I couldn’t write a story about craft beer without talking about the people behind the segment. For the first time ever, I had the privilege of attending the Craft Brewers Conference last month in Washington, D.C. and got a behind-the-scenes look at craft brewing, the people behind the segment, and the businesses that are involved in the processing and packaging of this popular drink. Wow, it blew me away; the size of the industry is vast but the community of people felt small.
Collaborations, congratulations and comradery were evident throughout the halls as like-passioned people came together to celebrate this global movement. And it really is a global movement, with over 13,000 people at the conference and attendees from more than 50 countries. According to Barbara Fusco, sales & marketing director, Brewers Association, eight out of the last 10 years saw double digit growth in the segment.