https://www.siliconvalley.com/2024/01/03/bay-area-breweries-heres-what-to-look-for-in-2024/

Last year felt the closest to normal since the pandemic began in 2020, but most craft breweries continued to struggle mightily. One lingering aftereffect of the pandemic is that many people are going out to eat and drink less frequently than they once did. While that may be less of a problem for breweries that can or bottle their beer, it’s been rough on brewpubs and keg-only breweries, and it’s not doing bars and brewery taprooms any favors. And ongoing issues with supply chains and the cost of ingredients continue to raise the price of your pint, further slowing sales.

Drinkers are also shifting loyalties. Many people, especially younger adults, are drinking less, and when they do drink, they often turn to hard seltzer, cider, cocktails — including ready-to-drink ones — and craft spirts. So retailers are allocating less space for beer in stores, which then makes it harder for breweries to find a place to sell their beer.