COVID-19 has impacted breweries throughout the world. The majority of the more than 8,000 breweries in the United States are small and independent. As a result of shutdowns, they are struggling right now and need our help. The Support Your Local Brewery Campaign encourages all craft beer lovers to find ways to help their local breweries. Certainly, these breweries have given to your community. And now its time to give back and help them.
Many states allow craft breweries to sell beer to-go, ship or even deliver beers. In addition, there are fundraisers for brewers and opportunities to purchase brewery merchandise. Above all, remember that every contribution helps.
Support Your Local Brewery: List of Purchasing Options
As part of the Support Your Local Brewery Campaign, CraftBeer.com has built a state by state list of breweries in the U.S. that are offering beer to-go, delivery or alternative form of sales. So far the list contains more than 1,000 breweries. The list changes as new brewers are added or brewers already on the list submit new or revised information. Here’s an example of what the list looks like.
More importantly, you can check out the complete list by clicking here.
If you don’t see your local brewer on this list, contact them and encourage them to submit their information to CraftBeer.com. Breweries are invited to add to the list by using this form.
Homebrewing Purchasing Options
In addition, the American Homebrewers Association published a list of homebrew shops that are offering alternative purchasing options for homebrewers to acquire homebrew supplies and ingredients. Click here for the list.
To have your homebrew shop included, please fill out the COVID-19 Local Homebrew Shop Support Form. Edits to listings can be sent to bishop@brewersassociation.org.
For Breweries
The Brewers Association has partnered with Bottleshare, a fundraising nonprofit dedicated to the craft beverage community, to create the Believe in Beer Fund to support breweries and state brewers guilds impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The fund is open for breweries and guilds from across the country to apply for immediate financial assistance for operational expenses such as payroll, rent, and utilities.
Beer lovers can contribute to the fund by visiting GoFundMe.com.
The GoFundMe option ends May 17th.
Click here to learn more about the Believe in Beer Relief Fund.
The Brewers Association has also developed a Support Your Local Brewery Toolkit. This digital suite of overlays is for brewers to share on social media to tell their customers how they can support them in the coming weeks. Brewers can customize these overlays to best fit their purposes. Click here for the free toolkit.
Stay Safe and Support Your Local Brewer
We will all get through this by working together and supporting one another. And remember, the Brewers Association and American Hombrewers Association are the best resources for keeping up-to-date for supporting breweries and homebrew shops.
“This is a very challenging time for breweries and their livelihoods are at risk. We hope creating this relief fund with Bottleshare will provide an answer to the most common question beer lovers have been asking during this unprecedented time: ‘How can I help?’” said Bob Pease, president and CEO, Brewers Association. “The craft beer community is rooted in collaboration and philanthropy, and now is our chance to come together and give back to our most vulnerable breweries.”
Stay safe! Please pay attention to recognized medical doctors and scientists for authentic information.