Craft Brewers Conference Heads to Indianapolis Amidst Industry Headwinds, Organizational Changes

Around 10,000 beer industry members are expected to make the trip to Indianapolis for the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America (April 28 to May 1).

The gathering takes place against a backdrop of increasing headwinds for craft breweries and an overhaul of CBC’s host organization, the Brewers Association (BA).

When Bart Watson takes the stage for the state of the industry address inside the Indiana Convention Center on Wednesday, April 30, it will be his first as CEO of the trade organization where he previously served as chief economist and VP of strategy.

Watson assumed the reins from long-time CEO Bob Pease, who retired on January 3. The organization is in transformation with the retirement of events lead Nancy Johnson, the exit of federal affairs director Katie Marisic and the layoff of senior VP of the professional brewing division Paul Gatza, among other senior staff members.

Further change is on the horizon as the BA plans to peel off its consumer-centric subsidiary the American Homebrewers Association, which is working toward independence.

The BA will now be shaped under Watson’s vision as a “ruthlessly member-centric” problem-solving organization.

The changeover comes as industry growth has given way to volume declines over the past two years, with craft volume down 4% in 2024 and 1% in 2023. Craft is now a decade removed from the double-digit growth of the mid 2010s.

Brewers now find themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace, with limited shelf space, increasing costs (including 25% tariffs on aluminum and steel) and financial cliffs that have led to bankruptcies and closures. The latter outpaced openings last year for the first time since 2005 (399 vs. 335).

Nevertheless, craft brewers converging upon Indianapolis in late April will be looking for strategies to forge the path forward.

The 2025 edition of CBC will open with a back-to-craft-beer keynote from Trillium Brewing founders Esther and JC Tetreault – a year after Uncle Nearest Whiskey founder and CEO Fawn Weaver gave the keynote address. The husband-and-wife duo will give a talk titled: “Maybe You’re Not Doing It Wrong: Finding Your Path to Success,” sharing their journey opening and operating a Massachusetts craft brewery that has ridden a wave of hype and New England IPAs over the last decade.

This year’s CBC will also feature more than 60 educational seminars across 12 learning tracks – brewpubs and taprooms; business management; export development; government affairs and legal; marketing and branding; non-beer beverage production; production and operations; quality and ingredients; safety and sustainability; sales and distribution; statistics and trends; and THRIVE (diversity, equity and inclusion, human resources and wellness).

Notable sessions include:

Seat at the Table: State and Federal Issues Your Brewery Needs to Know with Marc Sorini, the BA’s VP of government affairs;

Keeping Your Flagship Brands Alive with Sierra Nevada’s Brian Grossman and Ellie Preslar;

Beyond the Tap: Sales Strategies, Smart Partnerships, and Innovation in a Changing Market, with Yonder Cider founder and CEO Caitlin Braam;

Reverse Engineering Success: Consumer Trends Behind Growing Brands, with BA staff economist Matt Gacioch;

Crafting with Spirit: Keeping Your Brand Fresh in a Hyper Competitive Market, with Mike Gertz, Rhinegeist creative director;

Navigating the Total Beverage Alcohol Landscape: Trends and Insights, with NIQ’s Kaleigh Theriault and 3 Tier Beverages’ Mary Mills;

Modern Media Relations: Amplifying Your Story and Your Voice, with Brewbound managing editor Jess Infante, Turn It Up Media’s Helen Anderson, Tailgate Brewery’s Liz Tarry and Sightlines’ Kate Bernot.

Craft Beer Isn’t Dead: It’s Actually Where You Want To Be, with Holidaily’s Karen Hertz, Total Wine & More’s Andrea Starr, Bump Williams Consulting’s Dave Williams, Ahead of the Curve Strategy’s Dan Kiefer and the E-Premise Group’s Ethan Steinstra.

And Crafting Connections: Multi-Channel Prospecting for the Modern Brewery, with New Belgium national accounts manager Jacki Hannon.

The festivities start Monday evening with a first-time attendee meetup at Lucas Oil Stadium, followed by the welcome reception.

New for this year, the BA is integrating its THRIVE workshop into the main seminars, with presentations on leadership and staff development, wellness and social and environmental impact.

BrewExpo America will also bring more than 550 exhibitors promoting new products, supplies and services. The Brewbound team will also be recording episodes of the Brewbound Podcast on the trade show floor (booth 512).

This year’s CBC will culminate with the World Beer Cup awards ceremony – aka “the Olympics of beer competitions” – on May 1