Trust The Process! - Themes from 2026 NYC Craft Beer Week Kickoff Bash
This Maya Angelou quote came to mind recently while thinking about the current state of the craft beer industry.
Before I became The Katonah Beer Man, I spent part of my career working with software startups. Watching those companies evolve, I noticed a familiar arc. It usually began with a cool idea that turned into a product. Customers arrived. Competitors inevitably offered more features. Companies spent heavily trying to keep up. Inefficiencies crept in.
The companies that survived regrouped, mapped out their processes, cut unnecessary complexity, and figured out how to deliver their product more efficiently. Innovation continued — but now it happened inside a thoughtful system.
This got me wondering: in today’s climate of craft brewery closings and consolidation, what are breweries doing to navigate the industry’s next phase?
To find out, I headed to Brooklyn.
Press pass tucked into my stylish fedora, I made my way to Brooklyn for the lively annual New York City Brewers Guild Craft Beer Week Kickoff Bash.
The well-organized event brought together roughly 45 breweries and about 550 attendees, creating a rare opportunity to interact directly with brewers and owners across the New York craft beer scene.
As I made my rounds, I asked a simple question: What changes did you make in 2025? The answers revealed several clear themes.
After speaking with brewers and representatives from these excellent breweries: Wolf & Warrior, KCBC, Wild East, The Randolph, Eckhart, Talea, and Threes, several common strategies emerged.
Many breweries are taking a hard look at their brewing operation processes, dialing in recipes and production methods to make beers more consistent and efficient. Even small improvements can translate directly into better margins.
Another shift is toward more focused tap lists. Several brewers told me they are intentionally reducing the number of beers they produce. Fewer offerings mean lower ingredient costs and a clearer identity for drinkers to sign on to.
Expect to see more sessionable beers as well as the even lower 3% ABV range. These beers are less expensive to produce and align with drinkers looking for flavor without the heavier alcohol punch.
One brewery that opened in 2025 shared a refreshingly honest lesson: their early business plans looked very different once the doors opened. Customer patterns, staffing needs and daily operations are now shaping updated expectations and processes.
Another brewery described moving production of some core beers to contract brewing, where another brewery produces the beer using their recipe. This allows their in-house brewers to focus more on innovation and experimentation.
Innovation isn’t disappearing — it’s simply becoming more thoughtful. Several brewers mentioned running cost analyses before brewing experimental beers to ensure new ideas make business as well as creative sense.
I appreciated the candor. These conversations reflected an industry that is adjusting, learning and recalibrating. And I’m actively rooting for their success.
Among so many breweries pouring, several beers stood out during my tasting laps.
Wolf & Warrior Brewing Company – White Plains, NY - Wolves of the Midlands English-Style Stock Ale. Growing up in Buffalo, I remember drinking Molson Stock Ale, and this beer feels like an excellent modern tribute to that malty, smooth style. Wolf & Warrior is a great brewery to visit right here in Westchester.
Kid Squid Brewing Company – Sag Harbor, NY - Year of the Fire Horse DIPA. A standout beer with a particularly nice plum note on the finish. I haven’t yet homebrewed with plum, but after tasting this one, it will appear in the KBM spring offering.
Spicy Moon – The Bowery, NYC - Golden Dragon Lager. A “low-gluten” lager that starts with rice and then uses an enzyme to further reduce gluten content. The result is a crisp, full-flavored beer.
Brooklyn Kura – Occidental Dry-Hopped Junmai. I enjoy sake as well (shocker). Brooklyn Kura combines traditional sake brewing with dry-hopping techniques familiar to IPA drinkers, creating an appealing tropical fruit aroma.
Departed Soles Brewing Company – Jersey City, NJ - Iron Soles Apple Cider Gluten-Free Ale. I’m not typically a cider drinker — they tend to run a bit sweet for my taste. But I do enjoy a Snake Bite (half beer, half cider). Departed Soles essentially packaged that concept into one gluten-free beer and nailed it.
With nearly 50 breweries pouring, there is potential for over-consumption. My strategy is simple: small samples and smart targeting, focusing on breweries new to me or those offering something unique.
Staying upright by the end of the event also requires hydration breaks and good food, which in this case came courtesy of the delectable Market Price (seafood), Spices of the Sun (Caribbean specialties), & Mighty Oak Roasters.
I considered them my Pit Crew.
I left the event cautiously optimistic. The brewers I spoke with are thoughtful, pragmatic and committed to adapting their businesses to a changing industry.
These are small business owners who have gone all-in on their passion and are refining how they operate so they can thrive in the years ahead.
Learning. Improving. And trusting the process.
Contact John Bart at TheKatonahBeerMan@gmail.com or visit thekatonahbeerman.wordpress.com.
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