Shawnee Adelson is Executive Director of the Colorado Brewers Guild. We'll discuss the Colorado Breweries’ Celebrations and Losses in 2025.
From the Brewers Association:
According to Colorado’s Liquor Enforcement Division, 2025 beer sales in the state were down -6%, worse than the national average of -5%. The Brewers Association tracked 268 new brewery openings and 434 closings, including another 40 Colorado brewery, taproom and brewpub closures in 2025, mirroring 2024 – more than 150 since the pandemic as Americans’ reported drinking dropped to its lowest level in 90 years.
Yet, despite these challenges, Colorado remains the most beer-job reliant state in the nation, accounting for 1 out of every 475 jobs in the state. According to Beer Serves America’s economic report, Colorado’s nearly 450 breweries help create 61,000 jobs, $4 billion in wages and $13.1 billion in economic activity for the state each year.
Amusing note: the picture for this blog showing the big copper and aluminum tanks is of a place called the Colorado Brewery...and it's actually in Brazil.