Drinking It All In, Craft Beer Industry Overview

On July 25th, Tim Cochran, co-owner of Horse & Dragon Brewing Company, presented an overview of the craft beer industry in the United States and Colorado as well as a brief history of his company.

In 2013, there were some 2700 craft breweries in the United States; in 2013, craft beer made up some 6% of the beer market; by 2017, there were some 6500 craft breweries making up some 13% of the beer market. Currently there are some 350 craft breweries in Colorado and the Craft Brewers Association is headquartered in Boulder. Craft brewers are small and independent (if a brewer is more than 25% owned by a non-craft brewery, it is not craft), producing less than 6 million barrels per year. Craft brewers have business models ranging from part-time through on-site sales (typically associated with a restaurant) to more-or-less wide distribution.

Tim and his wife, after a number of years working for the Miller Brewing Co. at locations worldwide, moved to Fort Collins and founded Horse and Dragon in 2013. After a year of getting the company up and running, they produced 418 barrels in 2014, with volumes increasing every year since. Their main emphasis is on distribution to local establishments/restaurants for over-the-counter sales. The pillars of their company are: produce great and interesting beers; run an ethical operation, treating people well; minimize their environmental impact; and be pro-active members of the community.