The craft brewery trade has confronted financial challenges over the past three years, resulting in lots of of companies closing, which trade insiders have known as the craft beer apocalypse.
It looks as if one other craft beer model completely closes its enterprise every single day.
Closures outpace openings
Brewery closures outpaced openings, with 434 shutting down and 268 opening by mid-December 2025, Brewbound reported on social media.
Craft beer quantity was estimated to be down about 5% from the earlier yr, based on the Brewers Affiliation’s mid-year report in July 2025, Craft Brewing Enterprise reported. Quantity was down about 4% in 2024.
Brewers have cited comparable causes for closing down their companies, together with elevated product and labor prices pushed by inflation and rising lease charges.
The trade has additionally confronted a drop in shopper demand and declining alcohol consumption charges from youthful generations, the Brewers Affiliation reported.
Product elements prices preserve rising
“Raw material costs have emerged as a significant constraint in the North American craft beer market, with substantial increases in the prices of essential ingredients, such as malted barley and hops, alongside packaging materials like aluminum cans,” based on a 2026 North American Craft Beer Market Report by Mordor Intelligence.
“The impact of these cost increases has been particularly severe on production economics, forcing breweries to revise their pricing strategies and operational models,” the report stated.
Panther Island Brewing closes down its taproom and brewery after 11 years.
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Panther Island Brewing closes down
Award-winning craft brewery Panther Island Brewing closed its doorways for the final time on Feb. 13 after 11 years of serving clients throughout most of Central and Southern Texas, based on an Instagram publish.
“After 11 unforgettable years, Panther Island Brewing will be closing its doors,” the Instagram message stated.
The brewery closed down the enterprise with its Farewell Occasion within the taproom on Feb. 13.
The Fort Price, Texas-based family-owned beer model’s spokesperson stated the explanation for closing wasn’t the standard lease or landlord concern, based on CultureMap.com.
The brewery blamed extreme financial points for its closure.
Troublesome economic system sinks brewery
“Between the current climate and economy, there were a lot of factors,” Johnnye Soles, director of gross sales and advertising and marketing at Panther Island Brewing, stated.
“As a family, we agreed that this was the best path to move forward. It’s just our time, and we wanted to go out swinging,” Soles stated.
All staff, together with the corporate’s seven government and senior workers members, would lose their jobs.
Panther Island Brewing, an thought developed round a campfire, opened its brewery in 2014 in an outdated warehouse within the Panther Island district of Fort Price, based on its web site.
Taproom hosted common occasions
The brewery’s warehouse-style taproom hosted stay music and themed occasions, resembling health and cooking courses, music bingo, and open mic night time, and meals vans, based on CultureMap.
The craft brewery’s beers have gained awards, together with its Allergeez American Wheat Ale, and made the High 10 checklist of finest breweries on Tradition Map’s 2023 Tastemaster Awards.
Panther Island Brewing’s beers have been out there at about 160 areas in 60 Texas cities, together with Austin, Dallas, Fort Price, Houston, and San Antonio. Particular areas are listed on the brewer’s web site whereas it’s nonetheless lively.
Extra closings:
- Bankrupt restaurant chains completely shut common areas
- Main retail chain closes 35 shops nationwide, no chapter
- One other main retail chain closes warehouse operations
The brewery’s beers have been offered in eating places, brewpubs, bars, liquor shops, markets, and different retailers, together with 64 H-E-B grocery shops, 8 Complete Wine areas, 4 Central Markets, and a couple of Complete Meals Markets, based on its web site.
Shoppers should still discover Panther Island Brewing’s beers on faucet at eating places, brewpubs, and bars, and in cans at markets, whereas provides final.
Panther Island Brewing’s beers:
- Hazy Cat Hazy New England IPA
- Legit.Texas.Lager American Lager
- Trick Rider American IPA
- Allergeez American Wheat Ale
- Candy Fang Milk Stout
- Oktoberfest Marzen
- EOS Imperial Espresso Stout
- Supply: Panther Island Brewing
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