Monarch Beverage has seen a 77 percent increase in craft beer volume

With American Craft Beer Week right around the corner, Monarch Beverage, Indiana’s largest distributor of beer and wine, is raising its glass to another year of tremendous growth for the Indiana craft beer industry — growth that provides a substantial economic impact and hundreds jobs to the Hoosier State.

Starting in the 1980s, the craft movement has steadily gained popularity. According to the Brewers Association, national growth of the craft beer industry in 2013 was 18 percent by volume and 20 percent by dollars compared to a growth in 2012 of 15 percent by volume and 17 percent by dollars. In 2013, craft brewers sold an estimated 15.6 million barrels of beer — up 2.4 million barrels from 2012. There were 413 new breweries opened across the country in 2013, including 304 microbrewers and 109 brewpubs. Craft brewers supply an estimated 110,273 jobs in the United States.

World Class Beer, a division of Monarch Beverage, was created in 2009 to respond to an ever-escalating demand for craft products. The division focuses on the promotion of craft, local, specialty and import beers and today employs eleven beer experts.

“When we founded World Class Beer, we never imagined just how quickly the craft beer industry would grow,” said Phil Terry, CEO at Monarch Beverage. “From 2009 to 2013, Monarch Beverage has seen a 77 percent increase in craft beer volume and an over 86 percent increase in craft beer revenue.”

Hoosier breweries are no stranger to this exponential growth. In fact, the volume growth from Indiana breweries carried by Monarch Beverage from 2009 – 2013 is 317 percent. During the same time Monarch Beverage saw a revenue growth from Indiana beer of 420 percent. In 2014, Monarch Beverage projects Indiana beer sales to increase 25 percent from 2013.

“When we poured our first beer in December of 2010, we never expected we’d come so far in just three years. Thanks to partnerships with distributors like World Class Beer, we are able to take our craft to hundreds of locations in Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois, and reach folks that otherwise might not have had the opportunity to sample the beers we produce at our Indianapolis tasting room.” said Sean O’Connor, Co-founder and CEO of Flat12 Bierwerks.

Monarch Beverage carries several Indiana breweries including Barley Island Brewing Co., Daredevil Brewing Co., Fountain Square Brewing Co., Flat12 Bierwerks, Sun King Brewing Co., Tin Man Brewing Co., Triton Brewing Co., 3 Floyds Brewing Co. and Upland Brewing Co.