Pennsylvania Brewery Growth Trends

Track how Pennsylvania 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
41
Closings
4

2025

Openings
21
Closings
19

Market Shift

  • Openings down 49%
  • Closings up 375%

Rolling decade narrative

Over the last rolling 10 years, Pennsylvania has seen a shift in market maturity. Brewery openings peaked in 2017 with 58 new establishments, while closings reached a historical high in 2023. Over this decade-long window, recent years point to renewed expansion after an earlier period of market correction.

Core metrics

Total Active Breweries

545

As of 2026

Net Growth This Year 2026 YTD

+2

4 openings, 2 closings · 2026 YTD

Avg. Lifespan (Closed Breweries)

6.6 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 +3720162017: net +5320172018: net +4920182019: net +4220192020: net +4320202021: net +3720212022: net +3320222023: net +1420232024: net +1120242025: net +22025

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, Pennsylvania saw 21 brewery openings and 19 closings, for net growth of 2.
Through 2026, Pennsylvania has recorded 4 brewery openings and 2 closings so far this year.
Pennsylvania currently has 545 active breweries tracked in our database.

How Many Breweries Opened and Closed in Pennsylvania?

Opening and Closing Trends

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

02040601994: 1 openings1994: 0 closings19941995: 11 openings1995: 0 closings1996: 8 openings1996: 0 closings1997: 4 openings1997: 0 closings19971998: 6 openings1998: 0 closings1999: 4 openings1999: 0 closings2000: 6 openings2000: 2 closings20002001: 3 openings2001: 1 closings2002: 6 openings2002: 5 closings2003: 3 openings2003: 2 closings20032004: 6 openings2004: 2 closings2005: 4 openings2005: 2 closings2006: 9 openings2006: 2 closings20062007: 9 openings2007: 3 closings2008: 6 openings2008: 4 closings2009: 6 openings2009: 1 closings20092010: 11 openings2010: 2 closings2011: 26 openings2011: 0 closings2012: 18 openings2012: 1 closings20122013: 22 openings2013: 2 closings2014: 38 openings2014: 10 closings2015: 48 openings2015: 4 closings20152016: 41 openings2016: 4 closings2017: 58 openings2017: 5 closings2018: 57 openings2018: 8 closings20182019: 54 openings2019: 12 closings2020: 54 openings2020: 11 closings2021: 50 openings2021: 13 closings20212022: 44 openings2022: 11 closings2023: 40 openings2023: 26 closings2024: 28 openings2024: 17 closings20242025: 21 openings2025: 19 closings2026: 4 openings2026: 2 closings2026
  • Openings
  • Closings

Cumulative Brewery Growth

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

02004006001994: 10 active breweries19941995: 15 active breweries1996: 26 active breweries1997: 32 active breweries19971998: 37 active breweries1999: 42 active breweries2000: 44 active breweries20002001: 49 active breweries2002: 49 active breweries2003: 51 active breweries20032004: 52 active breweries2005: 56 active breweries2006: 62 active breweries20062007: 67 active breweries2008: 73 active breweries2009: 74 active breweries20092010: 81 active breweries2011: 99 active breweries2012: 126 active breweries20122013: 144 active breweries2014: 174 active breweries2015: 213 active breweries20152016: 246 active breweries2017: 303 active breweries2018: 354 active breweries20182019: 398 active breweries2020: 433 active breweries2021: 482 active breweries20212022: 517 active breweries2023: 527 active breweries2024: 540 active breweries20242025: 538 active breweries2026: 545 active breweries2026
Year-by-year data table
YearOpeningsClosingsNetActive at Year End
202642+2545
20252119+2538
20242817+11540
20234026+14527
20224411+33517
20215013+37482
20205411+43433
20195412+42398
2018578+49354
2017585+53303
2016414+37246
2015484+44213
20143810+28174
2013222+20144
2012181+17126
2011260+2699
2010112+981
200961+574
200864+273
200793+667
200692+762
200542+256
200462+452
200332+151
200265+149
200131+249
200062+444
199940+442
199860+637
199740+432
199680+826
1995110+1115
199410+110

Methodology: Charts and year-by-year tables cover 1994–present, when the modern craft beer movement took off. Counts include active Pennsylvania 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: September 16, 2026