Texas craft breweries may fizzle as coronavirus shuts off the taps
April 23, 2020 12:17 PM, Updated 2 hours 57 minutes ago
Bedford brewery to-go orders help weather coronavirus shutdown
Turning Point Beer in Bedford is weathering the coronavirus shutdown with increased to-go orders, and so far maintain their staff. By Yffy Yossifor
FORT WORTH
In a world where the novel coronavirus didn’t exist, dozens of beer fans would have wandered into HopFusion Ale Works on a warm April afternoon. By 8 p.m. the taproom would be filling up for weekly karaoke, setting the mood for a hopping spring weekend in the Near Southside.
Not this week. Instead, co-owner Macy Moore sat alone in the deserted taproom while a few employees canned beer in the back.
“This is our hottest time for the entire year. We’d be packed out every night of the week, especially with this great patio weather we’ve been having, but not now,” Moore said. “This is like a whole other universe.”
For a decade, craft beer drinkers have enjoyed a constantly expanding variety of locally made brews, but the scene — and dozens of Texas small businesses — could be in jeopardy if the novel coronavirus outbreak continues.
Texas craft brewers on average have reported a more than 70% drop in revenue since the beginning of March, according to the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. More than 60% of the state’s craft brewers have furloughed or laid off staff, according to the guild’s survey, and 14% have temporarily closed. Nationally, six out of 10 breweries say the coronavirus-spurred recession could drive them out of business, according to a Brewers Association survey.
To give Texas breweries a boost, the guild is encouraging shoppers to pick up craft beer this weekend through a social media campaign dubbed #GreatTexasBeerRun. Breweries have shifted to to-go orders from taprooms and must rely on grocery and liquor store sales — but those sales typically make up a fraction of the industry’s revenue.
At HopFusion, the now-shuttered taproom contributed to about 70% of the brewery’s revenue. Expanded beer distribution to stores across Texas and to-go orders may offset some of the decline. The brewery has applied for small businesses assistance and hasn’t let anyone go.
“We made a commitment to our employees when we started that we’d all walk out of here together,” he said.
For a brewery like Wild Acre in Fort Worth, which relies heavily on sales from restaurants and bars, 50% to 60% of revenue may have been wiped out by the coronavirus-related bar closures, said owner John Pritchett.
Those sales won’t be recovered through increased to-go orders. Prichett said he’s worried about the health of the industry, even if craft beer fans and those with a desire to support local businesses made a concerted effort to grab independent beer over big brands.
“People are going to have to get creative, knuckle down, to keep going,” he said.
Wild Acre opened a location on Camp Bowie during the outbreak to serve sandwiches and to-go beers. The move has helped keep people on staff, Prichett said, and may help boost revenue. At HopFusion, Moore is experimenting with Facebook Live concerts for the taproom’s stage. The first one last week raised $800 for a veteran’s charity and another Wednesday will benefit SouthSide Cares.
Prichett said the loss of craft brewery could damage a neighborhood’s fabricsince many small breweries act as hubs for the surrounding area.
“I think culturally it would be devastating to lose a place like that,” he said.
Not all breweries have seen the same decline.
At Turning Point in Bedford, owner J.P. Goytia said revenue has remained flat and the brewery has not had to cut any of its 20 staff. Social media engagement has more than doubled since the outbreak.
Goytia suspects a change in hours has encouraged people to stop by the brewery. Before the outbreak, the taproom was open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Now to-go orders are available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
The brewery has long been a destination for craft beer drinkers, since Turning Point doesn’t have wide distribution. That’s continued during coronavirus, with longtime customers still coming by for pickup. But many making the trip to Bedford are first time customers, Goytia said.
“I think people have realized Bedford is not that far from Dallas or wherever, and with less people on the road it’s easy for them to get here, grab a few beers and go home,” he said. “We’ve been really fortunate in that way.”
Business has been booming for Martin House Brewing in Fort Worth since the first of the year, said Pete Villarreal, head of logistics. The brewery relies more on stores than on bars and restaurants. Sales from distribution had increased by 128% this quarter, he said, and will hopefully make up for the loss of taproom revenue.
“I think the amount of different beers we produce has really helped,” Villarreal said. “I think people are looking for variety and something new.”
Even if the coronavirus shutdown ended tomorrow, Moore of HopFusion said he has a lot of anxiety about the future.
“I don’t know what it’s going to look like when we can open up, or even what it means to be open,” he said. “There’s really no way to know what the rest of this year will look like.”
April 23, 2020 12:17 PM, Updated 2 hours 57 minutes ago
Bedford brewery to-go orders help weather coronavirus shutdown
Turning Point Beer in Bedford is weathering the coronavirus shutdown with increased to-go orders, and so far maintain their staff. By Yffy Yossifor
FORT WORTH
In a world where the novel coronavirus didn’t exist, dozens of beer fans would have wandered into HopFusion Ale Works on a warm April afternoon. By 8 p.m. the taproom would be filling up for weekly karaoke, setting the mood for a hopping spring weekend in the Near Southside.
Not this week. Instead, co-owner Macy Moore sat alone in the deserted taproom while a few employees canned beer in the back.
“This is our hottest time for the entire year. We’d be packed out every night of the week, especially with this great patio weather we’ve been having, but not now,” Moore said. “This is like a whole other universe.”
For a decade, craft beer drinkers have enjoyed a constantly expanding variety of locally made brews, but the scene — and dozens of Texas small businesses — could be in jeopardy if the novel coronavirus outbreak continues.
Texas craft brewers on average have reported a more than 70% drop in revenue since the beginning of March, according to the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. More than 60% of the state’s craft brewers have furloughed or laid off staff, according to the guild’s survey, and 14% have temporarily closed. Nationally, six out of 10 breweries say the coronavirus-spurred recession could drive them out of business, according to a Brewers Association survey.
To give Texas breweries a boost, the guild is encouraging shoppers to pick up craft beer this weekend through a social media campaign dubbed #GreatTexasBeerRun. Breweries have shifted to to-go orders from taprooms and must rely on grocery and liquor store sales — but those sales typically make up a fraction of the industry’s revenue.
At HopFusion, the now-shuttered taproom contributed to about 70% of the brewery’s revenue. Expanded beer distribution to stores across Texas and to-go orders may offset some of the decline. The brewery has applied for small businesses assistance and hasn’t let anyone go.
“We made a commitment to our employees when we started that we’d all walk out of here together,” he said.
For a brewery like Wild Acre in Fort Worth, which relies heavily on sales from restaurants and bars, 50% to 60% of revenue may have been wiped out by the coronavirus-related bar closures, said owner John Pritchett.
Those sales won’t be recovered through increased to-go orders. Prichett said he’s worried about the health of the industry, even if craft beer fans and those with a desire to support local businesses made a concerted effort to grab independent beer over big brands.
“People are going to have to get creative, knuckle down, to keep going,” he said.
Wild Acre opened a location on Camp Bowie during the outbreak to serve sandwiches and to-go beers. The move has helped keep people on staff, Prichett said, and may help boost revenue. At HopFusion, Moore is experimenting with Facebook Live concerts for the taproom’s stage. The first one last week raised $800 for a veteran’s charity and another Wednesday will benefit SouthSide Cares.
Prichett said the loss of craft brewery could damage a neighborhood’s fabricsince many small breweries act as hubs for the surrounding area.
“I think culturally it would be devastating to lose a place like that,” he said.
Not all breweries have seen the same decline.
At Turning Point in Bedford, owner J.P. Goytia said revenue has remained flat and the brewery has not had to cut any of its 20 staff. Social media engagement has more than doubled since the outbreak.
Goytia suspects a change in hours has encouraged people to stop by the brewery. Before the outbreak, the taproom was open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Now to-go orders are available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
The brewery has long been a destination for craft beer drinkers, since Turning Point doesn’t have wide distribution. That’s continued during coronavirus, with longtime customers still coming by for pickup. But many making the trip to Bedford are first time customers, Goytia said.
“I think people have realized Bedford is not that far from Dallas or wherever, and with less people on the road it’s easy for them to get here, grab a few beers and go home,” he said. “We’ve been really fortunate in that way.”
Business has been booming for Martin House Brewing in Fort Worth since the first of the year, said Pete Villarreal, head of logistics. The brewery relies more on stores than on bars and restaurants. Sales from distribution had increased by 128% this quarter, he said, and will hopefully make up for the loss of taproom revenue.
“I think the amount of different beers we produce has really helped,” Villarreal said. “I think people are looking for variety and something new.”
Even if the coronavirus shutdown ended tomorrow, Moore of HopFusion said he has a lot of anxiety about the future.
“I don’t know what it’s going to look like when we can open up, or even what it means to be open,” he said. “There’s really no way to know what the rest of this year will look like.”