Buzz kill: US breweries shutter as fanfare over craft beers appears to fade

"In 2009, there were about 500 microbreweries in the United States, according to the Brewers Association, a trade group. In 2018, there were 4,500, an 800% increase. We were providing people with something brand new to like, said Garrett Oliver, who in 1994 started as brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery, one of the most successful."

"But then, of course, the Covid-19 pandemic hit and, like many breweries, Call to Arms's sales decreased and its costs increased. People started spending more time at home and consuming less alcohol. In December 2025, Bell and a co-owner closed the business. It was heartbreaking, Bell said. I put my entire career into it."

"Call to Arms was one of 100 breweries to close in the state over the last two years, according to the Colorado Brewers Guild. That is part of a national trend. After the industry boomed in the late aughts and 2010s, the once-intense cultural buzz over craft beers appears to have faded."

Chris Bell founded Call to Arms Brewing Company in Denver in 2015, achieving notable success including a gold medal at the 2018 World Beer Cup and strong customer ratings. The brewery thrived through 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic triggered declining sales and increased costs as consumers reduced alcohol consumption. Bell closed the business in December 2025 after investing his entire career. This closure reflects a broader industry contraction, with 100 breweries shutting down in Colorado over two years. The craft beer sector experienced explosive growth from 2009 to 2018, expanding from 500 to 4,500 microbreweries nationally. Industry leaders acknowledge the cultural buzz surrounding craft beer has diminished, though the sector remains integral to Colorado's identity and will likely evolve rather than disappear.

Read at www.theguardian.com