The top 12 factors consumers consider when choosing a craft beer

It’s no secret that the craft beer industry has been booming in America throughout the last decade. To try and learn more about the factors driving craft beer growth in 2019, C+R research recently surveyed 2,000 Americans over the age of 21 who identify as regular alcohol drinkers. Let’s take a look at what they found.

The study asked about how regularly people are drinking craft beer. The study found that 49 percent of respondents drink craft beer at least once a week. The study also found that 94 percent of respondents are drinking more craft beer now than they were last year. The most preferred style of craft beer is currently IPA with 41 percent of respondents visiting a brewpub or brewery at least once per month. The survey then asked what the top factors beer drinkers look for in craft beer. Listed below are the top 12 factors in order from highest to lowest:

1. Taste
2. Style
3. Price
4. Brewery
5. Alcohol percentage
6. Brewery location
7. Packaging/branding
8. Available in bottles
9. Pairs with food
10. Available in draft
11. Sizing
12. Available in cans

One thing that was surprising to me was to see that people actually still prefer bottles to cans. With so many craft breweries moving to canning and the expensive investment that comes with canning this was a bit surprising. Another interesting takeaway from the study is that 76 percent of respondents said price does not influence whether they decide to purchase craft beer.

Another stat that stood out to me is the average monthly spend on craft beer. The study found that on average people spend $59 dollars on craft beer a month (men spending $66 vs women spending $50). That number feels accurate to me although there are definitely some months with a lot of popular beer releases where I tend to spend a bit more.

The study also looks at the top factors driving craft beer’s growth, what season craft beer is more preferred and the popularity of craft beer with millennials. The full report can be seen here and in the graphics from C+R research. Cheers!

Matt Zajechowski is a senior content strategist at Digital Third Coast. He enjoys research, surveys and craft beer in both his home state of Michigan and Chicago. Connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.