Brewing Industrial Guide

Is beer education superfluous in 2026? That’s an argument I’ve heard from a fair share of brewery owners, pundits, bartenders, beer writers, and restaurateurs. As evidence, they emphasize the sheer ubiquity of craft beer, the mainstream acceptance and massive growth in popularity that’s landed all measure of small-batch ales and lagers on retail shelves, from big box stores to bodegas, and on the tap lists of dive bars, fast-casual joints, neighborhood taverns, and suburban chains alike.

Even as the hop surplus begins to shrink, the global beer market is facing a reset that will affect demand and future acreage. A likely upshot for brewers without contracts: higher spot prices and unavailable varieties in the near future. Industry All Access Freshly harvested hops fill the kiln at the John I. Haas facility in Longmire, Washington. Photo: Joe Stange.

Skip to main content Infographic: Beer Is Still the Drink of Summer A recent Beer Institute poll, conducted by Morning Consult, reinforces the notion that beer is drinkers’ first choice for summer gatherings, helping to bring people together all season long. Here are some high-level highlights. About Brewing Industry Guide brings you brewing stories, recipes, and reviews. Get the latest in your inbox. Join Newsletter © 2026 Brewing Industry Guide. All rights reserved.

Cooking the microbes out of your beer isn’t the only way to achieve micro-stabilization today. Mushroom-based additives, pressures higher than the deepest oceans, and the texture of dragonfly wings offer alternatives to traditional pasteurization. Industry All Access The Shredder. Photos: Courtesy Kremenak Nanotech. This article requires an All Access Subscription Subscribe today to continue reading and unlock unlimited access to our premium brewing content.

Fruit-flavored, low-strength lager spells opportunity for many breweries, driving engagement with drinkers who seek less alcohol as well as those drawn to familiar flavors. Industry All Access Photo: Courtesy August Schell This article requires an All Access Subscription Subscribe today to continue reading and unlock unlimited access to our premium brewing content.

Even brewery owners who opened their businesses in the past decade may be able to see retirement or another chapter on the horizon. The time to plan for that future? Right now. Industry All Access Photo: Courtesy Bale Breaker and Cloudburst This article requires an All Access Subscription Subscribe today to continue reading and unlock unlimited access to our premium brewing content.

It’s important for the health of the agricultural side of beer that the amount of hops grown roughly aligns with the amount of hops used. One metric to track that is the USDA’s survey of hop stocks conducted twice a year—in March and September. While the amount of hops in storage peaked in 2021, that number has declined significantly over the past five years, suggesting that supply and demand may be returning to a more natural equilibrium.

Once seen as a luxurious adventure—with high prices and inconsistent quality—local malts with fresh, unique flavors are winning over some brewers, even as the costs of imported malts rise. Industry All Access Photo: Courtesy Troubadour Maltings This article requires an All Access Subscription Subscribe today to continue reading and unlock unlimited access to our premium brewing content.

It helps that the ethos is central to Sway’s identity. “I don’t know if I would be able to do it if it wasn’t the entire focus of our brewery,” Sampson says. “I feel like it would be very hard to do a one-off beer and get people behind it just because it has different ingredients in it that are more expensive. ...

Before you commit to using the newest new hop variety, it may be wise to consider how many different varieties your brewery can—or even should—use. Industry All Access Preparing the dry hop at Pinthouse in Austin. Photo: Joe Stange. This article requires an All Access Subscription Subscribe today to continue reading and unlock unlimited access to our premium brewing content.