What you need to know
As beer sales stagnate, craft is a small bright spot preventing a loss of share to wine and spirits. Mintel estimates 22% craft growth in 2015, and continued growth through 2020, though at a slowing rate. The slowdown will come from consumers turning to an expanding range of alcohol options; market saturation confronting a finite number of drinking occasions; craft-style launches from larger brewers; and craft acquisitions by larger beverage companies, which effectively forfeit craft categorization due to industry definitions. Preserving performance requires expanding the consumer base. 61% of US consumers aged 22+ drink beer, while only 17% drink craft.
Definition
This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Beer – US, January 2015 and previous reports of the same name published in December 2013 and December 2012, as well as Craft Beer – US, June 2014, and a previous report of the same name published in November 2012. Mintel updated its data source in 2015 with category market sizing based largely on the findings of the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. As such, findings in the report are not directly comparable to earlier reports of the same title.
For the purposes of this report, Mintel has used the following definition of “craft beer” derived by the Brewers Association:
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From breweries with annual production of 6 million barrels or less
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From breweries with less than 25 percent ownership by an alcoholic beverage industry company that is not a craft brewer
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From breweries for which the majority of the brewer's total beverage alcohol volume must be in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation.
Note that the Brewers Association updated its definition in 2014 to include brewers using corn in their beer-making formula. This resulted in the inclusion of Yuengling beer, which had previously been excluded. Market size increases in 2014 are largely the result of this change in definition. The estimates for 2014 are not strictly comparable with earlier years due to this change in the definition.
