Colorado breweries fret about tariffs amid trade war

Axios

28-05-2025

President Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs have the potential to hit the craft brewing industry hard.
Why it matters: The extra costs are just "another straw on the camel's back," says Boulder-based Brewers Association president and CEO Bart Watson, on top of pandemic-era supply chain problems, increasing competition and declining sales.
Driving the news: U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a former Wynkoop Brewing owner, is raising awareness about the tariffs' potential to hike the price of ingredients, equipment and packaging.
"Tariffs cramp businesses and provide a level of uncertainty that is almost untenable," Hickenlooper said during a visit earlier this week to Denver's 4 Noses Brewing, where he sipped a beer fresh from the canning line and listened to local business owners talk about how the tariffs are hurting their businesses.
State of play: The current tariffs on aluminum are the most pressing issue for craft brewers, Watson says. Smaller breweries are the most likely to get pinched because of their scale.
The Chinese tariffs on steel and aluminum are taking a toll, particularly for startup breweries.
The potential for Canadian tariffs will add to the pain. About 40% of the barley used by craft brewers comes from our northern neighbor.
Zoom in: The uncertainty is what troubles Tommy Bibliowicz, co-owner of 4 Noses Brewing, which just celebrated 11 years in business. So far, he's not seen direct tariff impacts but is bracing for them down the road.
"We really are just waiting — waiting to see what's going on," he lamented at his Denver taproom. "Clarity is our biggest problem."
Between the lines: For brewers, the next question is whether to pass along the additional costs to consumers. It is a tough one. Bibliowicz says he won't do it — at least for now — because he doesn't want to hurt sales.