Rather than yet another column about the many things going poorly for the brewing industry lately, we’re going to focus on a beacon of hope today instead. Remember hope? It’s good stuff! Sure, the national numbers are gnarly and the vibe is giving “gallows,” but there are glimmers of light on the dark horizon for this struggling category yet. For example: 19.2-ounce cans. In these tough times for the beer industry, stovepipes are burning hot. As one veteran brewer put it, “It’s crazy what’s going on.” Crazy in a good way? In the craft brewing industry of 2024? It’s true. Let’s talk about why.
Known in industry jargon as the “stovepipe,” the 19.2-ounce package is relatively new to the mainstream mix of vessels in which Americans will buy off-premise beer. It wasn’t even that long ago that the hottest large-format container in the brewing industry was a 22-ounce glass bottle. (The bomber, people called it. Ah, memories.) But the past has passed, and the future is now, and in it, 19.2-ounce cans are posting eye-popping growth. Beer Marketer’s Insights reported earlier this week that the top 15 craft brand families selling in stovepipes “soar[ed]” during the trailing 13-week period, adding almost $21 million in sales tracked by Circana’s multi-outlet and convenience store scans. Zoom out, and the trend holds. On spreadsheets sorted by craft beer pack sizes, stovepipes are liable to be one of the few rows in the black on year-over-year growth. NielsenIQ scan data reviewed by Hop Take
