I rarely mention “drinking beer” as one of my hobbies, but I thoroughly enjoy trying new beers. My Untappd app tells me I’ve had well over 1500 unique beers. The Pacific Northwest is one of the best places in the world for craft beer, but lately, I’ve felt like maybe the fervor is dying down a bit.
I thought maybe some of it was just that my favorite brewery, Good Brewing Co, has effectively closed. The Sultan location still exists, but as far as I know, it was sold to new owners and no longer brews any of its own beer. Bummer!
But it’s more than just Good Brewing. When I visit Total Wine, the enormous selection of craft beer packs and singles has been reduced to a glimmer of its former glory. At Safeway, the craft beer section has been mostly replaced by cider and even more beer from the big/national breweries.
Expanding the scope, the picture doesn’t get better. Craft beer declined in 5% after a 4% decline in 2024. More breweries closed (434) than opened (268).
Craft beer isn’t dead, but it’s not expanding like it was before. Get out there and support your local brewery!
More info: 2025 craft beer year in review
Peak Craft Beer?
I rarely mention “drinking beer” as one of my hobbies, but I thoroughly enjoy trying new beers. My Untappd app tells me I’ve had well over 1500 unique beers. The Pacific Northwest is one of the best places in the world for craft beer, but lately, I’ve felt like maybe the fervor is dying down a bit.
I thought maybe some of it was just that my favorite brewery, Good Brewing Co, has effectively closed. The Sultan location still exists, but as far as I know, it was sold to new owners and no longer brews any of its own beer. Bummer!
But it’s more than just Good Brewing. When I visit Total Wine, the enormous selection of craft beer packs and singles has been reduced to a glimmer of its former glory. At Safeway, the craft beer section has been mostly replaced by cider and even more beer from the big/national breweries.
Expanding the scope, the picture doesn’t get better. Craft beer declined in 5% after a 4% decline in 2024. More breweries closed (434) than opened (268).
Craft beer isn’t dead, but it’s not expanding like it was before. Get out there and support your local brewery!
More info: 2025 craft beer year in review