The Craft Beer Landscape in 2025: Challenges, Pivots & a Mile-High Celebration at GABF

The U.S. craft beer scene rolls into summer 2025 looking a little bruised—but more inventive than ever. Production slipped 3.9 percent year-over-year in 2024 to 23.1 million barrels, trimming craft’s volume share to 13.3 percent of the total beer marketgabf2025. A handful of well-publicized closures from Michigan to California capture the mood: mature markets, rising ingredient and packaging costs, and intense competition for tap handles.

Yet the story isn’t all contraction. Retail dollar sales held steadier thanks to premium pricing and a consumer willingness to trade up for something new or hyper-local. Taproom visits remain the lifeblood of many independents, driving direct-to-consumer margins that help offset weak wholesale demand.

Five Trends Shaping Craft Beer in 2025

Trend	What It Means for Breweries & Drinkers
Approachable ABV & classic styles	After years of “extremes,” many brewers are refocusing on clean lagers, ESBs, and easy-drinking pale ales that sell by the pint.
Non-alcoholic (NA) boom	NA options now make up roughly one in five craft purchases—and they extend beyond IPAs into fruited sours and stouts.
Sustainability & ingredient provenance	From solar-powered brewhouses to regenerative-farm barley contracts, eco-cred is a key differentiator.
Taprooms as “third spaces”	Breweries doubling as coffee shops, yoga studios, and community hubs keep foot traffic steady despite flat distribution sales.
Consolidation & partnerships	Contract brewing, alternating proprietorships, and mergers help spread overhead and unlock new markets as freight and aluminum costs climb.

Save the Date: Great American Beer Festival® 2025

October 9 – 11, 2025 | Colorado Convention Center, Denver

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) returns to Denver for its 43rd edition, promising three days of sensory overload with thousands of beers, ciders, hard teas, and seltzers from every corner of the country.

What’s New This Year?

NA & “Beyond Beer” Pavilion – A dedicated floor section lets you sample the industry’s fastest-growing category without the buzz. Expect adjunct-laced sours, hop-water spritzers, and even THC-free hemp ales. (A nod to trend #2 above.)
Immersive Pairings – Curated stations match flagship lagers with street-food-inspired small plates, plus high-ABV stouts paired with bean-to-bar chocolates.
Collaboration Corridors – Breweries in different states team up for one-off releases available only at the fest; think Texas chiles meeting Vermont maple in a smoked porter.
Expanded Seminar Track – Brewers Association educators will tackle everything from “Surviving Margin Squeeze” to “Fermentation Science of NA Beer.”

Key Festival Logistics

Item	Details
Sessions	Thu. Oct 9 (Evening), Fri. Oct 10 (Afternoon & Evening), Sat. Oct 11 (Afternoon & Evening)
Tickets	Public on-sale now via GABF.com; early sessions typically sell out by mid-August.
Breweries Pouring	~2,200 expected, with 100+ first-time entrants and an expanded international guest section.
Competition	100+ beer styles judged by 300 industry experts; 2025 awards ceremony streams live on Saturday morning.

Pro Tip: Denver hotels and short-term rentals close to the convention center fill quickly—book by July and consider lightrail from surrounding neighborhoods to save cash.

Why 2025’s GABF Matters More Than Ever

With headwinds facing small brewers—from aluminum tariffs to taproom foot-traffic plateaus—GABF offers a concentrated shot of optimism and innovation. It’s where brewers swap survival tactics, and drinkers discover that the next big thing might be a table-strength lager fermented with local grain or a lavender-lime hop water that clocks in at 0.0 percent ABV.