5 TRENDS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF BEER

We Are Beer, the organiser behind the famous London, Bristol and Manchester Craft Beer Festivals, has launched its new Horizons Report 2024. Building the success of its Good Beer Drinker report 2024, the Horizons Report details the macro and micro trends that will affect the beer sector over the next five years and beyond.

Drawing on exclusive research, insight, and interviews from their leading network of industry experts and consumer audiences, the report, which forms part of the new We Are Beer Insight arm, details the big trends and forecasts how these will drive change in the beer industry.

Contributors to the report include voices from M&A, green-tech entrepreneurs, leading brewers, brewery CEOs, academics, founders and market foresight experts.

As Stephan Pietge, MD Europe, Arlington Capital Europe, states in the report: “Premiumisation [and] people drinking better is here to stay”. But what does that look like, and what does it mean for beer?

These five major shifts in We Are Beer Horizons comprise: artificial intelligence (AI) impact on value, work and the rise of community, shifting identities of the new drinker, sustainability as strategy and a new empathy driving mindful drinking.

AI will soon influence every aspect of the supply chain, from brewing to consumer recommendation. The report details how conversely this will help highlight the value of beer’s distinctly human qualities, such as connection, craftsmanship and creativity. As Chris Lewington, host of the modern brewer podcast, says: “The essence is being original and human centred”.

Attitudes to work – how we feel about it and how we do it – are changing fast, and this is leading to the dramatic rise of a set of softer values, reconfiguring traditional notions of aspiration and success. Spending more time at home has also highlighted the importance of community, as author of book, Flex, and report contributor Annie Auerbach puts it, “aspiration is based less on career ladders and more on our own judgement of what makes life good.”

As identities become more fragmented and fluid, particularly among younger consumers like Gen Z, the rituals and rites of passage that bound older generations are being broken. To recruit younger consumers, breweries need to embrace inclusivity and deliver diverse experiences at both product and brand levels.

Rising costs, economic pressures and awareness of climate change will see sustainability shift from a ‘luxury’ to a non-negotiable in the beer industry. But there’s great opportunity for beer to lead the way, as George Wade, Co-founder and CCO of Zevero, says in the report: “The brewery industry is changing the way we think about climate impact and paving the way for actions that consumer businesses can take to achieve their sustainability goals.”

Finally, while mindful drinking has been a topic of conversation for some time, the next five years will see a move away from ‘toxic wellness trends’ to a more empathetic approach to our health. Breweries will need to respond to these changing demands, as the lines between drinker and non-drinkers, and drinking and non-drinking occasions, blur.

At the same time as releasing the report, We Are Beer has announced it is to launch “Europe’s most important beer week”, to take place next July.

The inaugural We Are Beer Industry Expo & Conference will take place on 16 and 17 July 2025 in Magazine London, Greenwich, directly preceding the London Craft Beer Festival – now moved to new dates – to form Europe’s most important beer week.

The two-day trade event will feature presentations and panels and offer invaluable networking opportunities with leaders within the beer industry. Alongside the conference will be a trade expo of innovative suppliers in the modern drinks industry.

Greg Wells, co-founder of We are Beer, says: “We’re thrilled to be launched the Horizons Report 2024, the first of a new regular set of reports to emerge out of our new insights arm, and to announce the new We Are Beer Industry Expo & Conference.

“The report was created through extensive research and draws on the collective wisdom of industry experts and futurologists, and aims to empower business decision-makers by offering foresight to help inform strategy and help future-proof beer businesses. This is an exciting, dynamic category, and despite a tough few years there is huge opportunity on the horizon for businesses to enjoy.

“Our new trade event, meanwhile, will bring together retailers, operators, brewers and suppliers, ahead of our incredibly successful consumer events, to promote the best of the beer industry and to help grow the sector.”