place a premium on good value, while 30% actively seek deals and promotions.
This isn't a rejection of craft beer. It's an evolution of expectations:
- Consider developing non-alcoholic options that maintain your flavor standards
- Explore lower-ABV "sessionable" beers that align with moderation trends
- Create value-focused offerings without compromising quality
- Be transparent about ingredients and processes
"We're seeing a loyal craft audience starting to reconsider their relationship to alcohol," notes Brian Hughes of 10 Barrel Brewing. The breweries that acknowledge this shift—rather than resisting it—will find new ways to remain relevant.
3. Turn Your Taproom Into a Destination
Your physical space isn't just where you sell beer—it's where you show people who you are. In 2025, the experience you create matters as much as what's in the glass.
The evidence is clear: breweries are becoming more than beer halls. Switchback Brewing Company in Vermont opened a new beer garden and tap house serving pickle-brined chicken wings and mussels in butternut broth alongside cocktails. Side Project Brewing in St. Louis introduced smash burgers that "mesh well with salty foods and snacks that keep butts in seats."
Consider what your space communicates:
- Does it welcome only beer enthusiasts, or a broader community?
- Does it give people reasons to stay, or just to drink and leave?
- Does it offer something they can't get elsewhere?
As Moody Tongue Brewing demonstrates with its Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago, there's room for ambition beyond beer. "We find ourselves becoming restaurateurs," says founder Jared Rouben.
Even smaller moves matter. West Sixth Brewing's Director of Retail Operations Jesse Brasher predicts a rise in cocktails with "wilder infusions and eye-catching garnishes" in brewery taprooms, noting they're "delicious to drink, easy on the wallet, cost-effective, simple to make, and fun to riff on."
The taproom that invites people to linger will outperform the one that merely serves good beer.
4. Meet People Where They Actually Are
Digital marketing isn't optional anymore. But that doesn't mean joining every platform or chasing every viral moment. It means being thoughtful about where your customers spend their time and how they want to interact with you.
The data tells an interesting story:
- 40% of Americans now order alcohol for delivery, according to Escoffier
- Younger legal-drinking-age consumers are particularly drawn to digital experiences
- Gen Z consumers "shape their habits and preferences through ties to cultural connections and nostalgia"
This creates multiple pathways for meaningful connection:
- Consider virtual tasting experiences that bring your taproom into people's homes
- Create behind-the-scenes content that shows the human side of your brewing
- Use email to nurture relationships with your most loyal customers
- Explore nostalgic themes that resonate with younger drinkers
Digital tools aren't just for marketing—they're changing how breweries operate. "Breweries leveraging AI can refine recipes, monitor fermentation in real-time, or even predict consumer preference shifts," notes OhBEV.
The key is authenticity. Online or offline, people can sense when you're speaking human and when you're just marketing at them.
5. Take Sustainability Beyond Buzzwords
Environmental consciousness isn't a passing trend—it's becoming a baseline expectation. And it matters beyond marketing.
"Environmental stewardship has become a 'must-have' brand pillar," reports OhBEV. "Retailers and distribution partners increasingly favor brands that demonstrate responsible brewing, from using solar power to adopting local-sourcing or 'farm-to-glass' ingredients."
This shift is practical as much as ethical:
- Water conservation and carbon footprint reduction can lower operating costs
- Local sourcing builds community relationships and supply chain resilience
- Sustainable practices resonate with younger consumers' values
Some breweries are already leading the way. Aslan Brewing released the world's first Regenerative Organic Certified beer, made with perennial grain kernza and organic hops. Brooklyn Brewery is championing fonio, an ancient African grain, in new beer styles.
Eric Steen of Forest Green PR notes that "farmers and suppliers that practice resource conservation should receive greater attention from brewers," especially as environmental protections face uncertainty.
6. Form Partnerships That Make Sense
Strategic collaborations extend your reach without diluting your identity. But they need to feel natural, not forced.
The most effective partnerships connect to your community and values:
- Local sports teams that share your audience demographics
- Food trucks or restaurants that complement your beer styles
- Cultural events that align with your brand personality
- Neighboring businesses that draw similar customers
Package formats also matter. Hop Culture reports that both mini 8oz cans and larger 19.2oz "stovepipe" cans are gaining traction, offering different solutions for different drinking occasions.
Different Conversations for Different Customers
Your marketing needs to acknowledge that not everyone comes to your brewery for the same reason. Here's how to speak to four distinct segments:
The Health-Conscious Moderate
These customers aren't giving up on beer—they're redefining their relationship with it. They value quality over quantity and may be interested in non-alcoholic options or lower-ABV choices. Speak to them about flavor and experience, not just alcohol content.
The Experience Seeker
For these customers, the story and setting matter as much as what's in the glass. They value unique, shareable moments and are often younger, social media-savvy consumers. Create visual moments and narratives they'll want to share.
The Beer Purist
These traditional craft enthusiasts care deeply about quality, technique, and tradition. They appreciate educational content and details about your brewing process. Speak to them about craftsmanship and brewing heritage.
The Value-Conscious Regular
These customers enjoy craft beer but are increasingly price-sensitive. They respond to loyalty programs, happy hour specials, and consistent quality at accessible price points. Communicate value without compromising your premium positioning.
Finding Your Path Forward
The breweries that succeed in 2025 won't be the ones with the cleverest marketing slogans or the most experimental beer styles. They'll be the ones that see the market clearly, speak honestly to their customers, and create experiences worth returning to.
As Jason Bell of Living the Dream Brewing puts it, "No longer is this an industry of just 'cool' and 'fun.' It's 100 percent business, and breweries have to adapt."
That adaptation doesn't require abandoning what makes craft beer special. It simply requires being more thoughtful about how you apply your creativity, how you communicate your value, and how you invite people into your world.
The brewing landscape is changing. But good beer, honest communication, and meaningful experiences will never go out of style.
This perspective was crafted by Plate Lunch Collective using insights from SevenFifty Daily's "6 Beer Industry Trends to Watch in 2025," OhBEV's "Beer Market 2025 Forecasts and Trends," Craft Brewing Business's "Navigating the U.S. on-premise consumer in 2025" and "Diving deep: Escoffier's report uncovers shifting alcohol trends in 2025," and Hop Culture's "The 11 Craft Beer Trends to Watch in 2025."