A handful of breweries are already planning to close, with many more unsure they will make it through the next few weeks or next few months, as beer drinkers continue to stay home in a widespread effort to slow down the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those are among the findings from the most recent survey conducted by the Brewers Association, the trade group that represents the country’s independent breweries. The survey received 455 responses from breweries in 49 states. BA Economist Bart Watson presented the findings on the group’s website this morning.
Much hinges on how long stay-at-home orders and other social distancing will last—or more specifically, on how long bars, restaurants, and taprooms will need to remain closed. Until then, draft beer is in hibernation, and many smaller taproom-focused breweries and brewpubs have lost massive chunks of their sales and had to furlough or lay off workers.