2025 was a bad year for craft breweries in KS and MO

Travis Meier

Animated illustration of four different kinds of beers. — Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios

Craft breweries in Missouri and Kansas declined slightly last year in both number and production — part of a broader national slowdown in the once-booming industry.

Why it matters: The persistent downward trend is startling brewers and forcing many to rethink their business models and expand into non-beer beverages, Axios' John Frank writes.

Zoom in: Missouri had 170 craft breweries in 2025, down from 181 a year earlier, according to Brewers Association data released this month.

Kansas went from 85 to 81.
It was the first time either state saw fewer breweries year-over-year since 2011, which is as far back as the data goes.

By the numbers: Missouri also produced less craft beer, shrinking from more than 297,000 barrels in 2024 to roughly 284,000 in 2025.

Kansas' production also shrank from nearly 39,000 barrels in 2024 to about 35,000 in 2025.
Missouri ranks No. 19 in breweries per capita, and Kansas ranks No. 33.

What we're watching: Some of the largest metro breweries are expanding, including Boulevard, KC Bier Co., and Martin City.

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2025 was a bad year for craft breweries in KS and MO

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