Craft Beer Market: Size, Growth and Industry Trends

This article was written by our expert who is surveying the industry and constantly updating the business plan for a craft brewery.

Who wrote this content?

The Dojo Business Team

A team of financial experts, consultants, and writers

We're a team of finance experts, consultants, market analysts, and specialized writers dedicated to helping new entrepreneurs launch their businesses. We help you avoid costly mistakes by providing detailed business plans, accurate market studies, and reliable financial forecasts to maximize your chances of success from day one—especially in the craft brewery market.

What is the global market size for craft beer (value and volume)?

The global craft beer market in 2025 is valued between USD 110–143 billion, depending on definition.

This range reflects different “craft” criteria across regions and data providers; value share is notably higher than volume share. Craft beer represents roughly 3–12% of global beer by volume but materially more by value.

In volume terms, consistent global figures are scarce; as a reference point, U.S. craft output exceeded ~24 million barrels (~28 million hl) in 2024.

For a craft brewery business, these size metrics confirm meaningful headroom for premium offerings and specialty formats.

You’ll find detailed market insights in our craft brewery business plan, updated every quarter.

How fast did craft beer grow in the last 5 years, and what is the 5-year outlook?

Craft beer expanded at about 8–10% CAGR globally from 2019 to 2024.

This outperformed mainstream beer and signals sustained premium demand. Forecasts indicate ~8.7–10.7% CAGR through 2030–2034.

The continued growth is anchored by new taprooms, e-commerce availability, and low/no-alcohol line extensions.

For your craft brewery, plan capacity and financing around a high-single-digit baseline scenario and stress-test for regional variance.

Which regions and countries consume the most craft beer today?

North America and Europe account for the largest shares of craft beer revenue in 2025.

The U.S. leads North America by a wide margin; Europe’s share is ~38–39%, led by the UK, Germany, and Belgium.

Asia–Pacific is smaller in current share but accelerating, with China and Japan gaining prominence.

For a craft brewery, market entry or export strategies should prioritize the U.S. and leading EU markets while scouting APAC city hubs.

Where is growth fastest, and what is driving it?

Asia–Pacific is the fastest-growing region for craft beer.

Drivers include urbanization, rising disposable incomes, emerging taproom culture, and social media influence on discovery.

In China and Japan, premiumization and beer tourism are expanding local portfolios and consumer trial.

Consider pilot taprooms, pop-ups, or collabs in APAC gateway cities to test demand before scaling.

How do demographics (age, income, lifestyle) shape craft beer demand?

Millennials and Gen Z adults (21–40) drive craft beer demand.

They over-index in higher-income urban segments and value authenticity, local stories, and flavor diversity.

Lifestyle preferences—sustainability, wellness, experiences—push demand for small-batch, eco-friendly, and lower-alcohol options.

Design brand assets and taproom experiences to match these motivations and price points.

This is one of the strategies explained in our craft brewery business plan.

What are the leading distribution channels, and how is share shifting?

On-trade (bars, brewpubs, taprooms) remains the center of gravity for craft beer.

Off-trade (grocers, specialty retail) and online are growing faster post-pandemic, expanding reach beyond local footprints.

Direct-to-consumer via taprooms sustains margins and brand loyalty; marketplaces and subscription boxes extend discovery.

Blend on-trade experience with off-trade availability to stabilize volume and improve cash conversion.

Which craft styles are growing fastest—and why?

IPAs lead global craft sales due to hop-forward profiles and constant sub-style innovation.

Other fast growers include sours, stouts, fruit/specialty ales, and low/no-alcohol craft variants.

Health-oriented lines (gluten-free, low-calorie, organic) add incremental buyers without diluting core appeal.

Structure your portfolio with a flagship IPA, a rotating sour or seasonal program, and one low/no-alcohol SKU.

How are prices trending versus mainstream beer?

Craft beer sells at a premium of roughly 2–4x per liter over mainstream beer.

Premiumization, higher ingredient intensity, and small-batch production sustain this gap.

Consumers accept higher prices when they perceive quality, locality, and freshness.

Build pricing tiers around core, seasonal, and limited editions to protect average realized price.

Who are the top players, and how concentrated is the market?

The craft beer landscape is fragmented; no single player controls more than ~2–3% of global share.

Notable independents and acquired brands include Boston Beer Company, Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Stone Brewing, and Dogfish Head.

Multinationals (AB InBev, Heineken, Molson Coors, Constellation) participate via acquisitions and craft subsidiaries.

For a craft brewery, local advantage and community engagement often trump national scale in early years.

Which recent M&A or partnerships moved the market?

Consolidation continues as large brewers acquire regional craft leaders and rationalize portfolios.

Distribution partnerships and international licensing extend the reach of strong craft brands into new markets.

Collaborations between craft breweries accelerate limited releases and cross-market visibility.

Monitor deal activity to anticipate shelf resets, route-to-market shifts, and distributor preferences.

What regulations, taxes, and policies matter for craft breweries?

Excise tax reliefs and small-producer regimes in the U.S., Europe, and Japan support craft economics.

Definitions of “craft,” labeling rules, and licensing requirements vary by country and affect eligibility for incentives.

Some APAC markets maintain higher regulatory barriers and longer licensing timelines.

Model compliance, excise brackets, and lead times directly into your craft brewery launch plan.

What consumer and industry trends will shape the future?

Premiumization, sustainability, and wellness are reshaping craft beer portfolios.

Low/no-alcohol, functional ingredients, and eco-friendly packaging are moving from edge to mainstream.

Beer tourism, experiential taprooms, and DTC subscriptions build loyalty and stabilize cash flow.

Translate these trends into concrete SKUs, packaging choices, and tasting-room programming for your craft brewery.

We cover this exact topic in the craft brewery business plan.

Regional breakdown at a glance (table)

Use this table to compare where demand is strongest today and where growth will be fastest for a craft brewery.

It combines current share, trajectory, and practical go-to-market notes for site selection and distribution.

Channel mix and evolution (table)

This table shows how a craft brewery should balance on-trade, off-trade, and online to maximize reach and margin.

Use it to plan your first-year sales targets and distributor discussions.

It’s a key part of what we outline in the craft brewery business plan.

Pricing tiers and margin logic (table)

Craft pricing is 2–4x mainstream on a per-liter basis; align tiers to balance volume and brand equity.

Use this as a starting point for your craft brewery’s price pack architecture.

Get expert guidance and actionable steps inside our craft brewery business plan.

Top growth styles and innovation map (list)

• IPA family (West Coast, Hazy, Session): continuous hop innovation sustains leadership.
• Sours (kettle, fruited, barrel-aged): experiential and Instagrammable; strong taproom fit.
• Stouts/Porters (incl. pastry styles): seasonal peaks; pairs with limited barrels and collabs.
• Low/No-Alcohol craft: wellness demand and weekday occasions expand consumption.
• Fruit & specialty ales: local ingredients and culinary pairings differentiate in on-trade.

Competitive landscape snapshot (table)

The market is fragmented, with independents plus large groups’ craft subsidiaries; use this to position your craft brewery clearly.

Local relevance and quality consistency generally outweigh sheer scale for early-stage breweries.

Conclusion

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Readers are encouraged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. We accept no liability for any actions taken based on the information provided.

Sources

1. Towards F&B – Craft Beer Market
2. Mordor Intelligence – Craft Beer Market
3. IMARC Group – Craft Beer Market
4. Stellar Market Research – Craft Beer Market
5. Data Bridge Market Research – Global Craft Beer Market
6. Brewers Association – National Beer Stats
7. Mordor Intelligence – Asia-Pacific Craft Beer Market
8. Market Data Forecast – APAC Craft Beer Market
9. Brewers Association – 2025 Midyear Report
10. The Brewers of Europe – European Beer Trends