Yes, people are still starting breweries in 2024: According to Brewers Association data, 420 new breweries opened in the United States last year, down from 529 in 2022. Yet with rents and interest rates rising and the craft-beer category slowing, they have little room for error in their business models.
Increasingly, new breweries have help in that department from incubators, accelerators, and related programs aimed at giving them a running start. While they take various forms, these programs share a common goal: to launch and grow a new generation of beer brands by ensuring they have the brewing, marketing, and sales support they need to succeed in a turbulent market.