"The U.S. welcomed 268 new breweries in 2025, but according to the Brewers Association's 2025 Year in Beer report, 434 breweries - including Oregon's Rogue Ales - simultaneously shut their doors forever. The Brewers Association (BA) report revealed that the previous year, 2024, also saw more brewery closures than openings, demonstrating an unfortunate pattern for craft beer. While those closures only impact 4.4% of the industry's breweries, experts aren't feeling too optimistic about the slowdown."
"There was a time when craft beer was the top buzzword. Breweries were opening up left and right, practically turning states into IPA pilgrimage sites and dominating the liquor scene. In 2017 alone, the vast majority of America's favorite breweries focused on craft beer, and it seemed like the independent beer bubble would never burst. From a few thousand in the early 2010s to over 9,000 in 2020, the craft beer fad came on fast - but it hardly wavered until then."
Craft beer expanded from fewer than 100 U.S. breweries in the 1980s to over 9,000 by 2020, fueled by small-batch brewing, novel flavors, and artisanal appeal. The sector generated $72.5 billion in revenue and nearly 500,000 jobs at its height. Recent data show a reversal: closures exceeded openings in 2024 and again in 2025, when 268 breweries opened and 434 closed, affecting about 4.4% of breweries. Heavy competition, rising prices, and changing consumer habits are cited as primary causes, and industry economists warn the sector is moving out of a safe growth phase.
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