Draft beer remains the dominating sales driver for taprooms, but breweries may need to expand their menus (and hours) if they want consumers to keep coming back, according to a new report from the Brewers Association (BA), citing taproom point-of-sale data from Arryved.
Draft beer and food made up nearly 80% of sales at Arryved customers’ taprooms from January 2023 to December 2024, according to the report. Those sales are also some of the most volatile depending on seasonal changes in consumer habits. On average, monthly draft beer sales at their lowest are $7,600 below taprooms’ best performing months of the year, according to the report. Food has about a $4,800 swing. Draft beer sales are also in decline. Between January 2023 and December 2024, draft beer sales fell an average of $73.28 per month, the largest decline among taproom sales categories. Retail beer (-$2.11/month) and merch (-$3.11/month) recorded more moderate losses in the period. Meanwhile, monthly food sales increased by an average of $42.31, making up more than half of the lost sales from draft beer. Liquor and draft hard cider sales also increased (+$15.29/month combined). BA staff economist Matt Gacioch: “Taken over a longer time horizon, these results suggest that diversification can be an approach to actively mitigate revenue decline. Operations with broader category offerings may find themselves better positioned against the overall trend of declining draft sales.” 🎁 Gift Link! Read the full story on Brewbound by clicking here – even if you’re not yet an Insider – including other ways taprooms may be able to combat draft beer declines, such as expanded operating hours and larger draft pours. | 
