
How to Start a Brewery in 2024
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, February 27, 2024
UPDATED: 2/26/2024
Without a doubt the craft beer industry has faced some serious headwinds over the past few years. Overall, the Brewers Association reports that in 2022 the industry has seen “mixed signs of recovery.” According to the organization’s Year in Beer 2022, there are now 9,500 breweries operating in the United States, with 550+ new ones opening and only 200+ closing in 2022.
With so many breweries in the marketplace, the road to success isn’t the unpaved path it used to be. We’ve seen former financial advisors, consultants, head brewers, and many more all begin their own businesses. But whether you’re looking at a serious career change or a brewer taking the next step, the question remains the same: Where do you begin when figuring out how to start a brewery?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ve laid out all the important considerations and steps you’ll need to take if you’re looking to open your own taproom or production space.
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Craft Beer Pricing Guide (2024)
Posted by Tom Lyon, February 14, 2024
UPDATED: 2/14/24
Over 2023, challenges in the American economy with inflation directly affected the price of many goods, including beer.
Indeed, the data seems to support that prices for craft beer have increased across major styles and formats.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for beer at home rose +2.4% year-over-year (YoY), higher than the +1.9% YoY increase reported in 2023. However, the report did show that the increase has slowed since January 2023, which recorded a +9% YoY increase.
Last year, Untappd reported that across all U.S. retailers from March 2022 to December 2022, the average price of American light lager (per 16oz draft) increased +3.3%, to $4.94, while this style in 12oz bottles, also increased +3.4%, to $3.91.
And if you thought this might just be unique to lagers, Untappd also analyzed price data for American IPAs. On draft, this style’s price increased +1.9%, to $6.88 in 16oz cans. And increased +3.7% in 12oz bottles to $3.97 over that ten-month period in 2022.
“Brewery taprooms have seen solid price increases across three styles we examined,” Smith wrote in the report. “Across all venue types, however, the lower priced American light lager saw the largest price increase on a percentage basis.”
He continues, “I’ve spoken with a number of independent brewers that were unsure about taking price increases in 2022 (some macro producers took two price increases). It appears, based on the pricing data we see from beers coming out of A-B InBev’s craft unit, that there is ample headroom for smaller producers to take more price in 2023.”
Alcohol Delivered gathered data on average case prices for a 24-pack of Bud Light and Miller Lite across the country in 2024. Their data showed the cheapest price at $16.43 in Illinois all the way to the highest at $33.62 in Alaska.
Overall, considering how to price your products this year is going to be one of the most important business decisions you make.
And it’s a tough thing to nail.
If you price too low, you leave money on the table. But if your product is too expensive, it won’t sell.
When it comes to pricing beer or cider, there are several things to consider. But first and foremost, you need to answer one important question: What type of business do you have?
Do you run a bar or restaurant offering on-site consumption? Are you a bottle shop that only offers to-go products? Do you provide on-site consumption and a selection of products to-go? Something else?
Before you can start to understand pricing, you need to think about what you sell. For instance, pouring beer on draft versus serving it in a can or bottle carries a different cost. With the average cost to serve a bottled beer at twenty-five percent and draft beer closer to twenty percent, draft beer might be your highest margin item, but might also come with added expenses for refrigeration and pouring equipment.
It can seem like a lot, but getting the price of your products right can mean more profitability for your establishment and a better bottom line.
And we’re here to help.
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Mug Club Guide – 6 Things To Consider For Your Brewery (2024)
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, February 9, 2024
UPDATED: 2/9/24
Craft beer is a social community. Whether you’re grabbing pints with friends at a local taproom, traveling to a beer festival with your college pals, or even just making new acquaintances during a brewery tour, breweries (and beer!) facilitate social interaction. Drinking beer with a stranger is like breaking bread with them. We connect over the liquid.
For breweries looking to foster their own communities, starting a mug club program can be a great opportunity. Typically, fans can purchase access to a mug club for a yearly fee, unlocking a host of perks, discounts, exclusive tastings and events, and more. The mugs not only allow brewers to give a little something back to their most devoted fans, but also help create a loyal culture.
Additionally, the idea of an exclusive group like a mug club gives your most passionate consumers the chance to meet one another and geek out over beer while supporting your business.
Plenty of breweries across the country already offer mug club memberships. But, how do you go about starting one? And, what makes one worth it?
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Craft Beer Labeling: What Makes A Good Craft Beer Label (2024)?
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, February 2, 2024
UPDATED: 2/2/24
You can brew the best milkshake IPA on the planet. But, if your beer label doesn’t catch the eye of the consumer and meet all the requirements mandated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), your beer won’t stand out on the shelf. Or even make it to the shelf.
“A beer label is the number one way consumers will interact with your brand,” says Matt Tanaka, Founder of Stout Collective, a design-driven creative studio rooted in beer that designed over 500 beer labels last year alone. “In a world with 9,000+ craft breweries in the United States alone, you have a fraction of a second to catch a consumer’s eye on the beer shelf. It’s a really competitive space. The way to compete is with label design.”
To say it simply: Your beer label will determine if someone buys your beer.
“You really can’t overstate how important your brand is,” says Tim Corcoran, co-founder of Massachusetts-based Coastal Mass Brewing (nee Channel Marker Brewing), whose distinctive labels have set the tone for the brewery and consistently impress a loyal following. “Your can label designs are the first thing you should think of when it comes to a brewery’s branding, in addition to your logo.”
When considering something as important as designing the perfect beer label, there are several things that need your consideration, starting with legal compliance. From the visual design to why you can’t use the abbreviation IPA to pressure sensitive versus shrink sleeves, we’ll show you how to create the perfect beer label.
(Above Artwork by Matthew Houle)
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How to Design a Brewery Logo And Develop Your Brand (2024)
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, January 19, 2024
UPDATED: 1/19/24
Brewing great beer is important but if you can’t represent the soul of your brewery through your branding, no one will understand who you are. With over 9,700 breweries operating in the United States, your beer will only set you apart so much from the pack.
“How much better can your Hazy IPA be than the next guy?” says Ben Butler, former co-founder of the now-closed Necromancer Brewing and Top Hat, an award-winning design and marketing agency in Pittsburgh. “If two brands are sitting on a shelf right next to each other, you’re probably going to grab the one you’re more interested in. Branding now has the final say.”
For better or for worse, gone are the days of succeeding based on beer merit alone. In 2024, people want to hear the unique story that brought your company into the business. They want to connect with who you are as a brewery, learn about nuances that make you different, and understand your beliefs and values as a business.
But it can be challenging to answer the questions: Who are you? Who is your brand? And how can you visually represent your brewery in a few short words, colors, and illustrations?
We asked the experts at some of the top beer-focused design agencies around the country to share how they attempt to answer these questions, how to design a brewery logo and what makes the best ones work.
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All About Untappd Badges (2023)
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, March 9, 2023
Untappd is the world’s largest community of beer enthusiasts with over 1o million registered users. At its core, Untappd is an app that invites people to socially share the beers they’re currently enjoying by “checking them in.” Curious about what your friends are drinking or where they’re hanging out? Just check out their Untappd profile.
In April 2021, Untappd hit over 1 billion check-ins worldwide, making it the premier social platform to engage with a community of dedicated craft beer drinkers.
And in 2022, the community registered its one billionth badge earned. What is a badge you ask? Well, for a brewery, beer business, taproom, or bar, one of the best ways to tap into this hyper-engaged community is through Untappd badges.
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How to Choose the Best TV for Digital Menu Boards (2023)
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, January 27, 2023
UPDATED: 1/27/23
As bars, breweries, and even restaurants have evolved, writing menus on chalkboards has become a thing of the past. Today, digital menu boards have become a streamlined, easy way to display what’s on tap, driving customer engagement and saving your team valuable time.
Digital menu boards can make an impression on your customers, ultimately adding to your bottom line. As one of the latest trends in digital signage, these boards can give customers a sleek, modern way to read what you have on hand and in stock.
While many establishments use a good ol’ fashion TV to show their offerings, there are plenty of options that are both reasonably priced and high quality. In fact, there may be too many options. But if the number of TVs on the market seem daunting, don’t fret.
We’ve sifted through the multitude of options to show you which ones are the best to display your menus.
After all, if you’re choosing to showcase some of the now three million beers in Untappd’s database on your digital menu board (as of 2023), you’ll want the best, most reasonably priced display.
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10 Most Popular Beers in London for the Last 90 Days (2024)
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, January 6, 2023
What would it be like to have unlimited access to data from the 10 million registered users on the world’s largest social networking app for craft beer drinkers?
Well, it means you could learn the top styles folks are drinking in your state.
As a brewer, that could help you decide that the next best beer to brew will be a hazy IPA or an imperial stout.
You could discover the most popular beers in your area.
As a craft beer bar, that could help you choose the next beer to bring on tap.
Untappd’s data & analytics open up a world of possibilities for your beverage business. And as an Untappd for Business partner you have access to all of this information that shows you the trends and insights of drinkers in your city, state, region, and beyond.
Learn what craft beer consumers are drinking in your area. Give Untappd for Business a try without talking to anyone—no credit card required.
To show you the power of Untappd’s analytics, we’re breaking down the most checked-in beers over the last ninety days in London, England, the most checked-in country outside of the U.S.
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Should Breweries Make Non-Alcoholic Beer?
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, November 22, 2022
A few years ago, a beer without alcohol in the United States seemed crazy. But today, non-alcoholic beer has become a growing trend in the U.S. So much so that many American craft breweries have taken a stab at making their own versions of non-alcoholic beer.
Beverage e-commerce site Drizly reported that NA category shares rose twenty-four percent on the platform year over year compared to the same period in 2021. More than one hundred non-alcoholic brands including beer, wine, cider, and spirits now live on Drizly, a seventy percent increase from last year. In the United States specifically, Statista reported that non-alcoholic brands contributed to over $414 million in sales.
While on a global scale, leading global alcohol industry market research firm IWSR reported in its IWSR Drinks Market Analysis that volume of no- or low-alcohol beverages grew by thirty-one percent year over year in 2022.
Basically, all signs point to non-alcoholic beer trending, if not growing into something more.
As a result, over the past few years, many craft breweries have added innovative, flavorful non-alcoholic beers to their portfolios. And entirely non-alcoholic beer brands are emerging in the market.
For instance, major established brands like Brooklyn Brewery, Boston Beer Co., and Dogfish Head have all crafted their own NA beers.
And solely non-alcoholic beer producers such as Athletic Brewing Co. are changing the status quo.
We predict this beer trend will continue to grow and that soon Americans will be drinking non-alcoholic beer all year round. So now the big question becomes: Is it worth your brewery investigating and investing in starting a non-alcoholic beer line?
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10 Most Popular Beers and Venues in San Diego, CA
Posted by Grace Lee-Weitz, September 30, 2022
With over 9 million registered users, Untappd can easily tap into the trends and insights of drinkers in your city, state, region, and beyond.
Untappd’s Analytics discovers beers Untappd drinkers are consuming the most in your area along with what styles are trending and which are taking a turn downwards. And so much more.
Tap into all the data of the world’s largest craft beer social networking platform to help you make business decisions about what beers to make, which to put on tap, or even which to stock on the shelf.
With Untappd for Business, gain insights that you can’t find elsewhere. Make better decisions based on live, local data. Sign up for a free 7-day trial now.
Get a sneak peek into what Untappd’s Analytics can show you as we take a look at the checked-in beers in San Diego, CA, over the last ninety days.
And if San Diego isn’t your city, we also have guides available for the following cities:
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