Costs

From aluminum costs to consumer spending, knock-on effects from the conflict in Iran will continue to reverberate and hit breweries’ bottom lines. And even if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz were to resume instantly, higher prices are likely to persist into 2027.

Rising costs and geopolitical instability make this another year in which forecasting and procurement demand small breweries’ utmost attention.

Whether you want to raise prices to cover increased costs or hold them in hopes of boosting volumes, here’s what to expect from discussions with your distributor.

Gaining visibility on your brewery’s use of carbon dioxide can help protect your team and the bottom line.

There is front of house, there is back of house—and if the only constant is chaos, then small breweries need to build flexibility into both their hospitality and manufacturing sides, while bearing in mind the long-term implications of cutting costs.

With costs up and growth flat, here’s how skilled brewers are making the most of every brewhouse turn.

With rents increasing and sales growth slowing, keeping costs in check can make or break a brewing business.

Understanding the cost of wages and benefits is more important than ever. The balance is in finding creative ways to keep them steady while ensuring that employees feel valued.

Brewers share strategies for reducing costs on craft beer’s most competitive style.

It’s the toughest time of year for beer—cold weather, health kicks, and lots of people just staying home. For breweries barely hanging in there, these months can be a knockout blow. From a variety of voices in the industry, here are some ideas about how to make it work until spring.

Despite recent troubles with input costs and supply chain, the vibes coming from the malt market seem relatively calm and upbeat. Hey, let’s not jinx it.

Barring a dramatic shift in the forecast, independent breweries should be planning for a future of low—or even no—sales growth. The safest path forward includes reducing risk, optimizing cash flow, and focusing on profitability.

From packaging mix to vendor contracts, here are areas that deserve breweries’ attention when margins are shrinking and every dollar counts.

From software price hikes and CO2 scarcity to electrolytes and THC, here is a roundup of some recent news and announcements from around the industry.

Everyone’s costs are up, with no return to “normal” in sight. Big Beer is raising its prices and profiting. So, is it time to raise your own prices? Not necessarily.

From diversity at CBC to a brewery-led market hall with pet groomers, here are some happenings and announcements from around the industry.

Yeast labs are enjoying sales success with clean kveik strains, since their ability to ferment lager-like beers in much less time has obvious appeal. Besides reduced costs and climate impact, they are potential game-changers for hotter climates worldwide.

Weather conditions in 2021 led to a challenging barley crop—the smallest in the US since 1934—leaving maltsters scrambling while prices climb. How significant was the decline? Here, we plot the past decade of U.S. barley harvests.

The aluminum can manufacturer has agreed to delay until March 1 policy changes that disproportionately affect smaller, independent breweries.

Ball’s new minimum orders and higher prices have left independent brewers scrambling. Besides higher costs industry-wide, likely knock-on effects include streamlined SKUs, a return to labeling and shrink sleeves, and a boom in digital can printing.