2008 Craft Beer shipments up 6.8% over 2007

During the first six months of 2008, American craft beer sales rose 6.8% in terms of volume (to 4 million barrels) and 11% in terms of dollars, according to figures released by the Brewers Association.

Price increases due to increased ingredient costs were probably the greatest factors causing dollar sales to increase at almost twice the rate for sales volumes. That being said, a significant portion of those ingredient and energy costs were not passed on by the breweries, thus reducing the breweries' profit margins.

A 6.8% increase of volume, though smaller than last year at the half-point, is still a significant increase. And indeed refutes my earlier gloomy predictions!

I was alerted to this story by the Brookston Beer Bulletin.