It’s no secret that the craft beer scene is growing in the U.S. In 2015, the number of operating breweries grew by 15% in the country, and nearly all that growth came from craft brewers, who now make up about 12% of the overall beer market. The craft brewing market in this country is now worth $23.5 billion, which doesn’t sound like that much, but it is a lot bigger than it was just a few short years ago. There are a number of ways to try craft beer or to get your fix if you are a connoisseur.
Just about every craft beer company out there has its own tap room where it serves its own beer to customers. In fact, for some very small brewers, it’s their only method. This is because most states have laws regarding distribution. Craft brewers that want to serve their beer elsewhere, even in another craft brewer’s tap room, have to go through a licensed distributor, which can add a large additional layer of costs. When getting beer from the tap in a craft brewery, you can get it by the glass, but you also can get a larger amount to take home in a growler. Beer growlers are 64 ounce containers that allow you to transport beer from the brewery to your home. They can be made out of glass, steel or another material. Double wall growlers are growlers with extra insulation to help your beer stay cold longer. A double wall growler can be a good idea if you won’t be going home right away to put your beer in a refrigerator. Many growlers also are refillable, which means you don’t have to buy a new 64 ounce growler each time.
The other main way to enjoy craft beer is to buy it at the store in either bottles or cans. Many larger craft brewers and even some small ones have canning or bottling lines and sell their beers in local liquor and grocery stores. This adds expense but it also adds revenue, and it gives people more flexibility in how they enjoy their beer, while allowing them to purchase it somewhere other than the brewery.
However you like to enjoy your craft beer, there are options. Whether you want to drink at a tap room, take home a growler or buy cans or bottles of your favorite craft beer, you can do that.
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