GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Consumer habits are changing in the craft beer industry, prompting breweries in West Michigan to pivot their business models to stay relevant.
I sat down with several brewers in the Grand Rapids area, known as Beer City USA, to see how they are adapting to the shifting market.
In 2015, Michigan had around 200 craft breweries. While that number has almost doubled according to the Brewers Association, growth has slowed. The state has had around 400 breweries since 2019.
Grand Rapids staples like Elk Brewing, Creston Brewery, and Grand Rapids Beer Company are among those that have closed their doors.
"People are drinking less beer," Edwin said.
Edwin works at City Built Brewery in Grand Rapids, which has ridden the ups and downs of the industry.
"We expanded in 2022 to meet what we saw as growing demand. And thankfully, I didn't have room to go as big as I wanted to go, because likely we wouldn't be here," Edwin said.
Most recently, consumers have hopped on the lighter beer train.
"And now everyone just wants a super crushable, clear IPA," Edwin said.
City Built pivoted its business model by adding more light beer options, expanding its non-alcoholic selection, offering liquor, and adding food from Los Mariscos de Pancho.
"They've definitely added value to our, you know, business, and to this corner, it's been awesome," Edwin said.
That recent success has not been seen across the board in the craft beer industry.
"The industry as a whole, as everybody knows, has kind of taken a plateau or even a little slump down," Trevor Doublestein said.
Doublestein and his wife own Our Brewing Company in Holland. In the basement of their small space, they produce lagers, IPAs, stouts, and more.
"It produces about six kegs per batch," Doublestein said.
"Two and a half weeks is about what it takes from production to being in the glass," Doublestein said.
Despite the industry slump, Doublestein and his wife are doubling their footprint. They are expanding to a corner on Wealthy Street in Grand Rapids, hoping to tap into even more demand.
"We'll probably have to look into purchasing a bigger production facility," Doublestein said.
Our Brewing Company hopes a model similar to City Built's will bring more than just beer fans into their new Grand Rapids space, planning a food truck garden right outside their doors.
"So that's going to be kind of like a magical little garden space that will have like overhead lights and just be very like tranquil, I think, in the city," Doublestein said.
Our Brewery hopes to have their second location up by late spring or early summer.
