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Adjusting to the New Realities of Draft Beer

Given the ongoing uncertainty in on-premise hospitality, there are fewer taps flowing than there were two years ago. Yet those open draft lines represent opportunities for breweries willing to adjust and build relationships.

Industry All Access
The diverse tap lineup at Craft Brewed in Nashville, Tennessee. Photos: Jamie Bogner
The diverse tap lineup at Craft Brewed in Nashville, Tennessee. Photos: Jamie Bogner

Draft beer is back—for the most part.

Going into the end of 2021, U.S. draft-beer volumes were relatively even with where they were two years ago, before the pandemic. However, that doesn’t mean retailers are thinking about their tap lists the same way.

Lingering pandemic concerns and the hard lessons of last year’s on-premise shutdowns have changed the way many operators are thinking about what they pour. Breweries may need to adjust which beers they’re kegging—and the size of the kegs—to keep pace.

Here’s what to know about the current landscape for draft beer.

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