The volume of craft beer sold will increase by 8% per year over the next 3 years. That’s  more than 2.4 million barrels per year. Levy sees this growth partially as a result of several demographic factors.
90% of Americans now live within 50 miles of a craft brewery.
Over 25% of 21-24 year olds show an interest in beer with ‘flavor,’ versus less than 10% for consumers 25-30 years older. [Hmmmph!] At the same time, while just 6-7% of adults regularly drink craft beer, almost 60% express an interest in them.
The number of drinkers aged 21-39 [the demographic segment most likely to purchase beer] will grow by 7.8% by 2020 to over 90 million, nearly tripling from a 2.7% increase from 2000-2010.
Based upon these trends, the ranks of core craft beer drinkers could swell by 40-50% by 2020, to about 29 million (12% of the drinking-age population).Contrast that with the trend in the mainstream beer business.
In 2010, total beer sales -of which conglomerate beer sales, by volume, accounted for 94%- were down 1.9%, even though income was up as prices were increased. The distinction between sales by volume and sales by dollars is significant. By the former metric, craft beer accounted for 4.3% of total beer sales; by the latter, its share was 6.9%. Savvy restaurateurs and store owners realize that they can make more money selling craft beer, bottle by bottle, than mainstream beer.
BMI finishes their mini-report with this challenge:
Imagine the prospects for craft brewers if they can broaden appeal among Hispanics and women, neither of which are a huge part of the craft beer consumer base.