Boom in the gloom — US craft beers

Beer

Despite all the gloomy news from America, craft beers continue to boom as total beer sales decline, according to the Brewers Association.

The association’s website, www.brewersassoication.org, says craft beers grew 11 per cent by volume and 12 per cent by value in calendar 2010. This came on top of 7.2 per cent volume growth and 10.3 per cent value growth in 2009. Overall beer sales in the USA declined by an estimated one per cent by volume in 2010 and 2.2 per cent in 2009.

The association says craft brews accounted for 4.9 per cent by volume and 7.6 per cent by value of US beer sales in 2010. In a massive market like the USA, that’s not small beer – translating to around 1.164 billion litres and $7.6 billion.

Australian Brews News (www.brewsnews.com.au) laments the lack of a similar “active and unified voice representing the interests of small brewers.

Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2011
First published 27 July 2011 in The Canberra Times

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