It's 2023! Selected Indiana Craft brewers thrive. No Alcohol really is a thing.

February 2023. [400 words, 1 1/2 minute read] NielsenIQ’s data shows the market for nonalcoholic beer, wine and spirits grew more than 20% last year — and more than 120% over the last three years. The market now sees almost $400 million in annual sales. NA is a real thing! Several Indiana as well as large regional breweries feature no alcohol products. It's still unclear what impact "Dry January" had on alcohol consumption in 2023, after an early survey (Morning Consult) showed less consumer interest this year. One author (https://www.newsweek.com/alcohol-drinking-dry-january-results-1777470) referred to "damp January" when not remaining totally committed to no alcohol. Yet clearly this trend with spirits and beer continues! Some local breweries such as Scarlet Lane continue to expand! In early February, Scarlet Lane announced they will take over the space Black Acre (Irvington) was leaving, involve some of the former Black Acre crew, and continue a couple of the Black Acre brews! While some smaller breweries folded, some such as Feed Store in Bloomfield, IN, (https://www.feedstorebeer.com/) made a niche in their community as a local hub and remain in good shape. For years I've followed Iechydda Brewing, and I know I have to look it up to spell it, too. (http://www.iechyddabrewingcompany.com/) Owners Summer and Chip are two of the nicest people I've met and they put their heart and soul into success in Elkhart, IN. Of course, others have put their heart and soul into a business that didn't make it. Yet, these two seem to have a special knack for community, reasonably p-iced snacks, pizza, and sandwiches, and what we could call mainstream beer. If you want to talk trends for a minute, 'craft beer' in contracting in sales (fewer sales) according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association who send me their warehouse withdrawals trends from the nation's beer distributors every month. Only imports and low priced beers are actually doing as well as they did a year ago. Yet enough people still want what I always referred to as flavorful beer to keep what we often call 'craft' going! Cheers! Greg Kitzmiller Oh yeah, I remain a writer with several different writing projects but I am NOT Indiana based anymore. I DO get a LOT of information about beer in Indiana and I have a number of family and contacts who send me information. I also do get to Indiana on occasion to check on the scene personally.