What to expect from Colorado's beer industry in 2025
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Colorado's beer industry enters 2025 with trepidation, looking for a way forward after difficult financial years.
Why it matters: The state's 460-plus craft breweries have a $2.6 billion annual economic impact threatened by evolving consumer preferences and higher costs.
State of play: The mood is evident in Axios Denver's survey of more than 200 beer industry pros and craft beer fans.
The trends to watch in 2025 are two-fold, the survey found: Adapting to younger, health-conscious consumers and a changing marketplace that favors seltzers and canned cocktails.
- The proliferation of low-ABV beers and nonalcoholic offers are what the majority of the respondents expect to see in the new year.
Between the lines: Survival is another theme from the survey. Industry pros expect more consolidation and closures in 2025.
- "Breweries have to figure out how to compete," Savana Sparks, a beertender said.
The intrigue: The brewery to watch in 2025 is Cerebral. The Denver brewery is expanding to a third location — just as the industry at large constricts.
- The beer world is watching closely to see how the new location in Highland progresses and whether its partnership with Outside Pizza is a viable way forward for taprooms.
- Other breweries on the watch list are in similar positions: Prost, 4 Noses and Lady Justice all of which recently expanded or moved to new locations.
What they're saying: "Cerebral is absolutely killing it with the pop ups," Tim James wrote in the survey. "I'm impressed by their growth despite the craft beer industry cinching their belts."