Some good news about craft brews

Below are some facts and figures about craft beer. From what I can gather, while craft beer sales are up, larger brewers' sales are down a little (beer sales are down overall while local craft beer sales are up). As they say, Viva La Revolucion! Go out and drink more Freetail.

Freetail Brewing Co. Announces 2009 Sales Numbers Up 282%

Craft brewer sales grow 7 percent in a year of decreased beer sales for other brewers

SAN ANTONIO, TX – March 10, 2010–The Brewers Association, the trade association that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, today released 2009 data on the U.S. craft brewing industry. In a year when other brewers saw a slowdown in sales, small and independent craft brewers (see definition)¹ saw sales dollars increase 10.3 percent and volume increase 7.2 percent² over 2008, representing a growth of 613,992 barrels equal to roughly 8.5 million cases.

Overall, U.S. beer sales were down approximately 5 million barrels (31 gallons per U.S. barrel) in 2009.
Locally, this growth trend for craft brewing was reflected in the results of Freetail Brewing Co., which posted an increase of 282 percent in beer sales for the year after normalizing 2008 results to account for partial year operations in 2008.  Non-normalized volume was up 4,508% versus 2008.  Through February, Freetail has seen 20% growth in beer sales over the same period for 2009.

“We  are continually wowed by San Antonio’s thirst for fresh, local, and independently brewed craft beers,” said Scott Metzger, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Freetail.  “San Antonio and south central Texas in general are in the midst of a flavor revolution when it comes to beer, and we are proud to be part of the forefront of that movement.”

Metzger’s sentiments were echoed nationally, as the trend is towards craft beer.

“Beer lovers continue to find great value and enjoyment in fuller flavored craft beers,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Americans have an increasing appreciation of craft beers, and the growing number of brewers behind them. They’re eager to try the latest seasonal release and to sample a variety of beers from different breweries.”

In 2009, craft brewers represented 4.3 percent of volume and 6.9 percent of retail dollars for the total U.S. beer category. With the total U.S. beer industry representing an estimated retail dollar value of $101 billion, the Brewers Association estimates the actual dollar sales figure from craft brewers in 2009 was $7 billion, up from $6.3 billion in 2008.  

The total number of U.S. craft brewers grew from 1,485 to 1,542 in 2009, and they produced 9,115,635 barrels, up from 8,501,713 barrels in 2008. Overall U.S. beer sales fell from approximately 210.4 million barrels to 205.8 million barrels.

The 2009 growth and popularity of beer from small, independent breweries did not go unnoticed by industry observers. The National Restaurant Association Chef Survey (see results), for example, cited “locally-produced wine and beer” among its top five overall trends to watch for in 2010. In the alcohol and cocktails category, the organization ranked “locally-produced wine and beer” as its top trend, while “food-beer pairings” came in at number five on the list.


For more information
Find more statistics on the craft brewing industry in the updated 2009 Craft Beer Industry Statistics on the Brewers Association website. A more extensive analysis will be released on April 8, 2010 during the Craft Brewers Conference in Chicago. The Association's full 2009 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual brewery, will be published in the May/June 2010 issue of The New Brewer. For the second straight year, the Craft Brewers Conference will also feature a presentation by Metzger on brewpub startups.  

The Brewers Association also publishes a list of 2009 U.S. craft brewing companies on its website.
For more information on Freetail Brewing Co. visit: www.freetailbrewing.com 

¹ The definition of a craft brewer as stated by the Brewers Association: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 2 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewers brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor. 
² Volume sales by craft brewers represent total taxable production.

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Freetail Brewing Co. is founded on the pursuit of creating exciting, innovative and unique world class beers and wood-fired gourmet pizzas. We embrace the laid back and fun-loving South Central Texas culture and set out to create products that mirror the lifestyle of our diverse and rapidly growing community. We believe in promoting an increased appreciation of craft beer and its responsible enjoyment. We believe in going above and beyond customer expectations not only through our products, but also through exceptional customer service. We believe in providing a dining and leisure experience unmatched in the local community.  And in case you didn’t get it the first time… we believe in having fun.