President Donald Trump’s tariffs are bringing uncertainty into Pennsylvania’s craft beer industry, potentially leading to increased prices on various products, write Mike D’Onofrio and John Frank for AXIOS.
Tariffs on equipment, kegs, aluminum cans, and ingredients are challenging brewers, especially small producers, in their efforts to keep prices steady.
Craft beer is a major industry in Pennsylvania, generating over $5.4 billion in 2023. Last year, the state had around 530 craft breweries.
While the commonwealth has seen a few craft breweries close each month, others have been expanding their production or adding more locations.
Jake Atkinson, co-founder of Human Robot Brewing in Philadelphia and soon to be in New Hope, cites tariffs and fluctuating costs as his biggest concerns. While he has managed to maintain steady prices, rising costs and the uncertainty they cause are making future planning a challenge.
“I don’t want to raise prices, but I’m not going to have a choice,” he said. “I pay more; the consumer pays more.”
With the effect of tariffs on cost and availability still uncertain in the coming months, some brewers are signing unique contract agreements to navigate the unpredictability.
Want to see how these new tariffs could hit your favorite Pennsylvania breweries? Click through to Axios for the full story.
