When I went to a local craft brewing establishment last weekend with my friends, I was distracted by a few things: sure, it was a nicely-decorated, small-but-cozy space with cornhole set up and plenty of desirable drafts to choose from. But the audio blasting from live singer’s PA was way out of balance with the space: echo-y, shrill, and misplaced in the middle of the floor. The owners of the joint mistook “too dark” for “mood lighting;” the space’s screens had wires showing. What I’m saying is: craft brewing places like this could and should be the next pro audio visual market.
The Brewers Association trade org for small and independent brewers has released its 2018 Economic Impact Report, which highlights the total national impact of their work on all 50 states.
The research shows small and independent craft brewers contributed $79.1 billion to the U.S. economy in 2018. Seems like there could be some money for them to spend on system upgrades — or even machine automation — meaning that they should definitely be seriously considered as an audio visual market.
Thought craft beer was dead? HA!
Any doubters as to the long-term sustainability of the “beer snob” market should probably think twice: the 2018 number marks a 4% increase from 2017, highlighting craft beer’s steady performance across the nation.
The calculation is derived from the total impact of beer brewed by craft brewers as it moves through the three-tier system (breweries, wholesalers and retailers), as well as all non-beer products such as food and merchandise sold in brewpub restaurants and brewery taprooms.
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The industry also provided over half a million jobs last year, with over 150,000 of those directly at the breweries themselves.
“With small breweries in every state and nearly every congressional district in the country, craft brewers are a vital and growing part of the economy in cities and towns all across the country,” said Bart Watson, chief economist of the Brewers Association.
“Beer lovers are spending their dollars by supporting small and independent brewers in their local communities and across the country, and its positive impact is evident nationwide.”
States where craft brewing shows the most promise as audio visual markets:
- California, $9.0 billion in contributions
- Pennsylvania, $6.3 billion
- Texas, $5.1 billion
- New York, $4.1 billion
- Florida, $3.6 billion
You can bet your Belgian White that I’ll be following up on this… with plenty of research… you know, for work!!
