Craft breweries (or microbreweries) are typically characterized as independently owned breweries producing small amounts of beer with an emphasis on quality, flavor, and brewing technique. In recent years, the number of craft breweries has been steadily increasing. According to the Brewers Association (BA) — the trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers — the number of craft breweries in the U.S. has increased from 3,814 in 2015 to 6,490 in 2018. In 2018, according to the BA, small and independent brewers collectively produced 25.9 million barrels of beer, increasing craft’s overall beer market share by volume to more than 13%.
Growth brings opportunities and challenges, and the craft brewing industry has seen plenty of both. In addition to the typical business challenges of competition, staffing, and regulation and compliance, craft brewers also must build the infrastructure to create and deliver their products. This means purchasing (among other items) kettles, kegs, boilers, bottling and canning lines, conveyors, cooling systems, storage tanks, fermentation tanks, refrigeration equipment, and piping systems.