North Carolina Brewery Growth Trends

Track how North Carolina craft beer has changed since 1994 — brewery openings, closings, and cumulative growth from our establishment database.

10-year trajectory

10-Year Market Trajectory

Comparing 2016 to the most recent complete year (2025). Updates automatically each January.

2016

Openings
47
Closings
4

2025

Openings
5
Closings
8

Market Shift

  • Openings down 89%
  • Closings up 100%

Rolling decade narrative

Over the last rolling 10 years, North Carolina has seen a shift in market maturity. Brewery openings peaked in 2017 with 60 new establishments, while closings reached a historical high in 2024. Over this decade-long window, the state has transitioned from an era of hyper-expansion to an active market consolidation.

Core metrics

Total Active Breweries

391

As of 2026

Net Growth This Year 2026 YTD

-2

3 openings, 5 closings · 2026 YTD

Avg. Lifespan (Closed Breweries)

5.6 years

Closed breweries since 1994

Net Churn Rate: Opening and Closing Trends

Net Churn Rate (Rolling 10 Years)

Net annual variance (openings minus closings) for 2016–2025. Bars above zero indicate growth; bars below zero indicate contraction.

-60-40-200+20+40+602016: net +4320162017: net +5120172018: net +3720182019: net +2820192020: net +1420202021: net +1520212022: net +2720222023: net +1620232024: net -1320242025: net -32025

Open Year vs. Close Year

How many breweries opened in each year (columns) and closed in each year (rows). Uses year-only dates; darker cells = more closures.

Open year → 20162017201820192020202120222023202420252016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Age at Closing vs. Calendar Year

Lifespan brackets (close year minus open year) for breweries closed in each calendar year. Darker cells show where mature breweries are exiting the market.

20162017201820192020202120222023202420250–2 years3–5 years6–10 years11+ years

Key insights

In 2025, North Carolina saw 5 brewery openings and 8 closings, for net decline of 3.
Through 2026, North Carolina has recorded 3 brewery openings and 5 closings so far this year.
North Carolina currently has 391 active breweries tracked in our database.

How Many Breweries Opened and Closed in North Carolina?

Opening and Closing Trends

Green bars: brewery openings. Red bars: permanent closings, by calendar year (1994 onward).

02040601994: 3 openings1994: 0 closings19941995: 1 openings1995: 0 closings1996: 5 openings1996: 0 closings1997: 5 openings1997: 0 closings19971998: 2 openings1998: 0 closings1999: 3 openings1999: 1 closings2000: 2 openings2000: 0 closings20002001: 2 openings2001: 0 closings2002: 1 openings2002: 0 closings2003: 5 openings2003: 1 closings20032004: 3 openings2004: 3 closings2005: 3 openings2005: 2 closings2006: 2 openings2006: 0 closings20062007: 5 openings2007: 2 closings2008: 8 openings2008: 0 closings2009: 8 openings2009: 0 closings20092010: 10 openings2010: 3 closings2011: 8 openings2011: 3 closings2012: 22 openings2012: 4 closings20122013: 23 openings2013: 2 closings2014: 42 openings2014: 2 closings2015: 36 openings2015: 6 closings20152016: 47 openings2016: 4 closings2017: 60 openings2017: 9 closings2018: 47 openings2018: 10 closings20182019: 41 openings2019: 13 closings2020: 26 openings2020: 12 closings2021: 25 openings2021: 10 closings20212022: 36 openings2022: 9 closings2023: 28 openings2023: 12 closings2024: 8 openings2024: 21 closings20242025: 5 openings2025: 8 closings2026: 3 openings2026: 5 closings2026
  • Openings
  • Closings

Cumulative Brewery Growth

Total active North Carolina breweries at the end of each calendar year (since 1994).

02004006001994: 8 active breweries19941995: 12 active breweries1996: 13 active breweries1997: 19 active breweries19971998: 22 active breweries1999: 25 active breweries2000: 27 active breweries20002001: 30 active breweries2002: 30 active breweries2003: 31 active breweries20032004: 34 active breweries2005: 36 active breweries2006: 37 active breweries20062007: 38 active breweries2008: 44 active breweries2009: 51 active breweries20092010: 62 active breweries2011: 69 active breweries2012: 78 active breweries20122013: 103 active breweries2014: 137 active breweries2015: 169 active breweries20152016: 210 active breweries2017: 266 active breweries2018: 307 active breweries20182019: 335 active breweries2020: 350 active breweries2021: 367 active breweries20212022: 388 active breweries2023: 409 active breweries2024: 395 active breweries20242025: 391 active breweries2026: 391 active breweries2026
Year-by-year data table
YearOpeningsClosingsNetActive at Year End
202635-2391
202558-3391
2024821-13395
20232812+16409
2022369+27388
20212510+15367
20202612+14350
20194113+28335
20184710+37307
2017609+51266
2016474+43210
2015366+30169
2014422+40137
2013232+21103
2012224+1878
201183+569
2010103+762
200980+851
200880+844
200752+338
200620+237
200532+136
200433+034
200351+431
200210+130
200120+230
200020+227
199931+225
199820+222
199750+519
199650+513
199510+112
199430+38

Methodology: Charts and year-by-year tables cover 1994–present, when the modern craft beer movement took off. Counts include active North Carolina breweries (Brewery, Brew Pub, and Microbrewery categories). Opening and closing years are derived from establishment open and close dates where available; cumulative totals include pre-1994 breweries still active in that era. Rolling 10-year net churn, trajectory cards, and decade narrative compare 2016–2025 and refresh automatically.

Data accuracy: Opening and closing years are compiled from public sources—brewery websites, news reports, industry directories, and archival research—not from government or regulatory filings. Coverage varies by state and brewery; some dates are approximate or unknown. Charts, counts, and narratives reflect our directory at the time shown and may change as we correct the record.

Last updated: October 7, 2026