Texas Craft Breweries Multiply By 990%
The number of craft breweries in Texas grew 990% in the past 12 years, up from 20 in 2005 to 218 in 2017, according to new research from CBRE. The rapid growth can be seen in the amount of commercial real estate needed for operations. Since 2005, the industrial and retail space occupied by craft brewers has grown 265% to 4.8M SF across the state.
The driving force behind the craft beer revolution in Texas is microbreweries, which grew by nearly 5,000%, up from three in 2005 to 152 in 2017. Brewpubs make up the second-largest segment, with 55 today, a 450% increase since 2005.
With more than 187,000 barrels brewed last year (the equivalent of 26.3 million bottles), Central Texas was the prominent production hub of Texas craft beer. The DFW and Houston metro areas act as secondary hubs that have buoyed Texas to the third-highest economic output for craft breweries in the U.S.
Texas' meteoric rise in the craft brewing industry has attracted national attention. Prominent craft brewing operations like DFW-based Revolver Brewing and Houston-based Karbach Brewery were recently acquired by MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch, respectively.
Still, one Texas brewery remains king (and local): the K. Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, which accounted for 70% of the 1.1 million barrels produced last year.
