There are few things more American than a small brewery making beer for its local community.

A brewer orders malt. Hops arrive from somewhere that may be several thousand miles away. Yeast goes into the tank. Stainless-steel equipment gets cleaned. The beer eventually finds its way into a keg or aluminum can, and from there it ends up at a neighborhood taproom, a bottle shop, a grocery store or sitting on somebody’s porch while they contemplate whether they really need to mow the lawn.

It is easy to imagine that most of this process has very little to do with Washington, D.C.

Then tariffs enter the picture.

Craft Brewers Confront Higher Packaging Costs Under Trump Trade Policies

During Donald Trump’s current presidency, U.S. trade policy has become an increasingly important variable for American breweries. Tariffs on aluminum and steel, new duties affecting imported brewing equipment and ingredients, and increasingly complicated trade relationships with major suppliers such as Canada have introduced another layer of uncertainty into an industry that was already dealing with declining production, brewery closures and increasingly cautious consumers.

That does not mean that Donald Trump is solely responsible for the problems facing American craft beer.

Far from it.

Craft beer was already experiencing a difficult period before the current tariff regime. U.S. craft production declined in 2025, retail dollar sales fell, and the number of operating breweries continued to shrink. The Brewers Association estimates that craft volume declined another 4% during the first half of 2026.

But trade policy can make an already difficult business environment more difficult.

And for a small brewery, the interesting question isn’t necessarily:

“Did Trump make beer more expensive?”

The more useful question is:

“How does a policy made in Washington eventually become a more expensive can, keg, ingredient, piece of equipment—or pint?”

The answer involves an unexpectedly complicated journey through global commodity markets, domestic manufacturers, tariffs, supply chains and, eventually, the brewery down the street.

Some of our resources and links:

• Trouble Brewing: How Trump’s Liberation Day Tariffs Are Impacting Craft Beer
• Tariffs and Taps: How Trump’s Trade Policies Would Impact Craft Breweries
• It’s Time to Say Something About Canada’s Reaction to Trump’s Tariff (Opinion Piece by Lew Bryson)
• How Doubling Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Could Cripple America’s Craft Beer Industry

The Craft Beer Industry Was Already Having a Rough Time

Before getting into Trump and tariffs, it is important to establish something that can easily get lost in political arguments:

The American craft beer industry was already struggling.

The Brewers Association’s 2025 national statistics show craft brewer volume sales declining approximately 4%. Retail dollar sales declined 2.8%, falling to approximately $28 billion.

The number of breweries has also been declining.

According to the Brewers Association’s July 2026 midyear report, approximately 9,344 breweries were operating in June 2026, down 1.8% from 9,515 in June 2025. Craft production was down another 4% during the first six months of 2026 compared with the first half of 2025.

That matters.

A brewery that was already operating comfortably on a five- or six-percent margin doesn’t have the same ability to absorb another increase in its costs as a multinational beverage company.

And the problems facing craft beer aren’t exclusively about ingredients.

Breweries have been dealing with:

• higher labor costs;
• higher real-estate costs;
• energy expenses;
• insurance;
• slower beer consumption;
• increased competition;
• changing consumer preferences;
• distributor challenges;
• declining packaged-beer sales;
• and the simple fact that there are now thousands upon thousands of breweries competing for consumers’ attention.

The Brewers Association’s 2026 midyear data nevertheless contain some encouraging signs. While overall production was down, 54% of surveyed breweries reported growth, and craft consumers’ reported engagement with craft beer increased. Taprooms were also outperforming several other brewery models.

So this isn’t a story about an industry disappearing.

It’s a story about an industry under pressure.

And tariffs are another pressure.

The Aluminum Problem

If you want to understand Trump’s effect on craft beer, start with the aluminum can.

The humble beer can is one of the most important pieces of technology in modern craft brewing.

Cans are lightweight, stackable, recyclable, relatively durable, easier to transport than glass bottles and particularly useful for breweries that want to package beer for distribution.

They are also made out of aluminum.

And aluminum has become one of the most politically important metals in the American economy.

The Trump administration’s Section 232 tariff structure has placed a 50% tariff on covered aluminum products, including aluminum sheet and finished aluminum containers used for beverages. The Brewers Association says the current framework includes aluminum sheet and finished cans within the 50% tariff category, while some aluminum lids are treated differently.

At first glance, a brewery owner might reasonably think:

“I don’t import aluminum. I buy cans from an American supplier.”

And that would seem to solve the problem.

It doesn’t necessarily.

The American Can That Isn’t Immune to Tariffs

This is one of the more fascinating aspects of the tariff issue.

A can can be made in America and still be affected by tariffs.

Why?

Because the American can manufacturer exists within a broader aluminum market.

The Brewers Association explained in August 2026 that U.S. aluminum pricing is influenced by both the global aluminum price and something called the Midwest Premium. That premium reflects the delivered price of aluminum in the U.S. market.

And tariffs can influence that price.

This creates an important distinction between:

“Did my brewery directly pay a tariff?”

and

“Did a tariff affect the price my brewery paid?”

Those aren’t necessarily the same thing.

A small brewery may purchase cans from an American manufacturer.

The manufacturer may purchase aluminum sheet from another American company.

That company may purchase or compete against material priced against the global aluminum market.

Tariffs alter the economics of that market.

Those increased costs can move through the supply chain.

Eventually, the brewery gets the bill.

The Brewers Association’s August analysis specifically noted that the Midwest Premium had grown substantially as a share of U.S. aluminum pricing and that tariff policy was contributing to the delivered cost of aluminum.

That means the tariff’s effect doesn’t stop at the customs dock.

It can move through the domestic market.

The Recycling Complication

Here’s another wrinkle.

Aluminum is highly recyclable, and breweries commonly use cans containing recycled material.

So shouldn’t recycled aluminum protect breweries from tariffs on imported primary aluminum?

Not entirely.

The Brewers Association explains that the primary and recycled aluminum markets are interconnected. Even when a can contains substantial recycled material, the pricing of recycled aluminum can be influenced by the broader aluminum market.

In other words:

American brewery + American can + recycled aluminum ≠ completely insulated from tariff effects.

This is one of the reasons the issue is more complicated than simply asking which country manufactured a can.

The aluminum market is a market.

And markets don’t always respect the neat national boundaries we like to draw on a map.

Why Small Breweries Feel This More

A giant beer company buys enormous quantities of cans.

A small brewery doesn’t.

That sounds like an obvious disadvantage—and it is.

Large buyers generally have greater purchasing power and can negotiate from a stronger position. A small independent brewery ordering comparatively modest quantities has fewer opportunities to use sheer volume to negotiate favorable pricing.

The Brewers Association notes that aluminum cans accounted for nearly 80% of off-premises craft beer volume in 2025, making aluminum particularly important to independent brewers.

Consider what that means.

Imagine a brewery that packages thousands of cases every year.

A relatively small increase in packaging cost is multiplied across:

• every can;
• every case;
• every pallet;
• every shipment;
• and eventually every beer sold.

The consumer may never see a line on their receipt saying:

“Trump aluminum tariff surcharge: $0.37.”

Instead, the cost may simply become part of the price of the beer.

The Keg Problem

Cans get most of the attention because they’re visible.

But breweries don’t live on cans alone.

They use stainless-steel kegs.

And they use enormous amounts of stainless steel and other metal in the brewery itself.

Fermentation tanks.

Bright tanks.

Brewhouses.

Pipes.

Valves.

Heat exchangers.

Pumps.

Kegs.

Packaging equipment.

Storage equipment.

Some of these products or components are affected directly or indirectly by tariffs on steel and aluminum.

The Brewers Association has specifically warned that tariff policy is likely to keep costs elevated for craft brewers in areas including cans, kegs and brewing equipment.

This becomes particularly important when a brewery is trying to expand.

Imagine two breweries.

One is established and has no major capital projects planned.

The other wants to buy a new fermenter, upgrade its canning line or install additional cellar capacity.

The second brewery isn’t simply dealing with the cost of today’s beer.

It is dealing with the cost of tomorrow’s beer.

If equipment costs rise, expansion can become more expensive.

And that can influence decisions about whether a brewery adds capacity, opens another location, launches distribution or simply stays put.

It’s Not Just Aluminum and Steel

If this were simply an aluminum story, it would be relatively straightforward.

But breweries are businesses with global supply chains.

And beer is made from ingredients and equipment that come from all over the world.

In July 2026, the U.S. Trade Representative finalized new Section 301 tariffs covering goods from approximately 60 economies. The Brewers Association reported that Australian and New Zealand hops, along with many Chinese brewing-equipment products, were among the brewery-related products facing a 12.5% tariff rate under the new framework.

That matters because craft beer loves specialty hops.

American breweries have spent decades building beers around distinctive varieties from around the world.

A brewery might use:

• American hops;
• Australian hops;
• New Zealand hops;
• European specialty malts;
• Canadian malt;
• imported yeast or fermentation products;
• foreign equipment components;
• American water;
• and American aluminum cans.

The beer may be brewed in Pennsylvania.

But the supply chain behind that beer can stretch around the world.

New Zealand and Australian Hops

For hop lovers, this is particularly interesting.

Australian and New Zealand hops have become extremely important to modern American craft brewing.

Think of the flavors associated with many modern hazy IPAs:

Passionfruit.

Grapefruit.

Lime.

Tropical fruit.

Stone fruit.

White wine.

Pine.

Resin.

Brewers have increasingly turned to varieties from Australia and New Zealand to achieve particular aromatic profiles.

If imported hops become more expensive because of tariffs, breweries have several options.

They can:

Absorb the increase.

That hurts margins.

Raise the price.

Consumers pay more.

Use less of the expensive hop.

The beer changes.

Substitute another hop.

The beer changes again.

Find another supplier.

That may take time and may not produce the same sensory result.

This is why tariff policy isn’t necessarily just an accounting problem.

For some breweries, it can become a recipe problem.

The Specialty-Malt Question

Hops get the headlines because hop-forward beer is such a defining part of American craft brewing.

But malt matters too.

Specialty malts can come from different countries, and certain brewing styles depend on ingredients that aren’t necessarily produced domestically at the same scale or with the same characteristics.

The Brewers Association has warned that imported hops, specialty malts, brewing equipment and other brewery inputs can be affected by the evolving tariff environment.

Again, however, there is an important exception worth mentioning:

Canadian barley and barley malt have received different treatment under USMCA.

The Brewers Association noted in June 2026 that duty-free Canadian barley and barley malt remained outside the proposed additional tariffs discussed at that time.

Which brings us to Canada.

And things get considerably more complicated there.

Canada: Beer, Barley and a Complicated Relationship

Canada is important to American brewing.

It’s also America’s neighbor, major trading partner and an important source of agricultural products.

For brewers, Canadian barley and malt are particularly significant.

So changes in U.S.-Canada trade policy can have consequences far beyond the political arguments surrounding tariffs.

There is also another side to the Canadian dispute: Canadian beer itself.

In September 2026, the Trump administration issued a proclamation concerning Canadian alcoholic beverages. The White House announced that certain Canadian alcoholic beverages would be excluded from importation into the United States beginning September 29, 2026, while products covered by the earlier measures were subject to a 50% duty under the specified circumstances.

The administration’s stated rationale is that Canada has discriminated against U.S. alcoholic beverages.

That is the administration’s position and should be distinguished from the broader economic question of what the policy does to American beer businesses.

For an American brewery, Canadian beer can be both:

a competitor

and

a source of inputs.

That’s an unusual situation.

A trade dispute that makes imported Canadian beer more difficult or expensive can potentially reduce competition from Canadian products in the American market.

But trade restrictions involving Canada can also create uncertainty around the agricultural and manufacturing supply chains American brewers depend upon.

Trade policy rarely travels in only one direction.

So Will Beer Prices Go Up?

Probably the more useful answer is:

There is upward pressure, but tariffs don’t automatically translate into a specific increase in the price of a pint.

A brewery has choices.

Suppose a brewery’s annual packaging expenses increase.

The brewery could absorb the increase.

That means lower margins.

Or it could increase prices.

That means consumers absorb the increase.

Or it could cut costs elsewhere.

That might mean fewer employees, fewer events, less marketing, fewer experimental batches or reduced capital investment.

Or it might simply accept that it will make less money.

The economic chain therefore looks something like this:

Tariff

↓

Higher input cost

↓

Supplier pricing

↓

Brewery cost of goods increases

↓

Brewery decides how much of the increase to absorb

↓

Potential price increase / reduced margin / cost-cutting

↓

Consumer eventually experiences some portion of the change

The important phrase is “some portion.”

A tariff doesn’t necessarily mean the consumer pays 100% of the tariff.

Nor does it necessarily mean the brewery absorbs 100%.

The cost can be distributed throughout the supply chain.

But Beer Was Already Getting More Expensive

This is another important piece of context.

Craft beer had already experienced significant price increases before the current tariff environment.

Inflation, labor costs, transportation, ingredients, packaging and other expenses have all contributed to the cost of producing and selling beer.

The Brewers Association’s 2025 figures illustrate an interesting phenomenon: craft retail dollar sales fell less sharply than volume, with price increases contributing to the difference.

That means breweries have already been trying to navigate a difficult balancing act:

How much can you charge for a four-pack before the consumer decides that four beers simply aren’t worth that much money?

That’s a particularly serious question for independent breweries.

The Consumer Is Part of the Equation

Ultimately, a brewery can only charge what somebody is willing to pay.

This is where tariffs intersect with consumer psychology.

Imagine a consumer walking into a brewery in 2027.

They see:

$9 pint

Then:

$10.50 pint

Then:

$12 pint

The consumer doesn’t necessarily know why the price increased.

Maybe it was aluminum.

Maybe it was malt.

Maybe wages.

Maybe insurance.

Maybe rent.

Maybe distribution.

Maybe the brewery simply raised prices.

Maybe all of the above.

And that creates a challenge for craft beer because craft beer’s greatest strength—its diversity and independence—is also one of its economic vulnerabilities.

Consumers have alternatives.

They can buy a domestic lager.

They can buy a macro beer.

They can buy wine.

They can make cocktails.

They can buy spirits.

They can buy nonalcoholic beer.

They can drink THC beverages where legal.

Or they can simply buy less alcohol.

The Brewers Association’s 2026 midyear report does provide an encouraging counterpoint: among surveyed craft consumers, monthly craft consumption increased year over year, and brewery visits increased as well.

So consumers haven’t abandoned craft beer.

But breweries still have to convince them that the experience is worth the price.

The Small-Business Problem

This is where the tariff discussion becomes particularly important.

A brewery isn’t just a beer factory.

It’s often:

• a restaurant;
• a bar;
• an event venue;
• a community gathering place;
• a retailer;
• a local employer;
• a tourist destination;
• and sometimes a manufacturing operation all at once.

The Brewers Association estimates that craft brewing contributed approximately $71.8 billion to the U.S. economy in 2025 and supported more than 415,000 jobs when direct and indirect economic effects are included.

That means changes in brewery economics don’t stop at the brewhouse.

If a brewery cuts production, the effect can reach:

• employees;
• distributors;
• can manufacturers;
• maltsters;
• hop growers;
• farmers;
• restaurants;
• delivery companies;
• local contractors;
• musicians;
• event vendors;
• and nearby businesses that benefit from brewery traffic.

The economic ecosystem surrounding craft beer is much larger than the liquid inside the can.

Is This All Bad News?

Not necessarily.

This is where the discussion becomes more nuanced.

Tariffs are intended, in part, to change economic behavior.

The argument for tariffs is generally that making imported products more expensive can encourage domestic production and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

If tariffs encourage more American production of aluminum, steel, equipment or other brewery inputs, there could eventually be benefits for domestic manufacturers.

That is a legitimate economic argument.

But the important word is:

eventually.

A brewery facing higher costs today has to survive today.

A hypothetical domestic manufacturing expansion five years from now doesn’t pay today’s electricity bill.

This creates the central tension:

Short-term cost

versus

Long-term industrial policy.

Whether the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term costs is a broader economic and political question rather than something that can be answered simply by looking at the price of a six-pack.

The Bigger Problem May Be Uncertainty

Perhaps the most significant effect of the Trump administration’s trade policy on craft beer isn’t any single tariff.

It may be uncertainty.

Breweries make plans.

They buy equipment.

They sign contracts.

They develop recipes.

They order ingredients.

They negotiate distribution.

They plan seasonal releases.

They forecast revenue.

They decide whether to expand.

They decide whether to hire.

They decide whether to open another location.

All of those decisions become more difficult when a brewery doesn’t know what a particular piece of equipment, ingredient or packaging material will cost six months from now.

And trade policy has continued to change.

The Brewers Association’s 2026 updates show an evolving tariff landscape affecting aluminum, steel, hops, equipment and other brewery-related inputs.

For a giant corporation, uncertainty is expensive.

For a tiny brewery, uncertainty can be existential.

Trump Didn’t Create the Craft Beer Slump

This deserves repeating.

If someone tells you that the current problems facing American craft beer began with Donald Trump, the historical record doesn’t support that simplistic explanation.

Craft beer’s current difficulties predate the present tariff environment.

Production has declined.

The brewery count has fallen.

Consumer behavior has changed.

Competition has intensified.

Costs have risen.

The industry has been working through a post-pandemic correction and a broader maturation of the American craft beer market.

The Brewers Association’s own 2026 data show that the industry was already contracting while also showing signs of resilience.

Trump’s policies therefore shouldn’t be viewed as the cause of the craft beer industry’s problems.

They are better understood as another economic variable affecting an industry that was already under pressure.

That distinction matters.

But Trump Is Changing the Economic Environment Brewers Operate In

At the same time, it would be equally misleading to dismiss the effects of the administration’s trade policies.

The documented effects are tangible.

Aluminum tariffs influence aluminum pricing.

Steel tariffs influence steel pricing.

Tariffs on imported goods affect the cost of certain brewing equipment and ingredients.

Trade disputes create uncertainty.

And those costs can move through the brewing supply chain.

The Brewers Association has repeatedly raised these issues because independent breweries are particularly exposed to packaging and equipment costs.

The question isn’t whether trade policy affects breweries.

It does.

The more complicated question is how large the ultimate effect will be.

That will vary enormously from brewery to brewery.

What Does This Mean for Your Local Brewery?

For the average beer drinker, the most meaningful effects may not be dramatic.

You probably aren’t going to walk into your favorite brewery and see a sign reading:

“SORRY, PRESIDENTIAL TARIFFS. PINTS NOW $14.”

Instead, the effects may be incremental.

Maybe a four-pack goes from $17 to $18.

Maybe a seasonal beer disappears because its imported hops became too expensive.

Maybe a brewery delays buying a new fermenter.

Maybe a tap list contains fewer beers.

Maybe a brewery changes packaging.

Maybe a brewer switches hop varieties.

Maybe a brewery chooses to distribute less beer and focus more heavily on its taproom.

Maybe none of those things happen.

That’s the difficulty in attributing a particular brewery’s business decision to a particular tariff.

Businesses have dozens of costs and dozens of variables.

Pennsylvania Has More at Stake Than Most States

Trump’s Tariff Policies are Affecting Pennsylvanian Breweries

If the national craft-beer industry is feeling the effects of tariffs, Pennsylvania has a particularly interesting—and potentially complicated—position.

The Keystone State isn’t simply another state with a few breweries scattered around it.

Pennsylvania is one of the country’s major craft-brewing states.

According to the Brewers Association’s 2025 economic-impact data, Pennsylvania’s craft-brewing industry generated approximately $4.9 billion in economic output, second among all states behind California.

That makes Pennsylvania’s brewing industry economically significant enough that changes affecting breweries can ripple well beyond the taproom.

And Pennsylvania’s breweries are already operating in a difficult environment.

According to 2025 production data compiled from the Brewers Association, Pennsylvania produced approximately 1.92 million barrels of craft beer, down dramatically from 2.63 million barrels in 2024. That represented the state’s third consecutive annual decline in craft production.

So Pennsylvania’s brewers aren’t entering the tariff era from a position of unlimited growth.

They’re entering it while already trying to figure out how to sell less beer in a market with more competition and increasingly price-conscious consumers.

That makes every additional cost matter.

Pennsylvania’s Brewery Industry Is Big—and Particularly Diverse

Pennsylvania has another characteristic that makes it interesting.

Its craft-beer industry isn’t concentrated exclusively among enormous breweries.

The state has a huge number of small and independent breweries spread throughout Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley, the Poconos, Central Pennsylvania, Erie, Lancaster, York, Harrisburg and dozens of smaller communities.

That means Pennsylvania’s beer economy includes everything from relatively large regional producers to tiny neighborhood breweries.

The tariff consequences therefore won’t be uniform.

A brewery that sells primarily draft beer directly from its taproom has a different exposure than a brewery selling thousands of cases of canned beer through distributors.

A brewery that buys American-made equipment has a different exposure than one importing specialized equipment.

A brewery using mostly domestic hops has a different exposure than one heavily dependent upon New Zealand or Australian varieties.

And a brewery producing 500 barrels a year has a radically different purchasing position from a brewery producing tens of thousands.

But there is one Pennsylvania characteristic that makes the aluminum issue particularly important:

Pennsylvania has a large packaged-beer market and a large number of independent breweries competing for shelf space.

When packaging becomes more expensive, those breweries have to make difficult decisions about where that money comes from.

Fegley’s Brew Works: A Pennsylvania Brewery Already Talking About the Problem

One of the clearest Pennsylvania examples comes from Fegley’s Brew Works, the Lehigh Valley brewery with locations in Bethlehem and Allentown.

In February 2025, before the Trump administration’s aluminum and steel tariffs took effect, owner Jeff Fegley publicly warned that higher metal costs could hurt Pennsylvania’s craft-beer industry.

Fegley specifically connected higher aluminum costs to potentially higher can prices and, ultimately, higher consumer prices.

He also pointed out that Pennsylvania’s craft-beer industry was already dealing with a difficult marketplace, including changing consumer behavior and competition from other beverage categories.

That distinction is important.

Fegley’s concern wasn’t simply:

“Aluminum is going to cost more.”

It was essentially:

“Aluminum is going to cost more in an industry that is already struggling.”

That’s a much bigger problem.

A brewery can potentially absorb a cost increase when business is booming.

It is considerably harder to do when margins are already under pressure.

Fegley’s comments also highlight something particularly important for Pennsylvania:

craft beer isn’t competing only against other beer.

Pennsylvania’s beverage market includes breweries, distilleries, wineries, RTDs and other alcohol categories.

If a craft brewery raises prices, consumers have alternatives.

Human Robot: When the Numbers Become Real

Philadelphia provides an even more concrete example.

In March 2025, CBS Philadelphia interviewed Jake Atkinson, owner of Human Robot Brewery, about the aluminum tariffs.

Atkinson said that if the situation continued, beer prices would have to rise. He described the situation as particularly difficult for a small business because of the uncertainty surrounding changing tariff policy.

Human Robot is an especially useful example because Philadelphia’s beer scene is heavily populated by independent breweries operating at relatively small scales.

Those breweries don’t have the purchasing power of multinational beverage companies.

They can’t necessarily negotiate the same prices.

And they can’t necessarily spread a relatively small increase across hundreds of thousands or millions of cases.

For a small brewery, a few cents per can can become a substantial annual expense.

And if the brewery doesn’t raise prices, that money has to come from somewhere else.

Love City Brewing: The “American-Made Can” Problem

Perhaps the most useful Pennsylvania example is Love City Brewing in Philadelphia.

Co-founder Melissa Walter told CBS Philadelphia that Love City packaged approximately 150 cases—roughly 3,600 cans—on a typical canning day, with the brewery operating its canning line roughly three times per week.

The really interesting part, however, was the source of the cans.

The cans themselves were manufactured in the United States.

But the raw aluminum used to produce them frequently came from Canada.

Walter said the brewery spends tens of thousands of dollars on aluminum, meaning even a substantial percentage increase in raw-material costs could have a significant effect on the brewery’s finances.

This illustrates one of the most important points in the entire tariff debate:

“Made in America” doesn’t necessarily mean “unaffected by tariffs.”

A Pennsylvania brewery can buy an American-made can from an American supplier and still be affected by tariffs on the aluminum entering the American supply chain.

That is precisely why the Brewers Association has continued lobbying for changes to aluminum tariff policy.

The association has explained that American can manufacturers themselves can depend on imported aluminum, particularly material originating in Canada.

For Love City, this wasn’t an abstract economic theory.

It was an actual purchasing expense.

And when Walter discussed the possibility of increased costs, she also raised another issue: maintaining employee compensation and benefits.

That is an important part of the story.

When a brewery absorbs higher costs, the consequence isn’t necessarily just a lower profit for the owner.

It can potentially affect:

• wages;
• benefits;
• staffing;
• hours;
• new hires;
• production;
• taproom investment;
• and expansion.

Sherman Street Beer Company: Hops, Malt and Aluminum All at Once

Philadelphia isn’t the only Pennsylvania market where brewers were worried.

In Allentown, Sherman Street Beer Company owner Beau Baden discussed the tariff issue with The Pennsylvania Independent in April 2025.

Baden had a particularly interesting problem because his brewery imported hops and malt from countries around the world, while also relying heavily on aluminum cans.

And he had just received an order of approximately 20,000 cans when he was discussing the potential financial impact of the tariffs.

His concern was simple: he didn’t yet know exactly what the bill was going to look like.

That uncertainty is worth emphasizing.

A tariff doesn’t always arrive at the brewery with a neatly labeled invoice saying:

Aluminum tariff: $X.

The effects can move through suppliers and distributors.

That makes budgeting difficult.

Baden also described the fundamental problem facing small breweries: margins are already thin.

He told The Pennsylvania Independent that the brewery might have to absorb the increased costs initially and reassess its position later.

That is a very different strategy from immediately raising prices.

And it demonstrates the choices breweries actually face.

Pennsylvania’s Brewery Leaders Were Warning About This Before the Tariffs Hit

The Pennsylvania examples aren’t isolated.

In February and April 2025, Pennsylvania brewery owners were publicly discussing the potential impact of Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs before the costs had fully worked their way through the supply chain.

Fegley’s Brew Works was one example.

Human Robot and Love City were others.

Sherman Street Beer Company provided another.

And Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro even visited Fegley’s Brew Works in Bethlehem in April 2025 to discuss the potential effects of tariffs on Pennsylvania small businesses.

That doesn’t mean Pennsylvania breweries have experienced identical financial consequences.

They haven’t.

But it demonstrates that tariff exposure was an identifiable concern among Pennsylvania brewers before the full effects of the policy were known.

Why Pennsylvania Could Be Especially Vulnerable

There are several reasons Pennsylvania deserves special attention.

1. Pennsylvania has a huge craft-brewing economy

The Brewers Association estimates approximately $4.9 billion in craft-brewing economic output in Pennsylvania during 2025, second nationally.

When the industry is that large, even relatively modest changes in operating costs can have substantial aggregate effects.

2. Pennsylvania has hundreds of breweries

The state has one of the country’s largest brewery populations.

That means tariff effects aren’t concentrated in a handful of companies.

They can reach hundreds of independent businesses.

3. Pennsylvania’s craft industry is already contracting

The state’s craft production fell from approximately 2.63 million barrels in 2024 to 1.92 million barrels in 2025, according to Brewers Association data reported by Breweries in PA.

That makes the timing particularly significant.

4. Pennsylvania breweries compete in a crowded beverage market

As Fegley pointed out, Pennsylvania breweries aren’t operating in isolation.

They compete with:

• other breweries;
• distilleries;
• ready-to-drink beverages;
• wine;
• spirits;
• nonalcoholic drinks;
• and increasingly diverse consumer choices.

Higher beer prices can therefore have consequences beyond the brewery itself.

5. The state’s geographic position makes regional supply chains important

Pennsylvania sits between major population centers in the Northeast and has enormous transportation connections.

Philadelphia is close to New York and New Jersey.

Pittsburgh sits at a major crossroads between the Midwest and Northeast.

Central Pennsylvania sits between major population centers.

That creates tremendous advantages for breweries—but also means Pennsylvania breweries are embedded within complicated regional distribution networks.

But Pennsylvania Also Has Some Advantages

The story isn’t exclusively negative.

Pennsylvania’s size and established brewing culture can work in its favor.

The state has:

• established malt producers;
• hop growers;
• brewing-equipment businesses;
• packaging suppliers;
• distributors;
• a large consumer base;
• a mature brewery tourism culture;
• and a long-established network of independent breweries.

The state also has substantial agricultural resources.

That gives Pennsylvania breweries opportunities to shorten portions of their supply chains.

For example, a brewer can potentially emphasize Pennsylvania-grown ingredients or work with regional suppliers.

That won’t solve the aluminum problem.

It won’t eliminate tariffs on imported equipment.

And it won’t necessarily make domestic ingredients cheaper.

But it provides Pennsylvania breweries with something valuable:

options.

Pennsylvania’s “Brews to Barns” Experiment

Pennsylvania is also doing something particularly interesting at the state level.

A 2026 legislative effort known as Brews to Barns was developed to help connect Pennsylvania breweries with Pennsylvania agricultural producers.

The legislation includes provisions intended to support the use of Pennsylvania agricultural products by breweries, while also providing financial relief mechanisms for brewers.

According to the Brewers Association, Pennsylvania’s version developed from a similar Texas proposal and was being pursued as a way to help small independent brewers navigate a difficult environment that includes tariffs, fuel prices and rising aluminum costs.

That is an interesting response to the tariff environment.

Instead of trying to solve the international trade problem, Pennsylvania can potentially help breweries strengthen the parts of their supply chains that can be localized.

If a Pennsylvania brewery can source more of its agricultural inputs from Pennsylvania, it potentially reduces exposure to some international trade volatility.

Again, though, that isn’t a magic solution.

You can’t grow aluminum in Lancaster County.

You can’t necessarily manufacture every specialized brewing component in Pennsylvania.

And a brewery making a New Zealand-hopped IPA can’t simply substitute a Pennsylvania hop and expect an identical beer.

But localization can reduce exposure at the margins.

And when you’re operating on thin margins, margins matter.

The Pennsylvania Brewery Examples

The following breweries have publicly discussed tariff-related concerns or consequences and are therefore useful examples for anyone writing about the Pennsylvania impact:

The first four are particularly useful because there is specific reporting connecting the brewery or owner to tariff concerns, rather than simply assuming that every Pennsylvania brewery must have been affected.

That’s an important distinction.

It would be misleading to publish a list of Pennsylvania breweries and claim that all of them have been harmed by tariffs without evidence from those individual businesses.

What About Troegs, Yuengling, Yards and Other Pennsylvania Breweries?

This is where caution is warranted.

Pennsylvania has some very large and recognizable breweries—Yuengling, Tröegs, Victory, Yards, Neshaminy Creek, Weyerbacher and many others—but I would not claim that any of these particular breweries have suffered a specific tariff-related financial impact unless the brewery itself, a credible industry publication, financial disclosure or another reliable source documents it.

That’s especially important because tariff exposure depends heavily on:

• packaging contracts;
• purchasing volume;
• domestic versus imported materials;
• equipment purchases;
• hop varieties;
• malt sources;
• distribution strategy;
• and the timing of contracts.

Two breweries in the same city can therefore experience very different effects.

A Pennsylvania brewery is not automatically “tariff affected” in the same way as another Pennsylvania brewery.

The Bigger Pennsylvania Question

The most interesting question for Pennsylvania isn’t necessarily whether tariffs will cause every brewery to raise its prices.

It’s what happens when several economic pressures arrive simultaneously.

Pennsylvania’s craft industry is already dealing with declining production.

Then add:

higher aluminum costs

higher equipment costs

potentially higher imported ingredient costs

labor costs

energy costs

distribution costs

consumer resistance to higher prices

and you have a much more complicated economic equation.

The danger isn’t necessarily one enormous cost increase.

It is death by a thousand small increases.

A brewery doesn’t have to lose $500,000 because of tariffs to feel the consequences.

It might lose:

$5,000 here.

$10,000 there.

Another $15,000 in packaging.

Another $8,000 in equipment.

Another increase in transportation.

Another increase in insurance.

And suddenly the brewery’s annual profit has become considerably smaller.

Pennsylvania’s Craft-Beer Future May Depend on Adaptation

There is, however, an encouraging element to this story.

Pennsylvania breweries have survived enormous changes before.

The state went from having relatively few craft breweries to becoming one of America’s most important brewing states.

Brewers have repeatedly adapted to changes in consumer tastes, distribution laws, ingredients, packaging and technology.

They have also become increasingly creative about their business models.

Taprooms.

Restaurants.

Beer gardens.

Events.

Nonalcoholic products.

Cider.

Spirits.

Food.

Merchandise.

Brewery tourism.

Direct-to-consumer experiences.

The modern Pennsylvania brewery is much more than a factory producing beer.

That flexibility may become increasingly important.

The Keystone State’s Tariff Story

Ultimately, Pennsylvania provides a useful microcosm of the national story.

Trump’s tariffs did not create Pennsylvania’s craft-beer problems.

The state’s breweries were already dealing with declining production and a changing marketplace.

But tariffs add another variable.

And because Pennsylvania has such a large and economically important craft-brewing industry, the consequences potentially extend much further than the breweries themselves.

The question isn’t simply:

“Will Pennsylvania beer become more expensive?”

Some beer probably will.

The more interesting questions are:

Which breweries can absorb the additional costs?

Which will pass them on to consumers?

Which will change ingredients or packaging?

Which will postpone expansion?

Which will localize more of their supply chain?

And perhaps most importantly:

Which breweries can adapt quickly enough to survive another difficult period?

Pennsylvania has one of the largest craft-beer economies in America.

It also has one of the largest collections of independent breweries.

That combination means the Keystone State could become an especially interesting place to watch the long-term effects of America’s new trade environment.

Because when Washington changes the rules of the global economy, the consequences don’t remain in Washington.

Eventually, they show up in Allentown.

Philadelphia.

Erie.

Pittsburgh.

Harrisburg.

Lancaster.

Scranton.

And, eventually, at the tap.

1. Pennsylvania vs. Other Major Craft-Beer States

This would be an excellent graphic for the Pennsylvania section because it establishes why Pennsylvania deserves special attention.

Pennsylvania is one of America’s largest craft-beer economies

2025 economic impact of craft breweries in the five states with the largest total economic output.

Source: Brewers Association, 2025 Economic Impact Data.

Pennsylvania ranked second among U.S. states in craft-brewing economic impact in 2025, generating nearly $5 billion in economic activity. Source: Brewers Association.

2. Pennsylvania Craft-Beer Production

I’d put this directly into the section discussing the state’s existing problems.

The important point here is that tariffs are arriving while Pennsylvania craft beer is already dealing with contraction.

The current Brewers Association data give us a 2025 Pennsylvania production figure of 2,004,382 barrels, while the BA’s 2024 data reported Pennsylvania at more than 2.6 million barrels.

Pennsylvania craft-beer production has fallen sharply

Annual craft-beer production in Pennsylvania. The decline illustrates the difficult market conditions breweries were already facing before the current tariff environment fully developed.

Sources: Brewers Association 2024 and 2025 state craft-beer statistics. Figures are craft-beer production, measured in barrels.

Pennsylvania’s craft-beer production fell substantially from 2024 to 2025. Tariffs therefore entered an industry already dealing with declining production rather than a rapidly expanding market.

3. Pennsylvania’s Craft-Beer Footprint

This might actually be my favorite Pennsylvania graphic.

It shows that Pennsylvania has a huge number of breweries relative to other major craft states, while also having enormous production.

Source: Brewers Association, State Craft Beer Sales & Production Statistics, 2025.

Pennsylvania had 538 craft breweries in 2025, second only to California.

What This Means for Craft Beer as a Whole

The American craft beer industry has always been built on experimentation.

That experimentation isn’t limited to flavors.

Craft brewers experiment with:

• ingredients;
• equipment;
• packaging;
• business models;
• taproom concepts;
• distribution;
• collaborations;
• events;
• and consumer experiences.

Tariffs could potentially make some forms of experimentation more expensive.

A brewery considering an imported canning system might reconsider.

A brewer experimenting with expensive imported hops might use less.

A brewery thinking about adding a new cellar tank might delay the purchase.

Those decisions don’t necessarily kill innovation.

But they can influence which innovations are economically practical.

And that is ultimately the most interesting part of the story.

4. The National Craft-Beer Contraction

I’d also include one national chart near the beginning of the article, because it gives readers the context they need before we start talking about tariffs.

The Brewers Association reports that U.S. craft production fell 4% in 2025 to 22.034 million barrels, following a 3.9% decline in 2024.

American craft beer entered the tariff era already contracting

U.S. craft-beer production declined in both 2024 and 2025, illustrating that the industry’s current challenges predate the latest tariff environment.

Source: Brewers Association. 2024 production: 23.1 million barrels. 2025 production: 22.034 million barrels.

Craft beer’s current difficulties did not begin with Trump’s tariff policies. U.S. craft production declined in both 2024 and 2025, with 2025 production falling another 4% to 22.034 million barrels.

From the Oval Office to Your Pint Glass

The distance between Washington and your local brewery may seem enormous.

It isn’t.

A tariff can begin as a presidential proclamation.

It can become a change in the price of aluminum.

That can influence the price of can sheet.

The can manufacturer adjusts its pricing.

The distributor adjusts its costs.

The brewery receives a higher packaging bill.

The brewery calculates its margins.

The owner decides whether to absorb the increase.

The brewer releases a new IPA.

You walk into the taproom.

And you pay for it.

That’s how government policy becomes beer.

Not instantly.

Not always directly.

And not always predictably.

But through the interconnected machinery of the modern economy.

The Bottom Line

The effect of Donald Trump’s policies on American craft beer is neither as simple as “Trump is killing craft beer” nor as simple as “tariffs will bring manufacturing back and everything will be fine.”

The reality is considerably more complicated.

The craft beer industry was already contracting before the current tariff regime.

At the same time, the administration’s trade policies have created real additional costs and uncertainty for breweries, particularly around aluminum, steel, packaging, equipment and certain imported ingredients.

The aluminum issue may be the clearest example. A brewery doesn’t necessarily have to import an aluminum can to feel the effects of aluminum tariffs. Domestic cans can be connected to a broader aluminum pricing structure influenced by tariff policy.

Meanwhile, tariffs affecting Australian and New Zealand hops and Chinese brewing equipment illustrate how the consequences extend beyond packaging.

And the increasingly complicated relationship with Canada demonstrates just how interconnected American brewing is with its neighbors and international suppliers.

For consumers, the eventual consequences may be subtle:

A slightly more expensive four-pack.

A different hop variety.

A delayed brewery expansion.

A smaller tap list.

A brewery choosing to focus more heavily on its taproom.

Or perhaps nothing noticeable at all.

For some breweries, however, several small increases arriving simultaneously could make the difference between comfortable operation and another difficult year.

And that may be the real story of Trump’s effect on craft beer.

The tariff isn’t the beer.

It’s one more ingredient in the recipe.

And for an industry already trying to figure out what the next version of American craft beer looks like, it’s an ingredient that brewers didn’t necessarily order—but now have to figure out how to work with.

Sources & Further Reading

Brewers Association

1. “From Tariff to Tap: How Aluminum Costs Reach Brewers” — Brewers Association, August 26, 2026.
   Detailed explanation of aluminum pricing, the Midwest Premium, recycled aluminum and how tariff-related costs can reach breweries.
2. “Restructured Aluminum Tariffs Continue to Pressure Craft Brewers” — Brewers Association, April 3, 2026.
   Discussion of the administration’s Section 232 tariff framework and its implications for cans, kegs and brewing equipment.
3. “New Section 301 Tariffs Take Effect” — Brewers Association, July 24, 2026.
   Covers the 2026 Section 301 tariff changes and their effects on Australian/New Zealand hops and Chinese brewing equipment.
4. “2026 Midyear Report: Pressure Persists as Signs of Stability Emerge” — Brewers Association, July 22, 2026.
   Industry production, brewery-count and consumer-engagement data for the first half of 2026.
5. National Beer Sales & Production Data — Brewers Association.
   National craft-beer production and sales statistics, including 2025 volume and retail-dollar data.
6. Economic Impact Data — Brewers Association.
   Estimates of the craft brewing industry’s contribution to the U.S. economy and employment.

U.S. Government

7. The White House, “Excluding Certain Canadian Alcoholic Beverages From Importation Into the United States…” — September 8, 2026.
   Primary-source documentation concerning the administration’s September 2026 action involving Canadian alcoholic beverages.
8. The White House, “Modifying the Scope of Products of Canada Subject to the Additional Duties…” — September 8, 2026.
   Primary-source documentation concerning the September 2026 modifications to Canadian-product duties.

Beer Industry

9. National Beer Wholesalers Association, “Tariffs and Trade.”
   Industry perspective on tariffs affecting aluminum, steel, imported beverages and the broader American beer distribution system.

Bibliography

Brewers Association. From Tariff to Tap: How Aluminum Costs Reach Brewers. August 26, 2026.

Brewers Association. National Beer Sales & Production Data. 2026.

Brewers Association. New Section 301 Tariffs Take Effect. July 24, 2026.

Brewers Association. Restructured Aluminum Tariffs Continue to Pressure Craft Brewers. April 3, 2026.

Brewers Association. 2026 Midyear Report: Pressure Persists as Signs of Stability Emerge. July 22, 2026.

Brewers Association. Economic Impact Data. 2026.

National Beer Wholesalers Association. Tariffs and Trade. 2026.

The White House. Excluding Certain Canadian Alcoholic Beverages From Importation Into the United States in Response to Continued Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States With Respect to Alcoholic Beverages. September 8, 2026.

The White House. Modifying the Scope of Products of Canada Subject to the Additional Duties Imposed to Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States With Respect to Alcoholic Beverages. September 8, 2026.

Editorial note: Because tariff policy is changing rapidly, this article should be treated as a September 17, 2026 snapshot rather than a timeless explanation. Tariff rates, exemptions, affected countries and product classifications can change through subsequent presidential actions, USTR decisions, trade agreements, litigation or congressional action.

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For beer lovers, the notion of a federal government shutdown might seem distant—something about national parks, IRS forms, and Congress fighting over budgets. But for breweries—especially craft breweries with narrow margins, seasonal releases, and regulatory dependencies—a shutdown can become existential. In October 2025, as federal funding lapsed and agencies began furloughing non-essential staff, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) effectively ground to a halt in its regulatory functions.

This post is a deep dive into how the shutdown ripples through the craft brewing world, nationally and in Pennsylvania, how breweries can respond, which ones may weather the storm best, and what the future might hold.

The Government Shut Down and Pennsylvania Breweries (2025 Edition)

1. Overview: The 2025 Shutdown and What’s Actually “Off the Shelf”

What triggered it

On October 1, 2025, the U.S. federal government entered a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass appropriation bills or a continuing resolution. The lapse in funding forced many federal agencies to suspend non-essential operations.

The TTB, a critical agency for breweries (and wineries, distilleries), publicly posted its shutdown plan: out of approximately 459 staffers, 398 would be furloughed, leaving only around 61 “excepted” employees to maintain legally required and essential operations.

What functions continue (and why)

The TTB’s “excepted” functions are narrowly defined. Among the tasks that will continue:

• Processing excise tax returns that include remittance (i.e. payments)

• Maintaining minimal computer / IT operations to avoid data loss or system collapse

• Protecting statute expirations, liens, seizures, federal property — i.e. safeguarding legal and financial infrastructures

• Criminal enforcement, to the extent required by statute, and operations that cannot legally pause

However, most of what breweries rely on will be suspended or delayed:

• Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) reviews and approvals

• Formula approvals

• Brewer’s permit application or modification

• Laboratory services and testing

• Non-criminal investigations, audits, inspections

• Administrative support, customer service, and non-statutory tasks

In effect, if you had a label to approve or a change in formula to submit, it’s on ice. You can submit electronically, but nothing moves until TTB is fully funded again.

Trade associations are already warning of a backlog when operations resume.

2. National Impact: The Shockwaves through the Craft Beer Industry

It’s easy to imagine that a government shutdown is a “Washington problem,” but the brewing sector is one of the less obvious industries hit hard and fast. Let’s trace the national picture before we localize to Pennsylvania.

Why breweries are uniquely vulnerable

• Regulatory dependency: Breweries must interact with TTB for label approvals, permit changes, formula permissions, and compliance oversight. When TTB pauses, breweries cannot legally launch new products or adjust existing ones.

• Seasonal and specialty beer timing: Many breweries operate on tight windows: spring IPAs, summer sours, fall pumpkins, winter stouts. Any delay in approval can push a beer’s launch past its season, undermining marketing and sales.

• Supply chain interlocking: Ingredient imports, yeast procurement, packaging changes (if new label art or recipes), and logistics are often timed to regulatory clearance. Delays there cascade into production and distribution.

• Margin sensitivity: Craft breweries typically run lean. A few weeks of delay can jeopardize cash flow, especially for smaller operations without deep reserves.

• Three-tier distribution pressures: Because craft brewers often must move through distributors and retailers, downstream partners expect timely delivery. A delay in one link (label approval) can stall the entire path.

Recent shutdowns as precedent

In the 2019 federal shutdown, breweries found their seasonal releases held up. In the Philadelphia region, for example, breweries that had planned winter or spring launches were forced to delay or cancel new beers because labels couldn’t be approved.

Industry analysts note that during shutdowns, many breweries end up with “tanks full of beer they can’t release.”

The Brewers Association, reacting to the current shutdown, is advising brewers to expect immediate disruptions to labeling, formula, permitting, and that the pause may last for some time.

Distillers, winemakers, and crossover impacts

While this post is beer-centric, the parallels in the wine and spirits world help underscore how universal the regulatory risk is:

• Distillers see the same freeze on label and formula approvals during shutdowns.

• The wine industry notes that permit and label processing stops entirely, though excise payment functions remain.

• The broader hospitality sector feels the ripple: delayed new product releases, fewer SKUs entering the market, and slowed innovation.

In short: The shutdown isn’t a minor inconvenience. It threatens growth, planning, and the very operations of craft beer producers across the country.

3. Pennsylvania Breweries: Facing the Shutdown in the Keystone State

Now let’s zoom in. Pennsylvania is one of the heavyweight states in craft beer. The stakes are high—and uneven across breweries.

The state’s brewing landscape (pre-shutdown)

To understand who’s most vulnerable, we need to recap how Pennsylvania’s beer economy stands:

• Pennsylvania ranks among the top states in craft beer production and economic impact.

• As of 2023/2024, the craft beer industry in PA contributed billions to state economies, with strong volumes.

• However, 2024 saw some contraction: some of PA’s larger craft breweries reported sales declines, and at least 18 breweries closed in the state.

• The craft boom in PA has also been tempered by saturation, competition, and broader market pressures.

• Additionally, in 2025, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (a multi-location brewpub chain that included ten in PA) abruptly closed all locations, citing financial challenges.

Given this backdrop, a shutdown may push already marginal players dangerously close to the edge.

Local precedents: how past shutdowns affected PA brewers

In 2019, when the federal shutdown paused TTB approvals, breweries in the Philadelphia region reported that seasonal launches were delayed or canceled. WHYY covered how Dock Street Brewery, for example, had new beer plans halted midstream.

Ted Zeller, General Counsel to the Pennsylvania Brewers Association, warned that without label approvals, beers can’t reach shelf or tapline.

These episodes show that PA brewers are not new to this risk—but this shutdown may be deeper, longer, and more consequential.

What’s different in 2025

• Larger scale and more sophistication: Some PA breweries now operate regionally or nationally and often have tighter supply chains, making delays more damaging.

• Slimming margins: With recent sales declines and closures, many breweries may not have much buffer.

• Distribution complexity: Breweries supplying interstate markets will be directly hit if TTB doesn’t approve labels for out-of-state distribution.

• Connected local networks: PA breweries often collaborate, co-brew, or share resources. Therefore, a shock to one node can affect others.

• Media attention and local demand: As beer tourism picks up, local reputation matters. Delays or canceled launches may erode consumer trust.

Who in Pennsylvania may handle this better (and who’s vulnerable)

Best positioned:

• Large, vertically integrated breweries
  For example, D.G. Yuengling & Son, with deep reserves, long operating history, and diversified operations, is better able to weather temporary disruptions. (Though even they are not immune—2024 saw an 8% sales drop for Yuengling.)

• Breweries with stable, ongoing SKUs
  Brewers whose core lineup dominates their sales are less reliant on frequent label tweaks or seasonal launches.

• Breweries with local focus
  Breweries that sell primarily within Pennsylvania and whose distribution doesn’t cross state lines may be less exposed to label/distribution bottlenecks.

• Those with compliance and regulatory foresight
  Breweries that preemptively processed label changes, modular formula options, or prepared alternate versions may be more resilient.

• Cash-rich or well-funded operations
  The ones with financial reserves to absorb a few weeks (or even months) of stalled product launches.

Most vulnerable:

• Small startups and taproom-centric breweries
  New breweries relying on label and permit approval to launch or move beyond taproom sales could face crippling delays.

• Breweries with heavy seasonal catalogs
  Those whose revenue depends heavily on limited releases (e.g. fall pumpkin ales) are in the crosshairs.

• Breweries with narrow margins
  Those already struggling with rising costs, labor pressure, or debt burden will feel immediate financial strain.

• Operators with heavy interstate distribution
  If their label approvals are stalled, they can’t ship new beers out of state, which may suppress growth or demand.

While I did not find credible published quotes yet from specific Pennsylvania breweries making statements about the 2025 shutdown, the patterns and warnings are consistent from breweries in other states and in prior shutdowns. The Brewers Association, American Craft Beer, and LibationLaw provide strong industry frameworks.

4. Historical Context: Shutdowns, Precedents, & Lessons Learned

To truly appreciate the severity of the current landscape, it helps to look back at how prior shutdowns have hit breweries—and what lessons can shape responses.

2019–2020 shutdowns and craft beer

The 2019 federal shutdown (Dec 2018 – Jan 2019) was one of the longer interruptions in memory. During that time:

• The TTB essentially stopped approving new labels, formulas, and permits. Breweries were left waiting.

• In the Philadelphia region, breweries canceled or delayed seasonal launches.

• Some breweries reportedly had beer languishing in tanks because they couldn’t legally bring it to market.

The takeaway: even a few weeks of delay can derail a brewery’s schedule, cash flow, and consumer momentum.

Shutdowns during the Trump era & industry behavior

While not always explicitly tied to breweries, shutdowns under the Trump administration repeatedly spotlighted delays in regulatory agencies—a pattern breweries grew accustomed to treating as “business risk.”

Some breweries adopted strategies like:

• Pre-submitting all anticipated label filings before seasonal cycles

• Buffering product inventory before expected shutdown windows

• Avoiding reliance on narrow release windows near the edges of regulatory cycles

These behavioral adaptations are relevant now as well.

Broader regulatory and enforcement shutdown history

Historically, during government shutdowns, many federal oversight functions roll back to bare minimums — public health, safety, and financial protection are prioritized, while discretionary functions halt. This has ripple effects in food, environmental, and industrial sectors. Breweries often live in that discretionary space (e.g. labeling, new product approvals).

Additionally, during shutdowns, the backlog and pent-up demand can swamp agencies when they reopen—leading to long delays even after funding is restored. That “catch-up hangover” is part of the real cost.

5. What Breweries Can Do: Mitigation Strategies & Prepared Moves

Even as the shutdown looms, breweries aren’t powerless. Below are actionable strategies to reduce risks and improve resilience.

Pre-shutdown preparedness (ideally before the lapse)

1. File early and often
   Submit label changes, formula modifications, and permit adjustments before the funding cutoff—if possible.

2. Submit “scalable” or modular label/ formula alternatives
   If your process allows, pre-file alternate labels or versions that require minimal changes so that small tweaks may sail through or avoid major rejections later.

3. Stock up buffer inventory
   For key seasonal or high-margin beers, produce extra in advance so you have something to market while new releases are stalled.

4. Reserve critical raw materials
   If import or customs delays might arise, have extra hops, yeast, adjuncts, or packaging materials in hand.

5. Tighten compliance and audits now
   Make sure all existing labels, formulations, ingredients, and documentation are in order to minimize risk of regulatory flags when oversight resumes.

6. Stress test cash flow
   Model scenarios: what if launches are delayed two months? What if some SKUs are stuck? Understand worst-case margins.

7. Engage with trade organizations
   The Brewers Association, state brewer groups, and regional alliances can lobby, share intelligence, and amplify impact.

During the shutdown: defensive operations

1. Pause new launches
   Don’t start marketing or production of new SKUs intended for release until the regulatory path clears.

2. Pivot focus to core SKUs and taproom sales
   Double down on what you already can sell legally without needing new approvals.

3. Communicate carefully
   Let distributors, retailers, and customers know there may be delays—maintaining goodwill is crucial.

4. Monitor federal announcements
   Stay abreast of TTB, Treasury, and Congressional developments via official portals and trade newsletters.

5. Document everything
   Track submission dates, label versions, formula data, correspondence—so when the agency reopens, you have clear records.

6. Plan for extended backlog
   Anticipate that even after funding returns, approvals may be slow. Prioritize essential filings first and consider triaging less critical ones.

7. Explore intra-state sales or local channels
   If possible under state law, sell more directly to local consumers or use taproom strength to offset distribution delays.

Post-shutdown: recovery & catch-up

1. Push prioritized filings immediately
   As soon as TTB reopens, move critical filings (seasonal releases, revenue drivers) to the head of the queue.

2. Reconfirm submissions
   Sometimes, during the pause, systems or databases may lose synchronization—confirm that your filings are intact.

3. Negotiate with distributors/retailers
   Get buy-in for staggered delivery or alternate SKUs while the label queue clears.

4. Leverage marketing flexibility
   Use the delay period to ramp up pre-launch hype so that once you’re cleared, demand is ready.

5. Learn and adapt
   Use the shutdown experience to revise your regulatory strategy for future cycles.

6. Pennsylvania Breweries Best Equipped (and What They Bring to the Table)

Some Pennsylvania breweries are better positioned to survive (or even thrive) during a regulatory freeze. Below are illustrative types and examples, along with traits to emulate.

D.G. Yuengling & Son (Pottsville, PA)

• Legacy scale & capital reserves: As the oldest brewery in America, Yuengling has operational depth and financial strength.

• Core SKU dominance: They rely heavily on flagship beers, less frequent branding shifts, and have strong name recognition.

• Vertical infrastructure: Large operations, distribution networks, and buffer capacity give flexibility.

• Community and brand loyalty: Their historic brand status gives them a cushion when marketing or new SKUs stall.

While not immune to shutdown pressures—they saw an 8% sales drop in 2024—Yuengling is in a relatively advantaged position.

Tröegs Independent Brewing (Hershey, PA)

As one of Pennsylvania’s well-known craft names, Tröegs has a diversified portfolio, regional distribution, and a stable market presence. Their size and brand equity give them room to absorb delays. (Cited among PA’s top producers in recent rankings.)

Pittsburgh Brewing / Iron City

Pittsburgh has a storied brewing heritage. Pittsburgh Brewing (and legacy brands tied with it) can tap into legacy branding and local loyalty.

Mid-sized regional brewers

Brewers who have scaled somewhat—enough to maintain reserves, but still nimble—are in a sweet spot. If they primarily serve Pennsylvania or neighboring states, so long as label and permit issues are handled prudently, they may endure better than small startups.

Taproom / direct-sales centric brewers

Breweries whose revenue and brand come largely from on-site sales, community events, and local customers can sidestep some distribution and label pressures. While they still need regulatory compliance, their reliance on novelty SKUs is lower.

Traits to emulate (beyond names)

• Advance filing discipline

• Modular product planning

• Cash buffer and financial flexibility

• Strong local consumer support

• Robust taproom and direct-to-consumer channels

• Agile marketing and pipeline coordination

These traits help create a buffer against the sudden regulatory blackout.

7. Closing Thoughts

This shutdown is more than a bureaucratic freeze — it’s a stress test on how deeply entwined craft beer is with federal infrastructure. I’ve seen breweries born in garages and grow into regional legends; I’ve watched label art get revised, formulas rebalanced, and seasonal beers become brand inflection points. The TTB, often unseen by drinkers, is a silent gatekeeper. When it pauses, the gates slam shut.

Pennsylvania, with its brewing heritage rooted in Yuengling and vibrant craft corridors in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Lancaster, and beyond, is front and center in this fight. Some breweries will grit their way through with lean operations and agile pivots. Others may stagger. A few may not survive. That’s not alarmism — it’s acknowledging the unexpected: months of delays, a backlog of approvals, and consumer impatience.

If Congress and the White House manage to restore funding soon, we’ll see a mad sprint at TTB headquarters to clear the backlog. But that won’t erase the weeks lost. Breweries that had planned, built buffer, and stayed lean will have a head start. Those caught flat-footed will be scrambling.

To brewers in Pennsylvania: move carefully, prioritize your essential SKUs, protect your cash, and plan as though this shutdown could last weeks — or even stretch long enough to undermine your seasonal wheels. Trade groups, local MLA’s, and the Pennsylvania Brewers Association must be your ally. Use them. Stay vocal in public forums, media, and with congressional offices — your local voice counts.

I believe in the resilience of this community. Beer thrives on risk, on experimentation, and on the tenacity of people who wake daily to mash, boil, ferment, package, and sell. But risk without hedges is needless and preventable. Use this as a wake-up call: regulatory risk is real. Build for it. And when the breweries in Pennsylvania emerge from this shutdown, let the stories of adaptation, survival, and ingenuity be part of what defines the next chapter in American craft beer.

Raise one — cautiously, but optimistically — to better days ahead.

8. Sources

• Libation Law Blog — “TTB Publishes Shutdown Plan: What It Means for the Beverage Industry”
  https://libationlawblog.com/2025/09/30/ttb-shutdown-plan-2025/
• Treasury / TTB — “TTB Shutdown Plan (Lapse Plan PDF)”
  https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/266/Treasury_TTB_Lapse_Plan.pdf
• TTB — “Funding Lapse Information for TTB Employees”
  https://www.ttb.gov/funding-lapse-information-ttb-employees
• Brewers Association — “Government Shutdown Now in Effect: What Brewers Should Know”
  https://www.brewersassociation.org/government-affairs-updates/government-shutdown-now-in-effect-what-brewers-should-know/
• Brewers Association — “Government Shutdown Now in Effect (alternate)”
  https://www.brewersassociation.org/current-issues/government-shutdown-now-in-effect-what-brewers-should-know-2/
• Wine Institute — “U.S. Government Shuts Down: TTB Services Suspended”
  https://wineinstitute.org/news-alerts/u-s-government-shuts-down-ttb-services-suspended/
• Spirits & Distilling — “What the TTB Shutdown Means for Distillers”
  https://www.spiritsanddistilling.com/what-the-ttb-shutdown-means-for-distillers
• Fox43 — “Pa. breweries step up after Iron Hill closure”
  https://www.fox43.com/article/life/food/pa-breweries-step-up-after-iron-hill-closure-customers-staff-gift-cards-rewards/521-3cf68293-94ba-4c2f-bc02-bed1bb968ca8
• Axios — “Pennsylvania’s largest breweries see sales drop in 2024”
  https://www.axios.com/local/philadelphia/2025/07/01/pennsylvania-breweries-sales-drop-beer
• Axios — “Pa. breweries hold strong in 2024 beer rankings”
  https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/04/23/pennsylvania-2024-craft-brewery-rankings

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written. The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

Trump, Tariffs, and Beer

In a move sending shockwaves through the craft brewing world, President Donald Trump has announced plans to double tariffs on aluminum and steel from 25% to 50%, effective Wednesday, June 4. While the legal basis for this increase rests on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which allows tariff hikes for reasons of national security, the real-world impact is poised to hit one of the most iconic and homegrown American industries: craft beer.

Aluminum and the Lifeblood of Cans

Aluminum cans are no longer just the realm of mass-market lagers. Today, approximately 76% of all U.S. packaged beer is sold in aluminum cans, according to the Brewers Association. That number is even higher among newer and mobile-friendly breweries who prefer cans for their portability, recyclability, and faster chilling times.

The challenge? Much of the raw aluminum used in U.S. can production is imported, particularly from Canada, even though the final rolling and manufacturing of cans often happens domestically. With the proposed increase in aluminum tariffs, brewers could soon face a steep hike in canning costs.

(See our article: Tariffs and Taps: How Trump’s Trade Policies Would Impact Craft Breweries)

What Is the Midwest Premium?

The “Midwest Premium” is the benchmark pricing metric for aluminum in the U.S. and has already seen notable spikes following the tariff announcement. As of June 2025:

• The Midwest Premium is hovering around 32 cents per pound, up from 26 cents in early May.

• That increase translates into several cents more per can, which may sound small — but for breweries producing tens of thousands of cases, the extra costs can stack up fast.

Steel Tariffs and the Price of Brewing

While aluminum affects packaging, steel tariffs hit the brewhouse. Most stainless steel kegs used by American breweries come from Europe — particularly Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic — and brewing equipment is frequently sourced from China and the EU.

With tariffs on steel doubling, breweries looking to expand, replace aging tanks, or even just keep up with maintenance are looking at some painful math. Some estimated impacts:

• New fermenter or brite tank costs could jump by 15–30%.

• Imported kegs could rise from $120 to over $160 per unit.

• Shipping container delays and tariffs could extend wait times on equipment by months.

(See our article: Trouble Brewing: How Trump’s Liberation Day Tariffs Are Impacting Craft Beer)

A Delicate Balance for Small and Independent Breweries

Unlike global macrobreweries, most of the 9,500+ small and independent breweries in the United States operate on tight margins and rely on a complex supply chain. With slim profit windows and rising labor, ingredient, and utility costs, another shock to the system — like spiking materials tariffs — could spell disaster for the most vulnerable producers.

“We source American-made cans, but the aluminum still comes from Canada. This kind of increase puts a big dent in our already-tight packaging budget,” says one Pennsylvania-based brewery owner. “We’re not sure if we’ll need to raise prices, shrink can sizes, or move to bottles. None of those are ideal.”

Domestic Production: A Long-Term Solution?

The Brewers Association has expressed hope that tariff pressure might eventually lead to increased domestic production of steel kegs and brewing equipment. But that shift won’t happen overnight. It requires:

• New factories outfitted for food-grade steel.

• Specialized labor trained in beverage equipment.

• Incentives or subsidies to compete with cheaper foreign alternatives.

Until that infrastructure is in place — likely years from now — brewers will continue to rely heavily on imports.

(See our article: When Canada Attacked Yuengling!)

Could There Be a Reprieve?

There’s still uncertainty. President Trump has delayed or reversed some recent tariffs after backlash. But there’s no guarantee this time. That means:

• Breweries should immediately consult with suppliers to understand cost impacts.

• Strategic changes, like buying in bulk or diversifying suppliers, may soften the blow.

• Advocacy groups like the Brewers Association are actively lobbying for exemptions or policy reversals.

The Bigger Picture: Craft Beer in an Uncertain Economy

With inflation still looming, interest rates high, and operating costs climbing across the board, this tariff announcement adds another pressure point to an already-stressed industry.

Craft beer sales dipped slightly in 2024, with the Brewers Association reporting a 2% decline in volume, though dollar sales remained relatively flat due to price adjustments. But if input costs rise sharply, consumers could soon see higher six-pack prices, or worse, a thinning out of local options as small breweries fold under economic strain.

Final Thoughts: Stay Informed and Support Local

Craft beer isn’t just an industry — it’s a culture, a movement, and a community. Whether you’re a brewer, a beer drinker, or a retailer, now is the time to stay informed and support local.

We at The Beer Thrillers will continue monitoring these tariff changes and their impact on our beloved beer scene. Expect updates, interviews, and breakdowns in the weeks to come.

🍻 Have thoughts on the tariff hikes? Are you a brewer affected by these changes? Drop us a comment below or reach out — we’d love to share your story.

Sources:

• Brewers Association: 2024 Industry Review

• U.S. Department of Commerce – Section 232 Investigations

• Aluminum Association Reports

• Trading Economics: Midwest Premium Aluminum Price Data

• Washington Post (Instagram Collection)
• WallStreetLogyc (Instagram Reel)

See Our Related Articles

• Tariffs and Taps: How Trump’s Trade Policies Would Impact Craft Breweries
• Trouble Brewing: How Trump’s Liberation Day Tariffs Are Impacting Craft Beer
• When Canada Attacked Yuengling!

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written. The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

On the same night that John Cena won his 17th World Heavyweight Championship, we crowned our first two time champion. Fighting it out in the Finals Fatal Four-Way for this year, 2025, we had returning champion Liquid Noise Brewing Company vs. Collusion Tap Works vs. former champion Allusion Brewing Company vs. Acclamation Brewing.

Also, just like last night, with Cody Rhodes losing, so did our returning champion. So yes, that means your 2025 Battle of the Breweries Champion is….

The 2025 Battle of the Breweries Champion is…. Allusion Brewing Company!

Allusion Brewing Company

Our first two time champion, Allusion Brewing Company previously won in 2023. Located in Vandergrift Pennsylvania, at 143 Grant Ave, Vandergrift, PA 15690 and their second location is at 1701 Duncan Avenue, Allison Park, Duncan Manor Plaza. This marks the first time we have had a returning champion win! Our previous winners have included:

• 2021: Isle of Que Brewing
• 2022: Von C Brewing
• 2023: Allusion Brewing Company
• 2024: Liquid Noise Brewing Company

Congratulations go out to Allusion Brewing Company, all of their staff, and all of their fans and customers for voting for them!

Finals Breakdown

With Allusion Brewing Company winning, that means there were three runner-ups. Winners of their own conferences, but in the Finals Fatal Four-way they came in the following places:

• 4th Place: Acclamation Brewing
• 3rd Place: Liquid Noise Brewing Company
• 2nd Place: Collusion Tap Works
• 1st Place: Allusion Brewing Company

There was 1415 total votes in the finals, with Allusion Brewing Company receiving more than half of the total (52.4%).  Collusion Tap Works in 2nd place received 249 votes (17.6%), third place – Liquid Noise Brewing Company received 218 (15.4%), and in fourth place Acclamation Brewing received 206 votes (14.6%).

Results of the Finals Fatal Four-Way

List of Champions

• 2021: The Isle of Que Brewing Company
• 2022: Von C Brewing Company
• 2023: Allusion Brewing Company
• 2024: Liquid Noise Brewing Company
• 2025: Allusion Brewing Company

For more information on the past winners

• 2021: The Battle of the Breweries (2021) Winner Is….
• 2022: The Battle of the Breweries (2022) Winner Is….
• 2022: The Battle of the Breweries (Full Recap)
• 2023: The Battle of the Breweries (2023) Winner Is…
• 2024: The Battle of the Breweries Champion Is…

For More Information on Allusion Brewing Company

The following comes via Untappd.

Allusion Brewing Company is listed as a micro brewery from Vandergrift, PA. They have 89 unique beers, and over 9,700 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.80 (as of 4.21.25). Their Untappd description reads: “Vandergrift’s hometown brewery, with a taproom in Allison Park, offering a consistent library of approachable beers taking the tradition of each style seriously. Craft beer is about bringing people together – come join our story.”

More of Our Articles About Allusion Brewing Company

Looking to read more about Allusion Brewing Company? Here’s the articles we’ve written about them:

• Allusion Brewing Company Wins Two Top Awards
• The Trip to Indy – Day Two Recap: Landfall in Pittsburgh and Shenanigans (Allusion Brewing Company, Couch Brewery, Hop Farm Brewing Company)
• The Trip to Indianapolis: Day Two: Rock Furnace Trail, Allusion Brewing Company, Couch Brewery, Riverview Park, Hop Farm Brewing Company, and The Meadows Casino and Racetrack.
• The Trip to Indy – Recap and Stats
• The Battle of the Breweries (2023) Winner Is
• Allusion Brewing Wins Three Awards at the 2023 CBMAs
• Allusion Brewing Company Appreciation Party
• An Alluring Trip Out To Vandergrift For Allusion Brewing Company’s Appreciation Party
• We Can’t Always Be a Glutton Right? – Perfect Portions and Allusion Brewing Company
• Allusion Brewing Company Expanding to the North Hills
• Allusion Brewing is Opening a Second Spot in McCandless Township, Duncan Manor in Allison Park
• Allusion Brewing Company’s Second Location is Having Their Grand Opening Saturday
• The Battle of the Breweries 2025 Champion Is….

Allusion Brewing Company’s Championship Belt

Guess we are going to have to get new plates added onto the belt… or just get a second belt! (One for each location!)

Battle of the Breweries 2025 Links

Here is a link to all of the different Battle of the Breweries 2025 pages (voting pages, rules, lists of competitors, etc.) The results pages will be posted shortly, and will be more in-depth than the previous articles for this year.

Rules, Guidelines, List of Competitors

• The Battle of the Breweries 2025: Rules, Tournament Guidelines, and Voting
• The Battle of the Breweries 2025: Competitors List

Voting Pages

Round of 64:

• Round of 64 Voting: Apollo Conference
• Round of 64 Voting: Cascade Conference
• Round of 64 Voting: Liberty Conference
• Round of 64 Voting: Zeus Conference

Round of 32:

• Round of 32 Voting: Apollo Conference
• Round of 32 Voting: Cascade Conference
• Round of 32 Voting: Liberty Conference
• Round of 32 Voting: Zeus Conference

Round of 16:

• Round of 16 Voting: Apollo Conference
• Round of 16 Voting: Cascade Conference
• Round of 16 Voting: Liberty Conference
• Round of 16 Voting: Zeus Conference

Round of 8:

• Round of 8 Voting: Apollo Conference
• Round of 8 Voting: Cascade Conference
• Round of 8 Voting: Liberty Conference
• Round of 8 Voting: Zeus Conference

Round of 4:

• Round of 4 Voting: Apollo Conference
• Round of 4 Voting: Cascade Conference
• Round of 4 Voting: Liberty Conference
• Round of 4 Voting: Zeus Conference
• The Conferences Final Four: All Four Conferences Final Four Voting Pages on One Page

Conference Finals:

• Conference Finals Voting: Apollo Conference
• Conference Finals Voting: Cascade Conference
• Conference Finals Voting: Liberty Conference
• Conference Finals Voting: Zeus Conference
• All Conferences Finals Voting Pages: The Battle of the Breweries 2025 – Conference Finals

Tournament Finals Fatal Four Way:

• Finals Fatal Four-Way Voting Page

Results Pages

Round of 64:

• Round of 64 Results: Apollo Conference
• Round of 64 Results: Cascade Conference
• Round of 64 Results: Liberty Conference
• Round of 64 Results: Zeus Conference

Round of 32:

• Round of 32 Results: Apollo Conference
• Round of 32 Results: Cascade Conference
• Round of 32 Results: Liberty Conference
• Round of 32 Results: Zeus Conference

Round of 16:

• Round of 16 Results: Apollo Conference
• Round of 16 Results: Cascade Conference
• Round of 16 Results: Liberty Conference
• Round of 16 Results: Zeus Conference

Round of 8:

• Round of 8 Results: Apollo Conference
• Round of 8 Results: Cascade Conference
• Round of 8 Results: Liberty Conference
• Round of 8 Results: Zeus Conference

Round of 4:

• Round of 4 Results: Apollo Conference
• Round of 4 Results: Cascade Conference
• Round of 4 Results: Liberty Conference
• Round of 4 Results: Zeus Conference

Conference Finals:

• Conference Finals Results: Apollo Conference
• Conference Finals Results: Cascade Conference
• Conference Finals Results: Liberty Conference
• Conference Finals Results: Zeus Conference

Tournament Finals Fatal Four Way:

• Finals Fatal Four-Way Results Page

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who voted. I will go into a much bigger thank you on the Results Page, as well as looking for feedback, suggestions for next year (and all other years going forward), and in general people’s thoughts, ideas, and if they enjoyed this year’s tournament or not. I hope everyone did. I appreciate all the time and effort everyone spent on voting and participating in the tournament, and I can only hope everyone enjoyed it. This year’s edition was plagued with a few technical issues on our website, on social media, and all kinds of things, but I think we made it through, just going an extra week long due to the issues. But ending on WrestleMania Night 2, on Easter, and on 4:20 day, kind of made up for it.

I want to congratulate all of the finalists – Allusion Brewing Company (Apollo Conference winner), Collusion Tap Works (Zeus Conference Winner), Liquid Noise Brewing Company (Cascade Conference Winner), and Acclamation Brewing (Liberty Conference Winner). All four breweries did a fantastic job throughout the tournament, and are fantastic breweries period. So if you can, go out and support these great places and people!

There was a total of 256 breweries competing this year, from 13 states and the District of Columbia.  So this was certainly a hard fought win, especially since it’s their second win, for Allusion Brewing Company. Congrats to them (again)!

If you are new to the blog and our site, and this is your first time visiting, please hang out, bookmark the site, and check back with us. We do beer news and brewery information (typically in the Pennsylvania and Central Pennsylvania area, but we do cover the larger area), as well as brewery reviews, beer reviews, opinion pieces, book reviews, hiking trails and reviews, job postings, new releases, brewery maps, and so much more. And we are ever growing and increasing. So please, stick around and tell a friend!

Thank you all for visiting and hope you all enjoyed the tournament, and cheers to all!

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of April 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

Just before you’re about to hit play on that cassette tape of “We Are The Champions” we have one final round to go! Its the Finals Fatal Four – Way! Each of the Conference Champions will be facing off in a fatal four way to determine who is the true Battle of the Breweries (2025) Champion! And this year’s a doozy! We have two returning champions, including the Defending champion – Liquid Noise Brewing Company, as well as two first time finalists. Scroll down to the VOTE section to vote.

The Battle of the Breweries: 2025 – Championship Finals Fatal Four Way

Conference Champions

Let’s take a look at the four conference champions:

Apollo Conference

The winner, defeating Boneshire Brew Works in the Conference Championship, of the Apollo Conference is…………… Allusion Brewing Company! A former Battle of the Breweries Champion!

Cascade Conference

The winner, defeating Shy Bear Brewing – and defending their championship from 2024 – of the Cascade Conference is Liquid Noise Brewing Company!

Liberty Conference

The winner of the Liberty Conference, and making their first Finals appearance, having defeated Wolf Brewing, is Acclamation Brewing!

Zeus Conference

The winner of the Zeus Conference, defeating Dancing Gnome Brewing to advance to their first finals is Collusion Tap Works!

Finals Fatal Four Way

Much like a wrestling fatal four way match, you have four determined, grizzled, hard nosed, tough as nails; competitors facing off to determine the one true winner and champion! We take the winner of each of the conferences and pit them against each other in a four way match. (Think of WrestleMania 2000 with The Rock vs. HHH vs. Big Show vs. Mick Foley!) You can only vote for one brewery, and after two weeks – ending on 4:20, on WrestleMania XLI Night Two, ending on Easter Sunday, on Sunday April 20th, 2025; the brewery with the most votes will be the Battle of the Breweries Champion! You can vote daily for your favorite brewery. So we fully recommend 1) that you bookmark this page so you can come back to it each day, and 2) that you share this page to all of your social media platforms to help your favorite brewery out!

VOTE

(Voting has ended.)

Tournament Guidelines

We fully encourage everyone to have as much fun as possible with this tournament! Share and comment and talk about the breweries facing off. Upset your favorite brewery isn’t in the tournament? Sorry! It means one of us probably haven’t been there, or they just barely missed our cut when deciding the 256 breweries to include! Social media is a fantastic tool for sharing your brewery or your favorite brewery’s voting page. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tumblr, LinkTree, umm…. MySpace? LinkedIn? Pinterest? What other social medias do you cool young kids use? Whichever it is, feel free to share and bolster and brag about how your brewery is doing or encourage others to vote for your favorite brewery!

Please do keep it all in fun though. This isn’t meant to belittle or demean breweries or to create real animosity. Its a fun light hearted competition in the spirit of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. So with that in mind please enjoy it!

The finals round will be a two week event, unlike the previous rounds (with the exception of the one round due to technical difficulties), which were one week rounds.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of April 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

The craft beer industry, long celebrated for its creativity and community-driven ethos, is facing a new challenge in 2025: President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. These sweeping trade measures, including a universal 10% tariff on imports and targeted levies of up to 25% on steel, aluminum, and goods from Canada and Mexico, have sent shockwaves through the brewing world. For an industry already grappling with shifting consumer preferences and post-pandemic recovery, the tariffs could reshape the landscape of American craft beer. (See our previous article – Trump’s Tariffs, posted November 2024.)

Trump’s Tariffs and How They Might Impact Craft Brewing

The Tariffs Explained

President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs aim to protect domestic industries by imposing broad import taxes. However, their impact on craft brewing is particularly severe due to the industry’s reliance on imported materials:

• Aluminum Cans: A 25% tariff on imported aluminum directly affects breweries that use cans for packaging. Nearly all cans used by U.S. brewers are sourced internationally, making this tariff a major cost driver

• Steel Kegs: Most steel kegs used in American breweries are manufactured in Germany. The 25% tariff on finished steel products raises keg prices significantly

• Key Ingredients: Canadian barley and malt—essential for many craft beer recipes—are now subject to tariffs. Similarly, fruits like raspberries sourced from Mexico face increased costs

These tariffs come at a time when imports of beer and brewing materials are substantial. In 2024 alone, beer imports to the U.S. totaled $7.5 billion, with Mexico accounting for $6.3 billion of that figure. The ripple effects of these measures are being felt across the supply chain.

Economic Impact on Craft Brewers

The financial strain imposed by these tariffs is already apparent:

1. Rising Costs:

   • Breweries like Port City Brewing in Virginia report that their pilsner malt from Canada—essential to their recipes—is subject to a 25% tariff. Founder Bill Butcher estimates this could raise the price of a six-pack from $12.99 to $18.99

   • Monument City Brewing in Baltimore predicts similar price hikes for their beers due to increased costs for aluminum cans and imported barley

• Profit Margins Under Pressure:

  • Small breweries often operate with tight margins, leaving little room to absorb cost increases. Decisions such as passing costs onto consumers or cutting profitability are becoming unavoidable

  • Some brewers are stockpiling cans or switching packaging methods (e.g., painted cans instead of shrink-wrapped sleeves) to mitigate immediate impacts

• Export Challenges:

  • Canada, the largest foreign market for U.S. craft beer (accounting for 38% of exports), has retaliated with its own tariffs on American goods. Canadian consumers are boycotting U.S. beers, leading importers to cancel order.

  • 

    An Instagram post by Pints and Panels about Tariffs and Alcohol (courtesy of Em Sauter, of Pints and Panels)

Pennsylvania’s Brewing Scene: A Case Study

Pennsylvania has one of the largest craft brewing industries in the U.S., with over 400 breweries contributing significantly to local economies and communities. The state’s brewers are uniquely vulnerable to these tariffs due to their reliance on imported materials.

1. Material Costs:

   • Breweries in Pennsylvania often use imported aluminum cans and Canadian malt, both subject to tariffs. These cost increases could force smaller brewers to raise prices or reduce offerings.

2. Competitive Pressure:

   • Larger breweries like Molson Coors, which source materials domestically, may weather the tariffs better than smaller operations reliant on international supply chain.  Pennsylvania’s independent brewers must innovate or risk losing market share.

• Community Impact:

  • With higher beer prices looming, consumers may opt for cheaper alternatives like hard seltzers or cocktails—a trend already encroaching on craft beer sales. This could hurt local breweries that rely heavily on loyal customer bases.

Broader Industry Challenges

The Liberation Day tariffs exacerbate existing issues within the craft beer sector:

• Changing Consumer Preferences: Millennials and Gen Z are drinking less beer overall, favoring hard seltzers and ready-to-drink cocktails instead

• Post-Pandemic Recovery: Many brewpubs are still struggling to rebound from COVID-19 closures and reduced foot traffic

• Market Saturation: The number of breweries in the U.S. has grown rapidly over the past decade, leading to fierce competition for shelf space and consumer attention

A fun meme about Trump’s Liberation Day Tariffs and IPAs

What Lies Ahead?

Craft brewers are exploring strategies to adapt:

• Localization: Emphasizing local ingredients and branding could help breweries differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

• Innovation: Experimenting with new packaging methods or alternative ingredients may mitigate some tariff-related costs.

• Advocacy: Industry groups like the Brewers Association are lobbying for clarity on tariff rules and potential exemptions for critical brewing materials

For Pennsylvania’s brewers—and craft beer makers nationwide—the coming months will be pivotal in determining whether they can weather this storm or whether these tariffs will fundamentally alter the industry.

Conclusion

Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs have introduced unprecedented challenges for America’s craft beer industry, threatening its affordability and accessibility while squeezing small businesses already operating on razor-thin margins. As brewers grapple with rising costs and shifting consumer dynamics, their resilience will be tested like never before.

For beer lovers across the country—and especially in Pennsylvania—the question remains: How much are we willing to pay for our favorite pint?

There is definitely a lot more to all of this, and it will be unfolding. The Brewer’s Association covered much of this here: Trump Administration Slapping 25% Tariffs on Canned Beer Imports and Empty Can Imports from Across the Globe.

From Perplexity

The “Liberation Day” tariffs announced by President Trump, which include a universal 10% tariff on all imports and additional targeted tariffs on specific goods and countries, are expected to have significant implications for the U.S. craft brewing industry, particularly in states like Pennsylvania.

Impact on Craft Brewing Industry

• Increased Material Costs:

  • The tariffs include a 25% levy on imported steel and aluminum, which are critical for the production of cans and kegs used by breweries. Many craft brewers rely on aluminum cans and steel kegs imported from countries like Germany, meaning these tariffs will raise production costs significantly

• • Breweries that source ingredients such as barley, malt, or fruits from countries subject to reciprocal tariffs (e.g., Mexico) will face higher expenses, further straining their budgets

• Market Challenges:

  • With rising costs, some breweries may reduce their product offerings or shift packaging strategies, such as moving away from aluminum cans altogether. This could limit consumer choices and hurt smaller breweries that lack the resources to adapt quickly

  • Export markets for U.S. beer may also shrink due to retaliatory tariffs from other nations, particularly Canada, which is a major importer of American craft beer. Losing access to this market could be devastating for breweries in Pennsylvania that rely on exports

• Consumer Sentiment:

  • Economic uncertainty stemming from these tariffs may lead to reduced consumer spending on discretionary items like craft beer. This is especially concerning as the industry is already facing challenges from shifting consumer preferences toward hard seltzers and cocktails.

Final Thoughts

The brewing industry is already in trouble, I don’t want to say ‘dire straits’, but it is getting there. Breweries are closing somewhat regularly (some recent examples: Butler Brew Works, IMBib, Bucket Brigade, Gateway, and Little Mutants). The ever growing costs of doing business, let alone a business with so many different and varying costs – such as restaurant costs, brewing costs, distribution costs, etc, etc, etc. The brewing business is also heavily regulated in all aspects, which also have costs. All of these are major factors. Add this to a declining market, and as we’ve been saying “the bubble has definitely burst” on the craft brewing industry. This almost feels like a death knell to many. And I think is why we saw an increase of closures in the past months, in anticipation of it all. With the next generation of drinkers not completely on board with the craft beer industry, the older and tiring out generation settling for hop water, non alcoholics, and other form of alcohols, the industry is certainly shrinking.

One hopes this won’t be a final nail, the coffin being closed. But unfortunately we can’t do anything but ride it out, and find out, and see what time shows us.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of April 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

We are here! We are just about to the end. That means its the Conference Finals! The winners of these match-ups will meet up in the Finals Fatal Four-Way and be declared the 2025 Champion! There is just eight breweries left, with four match-ups (one for each conference), and the winners moving on. We have two returning champions in the mix (Allusion Brewing Company and Liquid Noise Brewing Company). All eight breweries that remain are also Pennsylvania breweries too! (Go PA Beer!) So check below to vote, and help decide who moves on to the finals! (Instead of doing an individual page for each conference, I have combined all of the voting into one page.)

The 2025 Battle of the Breweries Conference Finals

Apollo Conference

We have two breweries left and its crunch time for the Apollo Conference!

The match-up is between 21. Boneshire Brew Works vs. 30. Allusion Brewing Company.

Cascade Conference

In a back to back for the conferences, we have a former champion reaching the finals. (Allusion Brewing in the Apollo Conference.) Liquid Noise Brewing Company is the returning champion. Can they move on to the finals to defend their championship?

The match-up is between 25. Shy Bear Brewing and 26. Liquid Noise Brewing Company.

Liberty Conference

The third conference has a tough match-up, and is the second Pittsburgh vs. Harrisburg area brewery matchup (the first being Allusion – Pittsburgh Area vs. Boneshire – Harrisburg area). In this one we have Acclamation Brewing defending Pittsburgh area vs. Wolf Brewing defending the Harrisburg area.

The match-up is between 10. Wolf Brewing vs. 17. Acclamation Brewing.

Zeus Conference

The final conference is seeing yet another Pittsburgh area brewery going head to head with a Central PA area brewery. We have Dancing Gnome Brewing of Pittsburgh vs. Collusion Tap Works of York and Lititz.

The match-up is between 2. Dancing Gnome Brewing vs. 17. Collusion Tap Works.

Voting Rules

Voting is straight forward and simple. There are four conferences: APOLLO, CASCADE, LIBERTY, and ZEUS. (All named after different hop varietals.) Each week, from Monday through Sunday, there will be a voting page for each of the conference. Click on the voting page, open it up, and it will have a pop-down survey poll. Starting with the Round of 64, all the way down to the finals of each conference, followed by a Fatal Four Way that will have the winner of each conference fighting for the grand champion!

You can vote daily for each of the conferences, so you can make up to 4 votes (one per conference) per day. Each round will be one week, except for the Finals which will be two weeks. The rounds are as follows: Round of 64, Round of 32, Round of 16, Round of 8, Round of 4, Conference Finals (Round of 2), and the Finals Fatal Four-Way (Winner of each Conference in a four-way match). So for the first week, there will be 32 matches in the conference, then in the second week there will be 16 matches, then 8 matches, then 4 matches, then the last two rounds are just 1 match each.

For the Conference Finals I might just make it 1 voting page rather than 4 distinct voting pages. It all depends on what will be easier for the blog’s coding and all that back house stuff.

Voting for this round will end on Sunday April 6th.

VOTE

(Voting has ended.)

Tournament Guidelines

We fully encourage everyone to have as much fun as possible with this tournament! Share and comment and talk about the breweries facing off. Upset your favorite brewery isn’t in the tournament? Sorry! It means one of us probably haven’t been there, or they just barely missed our cut when deciding the 256 breweries to include! Social media is a fantastic tool for sharing your brewery or your favorite brewery’s voting page. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tumblr, LinkTree, umm…. MySpace? LinkedIn? Pinterest? What other social medias do you cool young kids use? Whichever it is, feel free to share and bolster and brag about how your brewery is doing or encourage others to vote for your favorite brewery!

Please do keep it all in fun though. This isn’t meant to belittle or demean breweries or to create real animosity. Its a fun light hearted competition in the spirit of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. So with that in mind please enjoy it!

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of March 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

This is the landing page for all four of the conferences (Apollo, Cascade, Liberty, and Zeus) final fours. You can go to each individual conference page to vote, or you can vote here for all four of the conferences at once. (Makes things a lot easier for ya!)

The Battle of the Breweries 2025: Conferences Final Four

The Conferences and Their Final Fours

The winner of these match-ups will face each other in the Conference Finals, with the winner of that going to the Finals Fatal Four-Way. Below is the rank of the breweries as per their conference, the match-ups, and then the voting forms for each conference. You can vote daily for each conference.

Apollo Conference:

Rank:

• 2. Sapwood Cellars Brewing
• 21. Boneshire Brew Works
• 30. Allusion Brewing Company
• 33. Schaylor Brewing

Match-Ups:

• Boneshire Brew Works vs. Schaylor Brewing
• Allusion Brewing Company vs. Sapwood Cellars Brewing

Vote:

(Voting has ended.)

Cascade Conference:

Rank:

• 5. Second Sin Brewing Company
• 14. Pizza Boy Brewing
• 25. Shy Bear Brewing
• 26. Liquid Noise Brewing

Match-Ups:

• Second Sin Brewing Company vs. Shy Bear Brewing
• Liquid Noise Brewing vs. Pizza Boy Brewing

Vote:

(Voting has ended.)

Liberty Conference:

Rank:

• 3. Hidden River Brewing
• 10. Wolf Brewing
• 17. Acclamation Brewing
• 21. Mad Chef Brewing

Match-Ups:

• Acclamation Brewing vs. Mad Chef Brewing
• Wolf Brewing vs. Hidden River Brewing

Vote:

(Voting has ended.)

Zeus Conference:

Rank:

• 2. Dancing Gnome Brewing
• 5. Fourscore Beer Co.
• 14. Voodoo Brewing
• 17. Collusion Tap Works

Match-Ups:

• Collusion Tap Works vs. Fourscore Beer Co.
• Voodoo Brewing vs. Dancing Gnome Brewing

Vote:

(Voting has ended.)

Individual Voting Pages

For the conferences individual voting pages, you can vote here:

• Round of 4 Voting: Apollo Conference
• Round of 4 Voting: Cascade Conference
• Round of 4 Voting: Liberty Conference
• Round of 4 Voting: Zeus Conference

The Battle of the Breweries 2025

For the official rules and competitor’s lists, you can view those pages here:

• The Battle of the Breweries 2025: Rules, Tournament Guidelines, and Voting
• The Battle of the Breweries 2025: Competitors List

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of March 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

Its here, its here! We have reached the (Conferences) Final Four! That means just sixteen total breweries (four in each of the four conferences) remain! The competition sure is fermenting! (Ah…. ha…. get it? ….get it?)

We have sixteen incredible breweries remaining in the tournament. Each of the conferences will still have their own voting page, and I will also make a separate page for all of the Final Fours as well, just to streamline and make things easier.

The Battle of the Breweries 2025: Conferences Final Four

Zeus Conference

We have just four breweries left in the ZEUS Conference! Who will win? You get to help decide! This week you are voting on two tough match-ups to determine the Conference Finals for next week! After that, the winner of the conference moves on to the Finals Fatal-Four Way Match!

The remaining four breweries in the ZEUS Conference are:

• Collusion Tap Works
• Fourscore Beer Co
• Dancing Gnome Brewing
• Voodoo Brewing

Voting Rules

Voting is straight forward and simple. There are four conferences: APOLLO, CASCADE, LIBERTY, and ZEUS. (All named after different hop varietals.) Each week, from Monday through Sunday, there will be a voting page for each of the conference. Click on the voting page, open it up, and it will have a pop-down survey poll. Starting with the Round of 64, all the way down to the finals of each conference, followed by a Fatal Four Way that will have the winner of each conference fighting for the grand champion!

You can vote daily for each of the conferences, so you can make up to 4 votes (one per conference) per day. Each round will be one week, except for the Finals which will be two weeks. The rounds are as follows: Round of 64, Round of 32, Round of 16, Round of 8, Round of 4, Conference Finals (Round of 2), and the Finals Fatal Four-Way (Winner of each Conference in a four-way match). So for the first week, there will be 32 matches in the conference, then in the second week there will be 16 matches, then 8 matches, then 4 matches, then the last two rounds are just 1 match each.

For the Conference Finals I might just make it 1 voting page rather than 4 distinct voting pages. It all depends on what will be easier for the blog’s coding and all that back house stuff.

Voting for this round will end on Sunday March 30th.

VOTE

(Voting has ended.)

Tournament Guidelines

We fully encourage everyone to have as much fun as possible with this tournament! Share and comment and talk about the breweries facing off. Upset your favorite brewery isn’t in the tournament? Sorry! It means one of us probably haven’t been there, or they just barely missed our cut when deciding the 256 breweries to include! Social media is a fantastic tool for sharing your brewery or your favorite brewery’s voting page. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tumblr, LinkTree, umm…. MySpace? LinkedIn? Pinterest? What other social medias do you cool young kids use? Whichever it is, feel free to share and bolster and brag about how your brewery is doing or encourage others to vote for your favorite brewery!

Please do keep it all in fun though. This isn’t meant to belittle or demean breweries or to create real animosity. Its a fun light hearted competition in the spirit of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. So with that in mind please enjoy it!

Zeus Conference Final Four Bracket

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of March 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

Its here, its here! We have reached the (Conferences) Final Four! That means just sixteen total breweries (four in each of the four conferences) remain! The competition sure is fermenting! (Ah…. ha…. get it? ….get it?)

We have sixteen incredible breweries remaining in the tournament. Each of the conferences will still have their own voting page, and I will also make a separate page for all of the Final Fours as well, just to streamline and make things easier.

The Battle of the Breweries 2025: Conferences Final Four

Liberty Conference

We have just four breweries left in the LIBERTY Conference! Who will win? You get to help decide! This week you are voting on two tough match-ups to determine the Conference Finals for next week! After that, the winner of the conference moves on to the Finals Fatal-Four Way Match!

The remaining four breweries in the LIBERTY Conference are:

• Acclamation Brewing
• Mad Chef Brewing
• Hidden River Brewing
• Wolf Brewing

Voting Rules

Voting is straight forward and simple. There are four conferences: APOLLO, CASCADE, LIBERTY, and ZEUS. (All named after different hop varietals.) Each week, from Monday through Sunday, there will be a voting page for each of the conference. Click on the voting page, open it up, and it will have a pop-down survey poll. Starting with the Round of 64, all the way down to the finals of each conference, followed by a Fatal Four Way that will have the winner of each conference fighting for the grand champion!

You can vote daily for each of the conferences, so you can make up to 4 votes (one per conference) per day. Each round will be one week, except for the Finals which will be two weeks. The rounds are as follows: Round of 64, Round of 32, Round of 16, Round of 8, Round of 4, Conference Finals (Round of 2), and the Finals Fatal Four-Way (Winner of each Conference in a four-way match). So for the first week, there will be 32 matches in the conference, then in the second week there will be 16 matches, then 8 matches, then 4 matches, then the last two rounds are just 1 match each.

For the Conference Finals I might just make it 1 voting page rather than 4 distinct voting pages. It all depends on what will be easier for the blog’s coding and all that back house stuff.

Voting for this round will end on Sunday March 30th.

VOTE

(Voting has ended.)

Tournament Guidelines

We fully encourage everyone to have as much fun as possible with this tournament! Share and comment and talk about the breweries facing off. Upset your favorite brewery isn’t in the tournament? Sorry! It means one of us probably haven’t been there, or they just barely missed our cut when deciding the 256 breweries to include! Social media is a fantastic tool for sharing your brewery or your favorite brewery’s voting page. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tumblr, LinkTree, umm…. MySpace? LinkedIn? Pinterest? What other social medias do you cool young kids use? Whichever it is, feel free to share and bolster and brag about how your brewery is doing or encourage others to vote for your favorite brewery!

Please do keep it all in fun though. This isn’t meant to belittle or demean breweries or to create real animosity. Its a fun light hearted competition in the spirit of the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament. So with that in mind please enjoy it!

Liberty Conference Final Four Bracket

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of March 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)