Guild: Craft brewing industry seeing growth amid challenges
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowCraft brewing has gone from a hobby to a $1.6 billion industry in Indiana. But an industry that has swelled to more than 200 breweries statewide is in transition, and several big names have gone belly up, while others have continued to expand into new markets.
“For every brewery that’s shutting down, we have another one opening up,” said Brewers of Indiana Guild Executive Director Julia Whitson. “A brewery is a staple in your community…and so, I don’t see the growth slowing down anytime soon.”
Whitson discussed the state of the Hoosier craft brewing industry in an interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.
Over the past few months, notable breweries have said they are either closing their doors or in danger of closing, including Wabash Brewing and Black Acre Brewing Co. in Indianapolis. Hammond-based 18th Street Brewery announced last year it was closing its Indianapolis taproom, though it still had plans to open a distillery in the same area, according to the IBJ.
The Black Acre Brewing Co. location is set to be taken over by Scarlet Lane Brewing Co., and Whitson said the level of collaboration among those in the industry really shines.
“It’s really awesome to see when when Black Acre is shutting their doors, as you know it, their personal friends who happened to run Scarlet Lane are coming in to kind of help make that transition,” she said. “And I think that’s just a very cool thing about the industry is that everyone really pulls together and works together, and it’s not quite as competitive as you might consider the word competitive and other industries so that it’s been a fun thing to watch.”
Another major craft brewery, Munster-based 3 Floyds Brewing Co., closed its brewpub in late 2020, but hasn’t slowed down with production of its beer, spirits and merchandise.
Whitson said it shows the difference among the types of breweries in Indiana.
“You might have a very small five barrel system in a small community that serves people just a couple of miles away; folks come in and out after work to grab a sandwich and a beer,” she said. “And then compare that to 3 Floyds – still a craft brewery still in Indiana, but their main focus is on production, kind of being close to Chicago.”
Indianapolis-based Sun King Brewing Co. is another Hoosier brewery that’s continuing to grow. The brewery has opened its first taproom in Florida, which a production operation currently in the works.
Co-founder Clay Robinson told Gerry Dick he remains bullish on beer, especially for those who bring a solid business plan to the table.
“We’re in the final stages of building out the brewery so that we can brew truly local beer here in Florida,” Robinson said. “We’re going to brew some of our fan favorites and beers that we brew every day in Indiana, but we’re also making way to brew new beers that are really specific for Florida and the market down here as we continue to grow and innovate.”
Whitson said, like Sun King, there are many opportunities for breweries willing to think outside the box and get creative.
“We are seeing some craft brewers kind of diving into canning when they haven’t before or maybe looking into distilling or working in the wine space,” she said. “And so there’s a lot of crossover in that area as well.”