Buy Craft Beer May 2026

Craft beer is a diverse and rapidly maturing market, with over 9,700 operating breweries in the U.S. as of 2022. This report provides a structured approach to buying craft beer, whether you are visiting a local taproom or shopping at a retail store.

: Measures color from 2 (pale straw) to 40+ (black). Darker colors often correlate with roasty, chocolate, or coffee flavors. Annual Craft Brewing Industry Production Report buy craft beer

Understanding common industry acronyms will help you predict the flavor profile of a beer: Craft beer is a diverse and rapidly maturing

Before purchasing, use these technical and visual cues to ensure you are getting a high-quality product: : Measures color from 2 (pale straw) to 40+ (black)

: Measures bitterness from hops on a scale typically from 0 to 100. Low (10–25) : Wheat beers, light lagers. Moderate (25–45) : Pale ales, porters. High (60+) : IPAs and Double IPAs.

(IPAs, Pale Ales) should be consumed as fresh as possible, ideally within weeks of canning.

: While cans are increasingly popular for protecting against light damage, some consumers still prefer bottles. For long-term aging (e.g., Imperial Stouts, Barleywines), bottle-conditioned options are superior as can liners may degrade over time. 2. Decoding the Label