As the year winds down, Craft Brewing Business is taking a break for the holidays. Before we do, we want to pause and say thank you. This year reminded us why we started this site in the first place — to cover the independent brewing industry honestly, thoughtfully and without hype. It has been another busy, challenging and fascinating year for craft brewers, and we’re grateful we get to tell those stories.
A year of stories we’re proud of
In 2025, we spent our time digging into the topics that matter most to brewery owners, operators and partners. That meant fewer press-release rewrites and more context, analysis and reporting. Some of our favorite stories this year included:
- The Brewers Association’s 2025 midyear report, broken down for independent brewers
- What CGA by NIQ’s on-premise data really says about where beer is selling
- Why light beer is becoming a serious growth engine for craft
- How sustainability tools and barley baselining could reshape brewing decisions
- A closer look at brewery expansions that actually make sense in today’s market
These stories reflect what we care about most: real data, real operators and real decisions happening across the industry.
Looking ahead — with open eyes
We’ll be honest: we don’t know exactly what next year will bring for craft beer and for Craft Brewing Business. The market continues to shift. Consumer behavior keeps evolving. Distribution, pricing and on-premise dynamics remain complicated. What we do know is that we’ve loved doing this. Craft Brewing Business launched in 2012, and more than a decade later, we’re pretty proud of the publication we launched from scratch. But the big question is floating around right now: Will there be a sunset in 2026 for CBB? All of the founders also have full time jobs (this is a passion project, LOL), and we are moving in lots of different directions right now with families and careers. We’re not sure, so let’s talk after the New Year. Until then, enjoy some time off, enjoy a good beer and thank you for reading.
— The Craft Brewing Business team
