Marketplace All-in-One Is craft beer's popularity going flat?
Oct 3, 2025
Henry Epp, a Marketplace reporter with a solid background in local economy stories, joins to discuss the evolving landscape of the craft beer industry. He highlights how the booming popularity from the 2010s is now hitting a plateau due to rising costs and changing tastes, especially among Gen Z. The conversation also touches on the Trump administration's power consolidation during the government shutdown and various tech topics, including the demise of AOL’s dial-up and the rise of AI in creative fields.
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Craft Beer Is Maturing Nationally
- The craft beer boom of the 2010s is cooling into what the Brewers Association calls "maturing" craft beer.
- Rising costs, higher interest rates, ingredient shortages, and shifting tastes (Gen Z drinks less) are squeezing breweries.
Vermont's Local Brewery Scene
- Vermont has one of the highest breweries-per-capita rates, making craft beer culturally central there.
- Henry Epp lives in Vermont and featured local breweries in his reporting.
Economic Conditions Drove The Boom And Bust
- Cheap capital and low input costs fueled the 2010s brewery boom.
- Those conditions reversed: interest rates rose and inputs like aluminum and hops became pricier, squeezing margins.