American Homebrewers Association: 26 percent growth in 2012 U.S. homebrew sales

The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) released the results of its fourth annual Homebrew Supply Shop Survey today, detailing the current state of the home beer and wine supply retail industry. The results indicate that, on the whole, shops are thriving as they cater to the growing community of homebrewing enthusiasts.

Reviewing data from 275 shops spanning 47 states — a 32 percent increase in participants from last year’s survey — the survey found that on average, participants saw gross revenue increase by 26 percent in 2012. For shops that primarily sell homebrew supplies, gross revenue increased on average by 29 percent. This is 2 percent higher than last year’s results and 10 percent higher than results from the first AHA supply shop survey conducted in 2009.

“As homebrewing continues to grow, retail shops are responding accordingly, satisfying the needs of their increasing customer base,” said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association. “Homebrew supply shops serve as the heart of local homebrewing communities. The success of a local shop will ensure a thriving community of homebrewers.”

Additional highlights from the survey include:

• Homebrew Beginners: The majority of shops (80 percent) experienced increased sales of beginner homebrew equipment kits, signifying a considerable boost in interest in the hobby. The largest segment of people buying the beginner kits were individuals 30 to 39 years old.
• New Lease on Brewing: In 2013, 43 percent of responding shops said they have been open for three years or less, up from 34 percent in 2012, indicating considerable growth in new shop openings.
• Beer vs. Wine: Sales of beer ingredients outpaced wine ingredients among home beverage supply retailers, with an average of 35 percent of retail revenue coming from beer ingredients versus 21 percent from wine ingredients.

The full report contains additional information on customer demographics, marketing and sales. Results demonstrated significant advancement in several areas considered by the AHA, including gross revenue, store openings and beginner equipment sales, indicating a growth in the industry. The AHA conducts this survey every year to provide homebrewers and supply retailers with the latest industry information.