What You Told Us: 2026 Member Survey Results

Major thanks to the members who took the time to fill out the member survey. I know surveys can be tedious, and we (along with every other organization) are always asking for more. It is extremely helpful to hear about your needs directly from the source.

As a thank you for participating, we thought we'd pass along the findings! Please do reach out if you disagree with any of the points below. The Brewers Association (BA) is your trade association and exists to serve your needs, and we very much want to hear if and when that isn't happening.

And now, without further ado, the results!

What Is Top of Mind for BA Members Right Now?

First and foremost, brewery members are considering how to increase demand for their products. How can you bring more people into your taproom, rebuild local demand, support off-premise sales, and find and utilize effective marketing strategies? Based on survey comments, your peers are experimenting with events, switching up their product lineup, enhancing hospitality, and reaching new customers.

The second largest category is managing expenses and increasing margin pressures, typically in the form of labor, raw material costs, insurance, and utilities. Per the comments, you all feel like increasing operational costs are the new norm, not a cycle that will soon resolve itself. Members are considering structural decisions to accommodate this long term, like delaying investments, adjusting pricing, limiting payroll growth, and reducing owner returns.

Outside of expenses and revenue, production and operations are also top of mind. We are, of course, a beer manufacturing industry, so that makes sense. Members are thinking about beer quality, packaging, scheduling, inventory, equipment upkeep, and process efficiency. That said, members are looking for business guidance beyond just the brewing. The fact that beer production came in third is underlined by the comments: you all are concerned about, and asking for guidance on, how to run sustainable businesses.

Why Does This Matter?

For years, our industry (and your trade association) was focused on beer quality and education unique to breweries. Small business resources and information exist everywhere, but high-quality production of smaller-batch beer was unique to us. We are operating in a different environment now, and craft brewers are increasingly focused on challenges that are not unique to our industry. As your trade association, this feedback will help guide our content development, both at the Craft Brewers Conference® and year-round, to better meet these needs.

Insights on The New Brewer

You read The New Brewer.

A whopping 88% of respondents say they read the magazine, with most reading the print edition. Who said print is dead?

A significant number of you make buying decisions based on magazine ads.

Forty percent of readers said they make purchasing decisions based on ads in the magazine.

Why does this matter?

Printing and shipping a magazine is expensive, and print advertising is tricky because it can be hard to verify return on investment. Hearing that you regularly read and value the magazine is helpful for both BA staff and our valued advertisers.

That said, you're interested in new content types in the magazine.

You are seeking actionable updates from the magazine, or information that helps you make better decisions. Members reported interest in technical, instructional, and cutting-edge content, as well as pieces that are interesting, thought-provoking, and inspiring. You're also interested in new formats, such as case studies from successful breweries and "ask the expert" columns. Long form content still resonates, but time constraints make shorter/digestible formats desirable. There is a clear appetite for business content, focused on sales, finance, staffing, distribution, and taproom operations.

Why Does This Matter?

You read the magazine, which is great. But it sounds like there's still room to evolve. Consider that feedback noted, and keep an eye out for new additions in future issues!

What Comes Next?

As you can see, this survey was heavily focused on understanding perceptions of The New Brewer. BA staff are reviewing your feedback and considering how to incorporate it and continue this valuable benefit despite increasing costs. Keep an eye out for updates!

On the general comments: this is great intel to help guide BA benefits and programming in future years. The BA is your trade association and is driven by member needs and feedback. Based on this survey, you all are asking us to diversify benefits and content to more holistically support your small businesses.

Thanks again to those who took the time to fill out the survey. if any of this feels off. I'd love to incorporate your feedback as well.