Brewers Weigh in on the State of the Industry

May 22, 2020 | Bryant Vander Weerd

This past two months, as stay-at-home orders swept the nation, breweries had to quickly adapt to keep their taprooms afloat. Draft-only taprooms shifted to packaging, breweries got creative with social distancing measures, and sadly, layoffs began to unfold. Regarding the state of the industry, the Brewers Association announced in early April that a recent survey found that the majority of breweries were concerned that their businesses could not withstand several months of shelter-in-place orders. And, although many states are now in the process of lifting those orders, most establishments in those regions are only allowed to open to limited capacities, and they are opening in an environment where high unemployment and COVID-19 fears are limiting people’s willingness or ability to frequent bars and breweries. Other locations remain under lockdown orders.

As we forge ahead, and inevitably, as states begin to lift stay-at-home orders, it is evident that things may not go back to normal, at least for a long time. At PorchDrinking.com, we’re keeping a close eye on how the brewing industry reacts. Here’s what a few industry veterans had to say on panels hosted by WeldWerks Brewing Co., BusinessDen and the Colorado Brewers Guild.

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