Latest news with #4NosesBrewing
Axios
28-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Colorado breweries fret about tariffs amid trade war
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.
CBS News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Sen. John Hickenlooper tours Denver brewery, criticizes tariffs
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper toured 4 Noses Brewery in Denver on Tuesday as part of a visit highlighting local businesses. Hickenlooper, a Democrat representing Colorado in the Senate, wanted to learn how tariffs are impacting the craft beer industry. Sen. John Hickenlooper visits 4 Noses Brewing Company in Denver. CBS Following the tour, Hickenlooper said the costs of tariffs are making it difficult for businesses to invest the way they need to grow. He criticized tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, stating they "rarely worked" and warning that the U.S. economy is "perilously close to sliding into recession." "They don't need extra anxiety from wondering if the tariff is going to stay or double in a month or magically go away," said Hickenlooper. 4 Noses Brewing Company CBS President Donald Trump has said that his goal with tariffs is to bring back manufacturing jobs to America. Hickenlooper's remarks come amid ongoing concerns about inflation and global trade tensions. 4 Noses Brewing Company has said the company is switching from aluminum to tin.
