As 2020 grinds toward its close, the year’s dearth of beer events represents not only lost revenue for breweries, but an existential threat to the way many businesses see their purpose and place in the industry.
Canceling events jeopardizes two of the main pillars supporting craft breweries—community and innovation—because events facilitate customer interaction and offer the chance to test new beers with drinkers. Events, from neighborhood tap takeovers to major beer festivals, are core to the identity of small breweries. These businesses have long defined themselves as places that are creative, fun, and alternative to the mainstream. So while breweries are loath to become loci for the virus’ spread, they’re also fearful that a lack of events could have devastating consequences that endure beyond 2020.
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