Beer tastes rarely stand still. What people reach for, where they drink it, and what they expect from the experience can all shift over time. For breweries, paying attention to those changes is part of understanding the people drinking the beer.

That’s why how beer trends influence Williamsport breweries goes beyond whichever style happens to be getting attention. A trend might involve lower or higher alcohol levels, new flavors, packaging preferences, limited releases, or the role of the taproom itself. Some changes catch on for years; others come and go.

National trends can make their way to Pennsylvania, but they don’t dictate what happens at every brewery in Williamsport. Local preferences, a brewery’s identity, and what customers respond to all help determine which ideas are worth exploring and which ones simply aren’t the right fit.

Key Takeaways

• Beer trends reflect more than styles. Changes in ABV, drinking occasions, variety, and taproom habits all influence the broader beer industry.
• Variety is moving in multiple directions. Lagers, NA beer, different IPA interpretations, and beers across the ABV spectrum are all part of today’s landscape.
• Local relevance matters. Trends may inspire new ideas, but sustained customer interest helps determine what becomes part of a brewery’s long-term identity.

Beer Trends Start With Changing Tastes

Changes in craft beer often begin with the people drinking it. As consumer preferences shift, breweries get a clearer picture of the flavors, styles, and drinking occasions getting attention. That can influence decisions about everything from hoppy beers and lagers to strength and overall drinkability.

Those preferences rarely move in just one direction. Recent industry data, for example, shows interest in both lower- and higher-alcohol craft options. Some beer drinkers may prioritize moderation on one occasion and reach for something stronger on another. That makes the consumer experience more nuanced than a single dominant trend.

For craft brewers, the useful part of watching the beer market is understanding those signals without treating them as instructions. Trends can provide valuable context for making beer, but quality, identity, and what resonates with actual customers still matter. The goal is to understand what’s changing and decide what deserves attention.

Lagers Are Getting More Attention

After years when hop-forward styles commanded much of the craft conversation, lagers are having a moment of their own. There’s a renewed focus on lighter-bodied, approachable beers that put crispness, balance, and consistency front and center.

The numbers help illustrate the shift. Pale lager was the fastest-growing major craft style subgroup tracked by the Brewers Association in 2025, with 8.9% growth in off-premise scan data. The movement has become visible in style definitions, too. 

For 2026, the Brewers Association added Rice Lager as a distinct category to its Beer Style Guidelines, pointing to the growing popularity of lighter-bodied, easier-drinking beers.

That doesn’t mean lagers are pushing hop-forward beers aside. Instead, the two can occupy different spaces within the same beer industry. A crisp lager might make sense one day, while something built around American hops might be the choice the next.

Here in PA, that range leaves plenty of room for different styles to share the spotlight. Williamsport beer drinkers don’t have to choose between one movement and another; the expanding interest in lagers simply adds another dimension to what local beer can be.

IPA Isn’t One Single Trend Anymore

IPA (India Pale Ale) may be one of the most recognizable styles in craft beer, but the name now covers a wide spectrum. 

Hazy IPAs can emphasize softness and big aromatics, American IPAs may lean into clarity and bitterness, and Double IPAs turn up the strength and intensity. Other interpretations continue to give brewers room for creating different experiences within the same broad family.

While many craft beer styles are seeing a downturn in 2026, IPA continues to grow and capture a larger share of the market. Its continued popularity reinforces its position as a leading style in craft beer, even as consumer preferences shift away from other categories.

We can see that range within our own brewing history. Broken Heels represents our Hazy IPA approach, while we’ve brewed other IPA interpretations with their own character and purpose. It’s a useful reminder that IPA hasn’t become one fixed idea. The style keeps branching out, giving both brewers and drinkers more directions to explore.

Drinkers Are Looking at ABV Differently

ABV is becoming less about choosing between “light” and “strong” and more about matching a beer to the moment. A lower-strength pour might suit a long afternoon, while another occasion might call for something bigger and slower to drink.

That shift has put more attention on low- and mid-strength beers. The Brewers Association highlighted growth among beers below 4% ABV as a notable development in 2025. But the story has another side: its 2026 consumer research also found interest at both ends of the spectrum, including lower- and higher-alcohol craft products.

For craft breweries, that creates room for range rather than a race toward one particular ABV. A varied lineup can accommodate different occasions and preferences, whether someone wants to settle in for a while or enjoy one more substantial beer. Strength becomes another part of the experience instead of the trend itself.

Non-Alcoholic Beer Is Changing the Conversation

Non-alcoholic beer is still a relatively small category, but its recent growth has been difficult for the beer industry to ignore. Brewers Association data shows NA beer volume sales increased 111% from 2021 through 2025, expanding the role these beers play in the broader market.

Part of that growth comes from giving people more flexibility around when they drink beer. Someone might choose an NA option at lunch (a great pick is New Trail Broken Heels NA), between alcoholic drinks, during an event, or simply because they don’t want alcohol that day.

For craft breweries, that makes NA beer an interesting development to watch, not an automatic requirement. Producing it brings its own considerations around brewing, quality, and what makes sense for an individual brewery. Its rise is another example of how the definition of a beer occasion continues to expand.

Variety Still Matters to Craft Beer Drinkers

Exploration has long been part of craft beer culture. The Brewers Association’s 2026 consumer survey found that 50% of craft drinkers purchased three or more craft brands per month, up from 45% in 2025. That suggests plenty of people are still willing to move beyond a single familiar choice.

Rotating releases can feed that curiosity. They give brewers space to work with different styles, techniques, hops, malt, or local ingredients, while established beers offer something recognizable to return to. Even trends such as pastry stouts can have their moment without needing to define an entire lineup.

The challenge is finding a balance. Constant novelty takes time and money, and a steady stream of new releases isn’t automatically a measure of success. Innovation has more value when there’s a reason behind it, while consistency gives proven beers the chance to earn a lasting place.

The Taproom Is Part of the Trend Story

Beer trends aren’t limited to what’s being brewed. Where people choose to drink and what they want from that time matters, too. Taprooms give people a chance to experience beer closer to its source while spending time with friends and their community.

Recent numbers show that in-person experience still has a place in craft beer. Surveyed craft drinkers reported an average of 5.5 brewery visits in 2026, up from 5.1 in 2025. Draftbeer also accounted for more than 53% of on-premise beer sales in 2025.

For Williamsport, that puts the tap itself into the bigger picture. Local beer culture isn’t limited to cans heading home or being sold through distributors. It’s also built around gathering for a fresh pour, conversation, and the experience of spending time at the brewery.

Trends Don’t Replace a Brewery’s Identity

Trends can tell us what’s changing, but they don’t tell us who to be. Chasing every new style or idea would mean constantly reacting to the market instead of building on the kind of brewery we set out to create.

There’s a middle ground. We can listen to drinkers, experiment when an idea excites us, and still stand behind beers that have earned their place. Sometimes, customer response makes the distinction between passing interest and something with staying power.

Broken Heels is part of that story. At first it was only available occasionally on shelves, but Pennsylvania drinkers kept asking for it. In September 2019, we made it our first year-round Hazy IPA.

That kind of sustained demand means more to us than hype alone. Trends may open a door, but what lasts depends on whether people genuinely want to keep coming back to it.

Conclusion

Beer trends are snapshots of a changing culture, not a roadmap. What matters in the long run is what earns another pour.

What Beer Trends Mean for Williamsport

Williamsport is part of a much larger American craft beer story, but beer culture here has its own character. National trends can introduce new styles, different strengths, fresh approaches to releases, and new ways to experience a taproom. What takes hold locally depends on the people drinking the beer.

That’s part of what keeps brewing interesting. Some ideas disappear almost as quickly as they arrive, while others become part of what people expect and enjoy for years.

Beer will keep changing, and we’ll keep paying attention, while staying rooted in the people, places, and Pennsylvania landscape that got us here. Come see what’s pouring at our Tasting Room and find out which trends might earn a place among your favorites.

Frequently Asked Questions

What trends are shaping the beer industry right now?

Lagers, lower-ABV options, non-alcoholic beer, variety, and changing taproom habits are among the developments getting attention. At the same time, drinkers continue to show interest across a wide range of styles and strengths.

How do beer trends affect craft breweries?

Trends can give breweries useful information about changing tastes and drinking occasions. Each brewery can then decide which ideas make sense for its customers, brewing approach, and identity, rather than responding to every shift in the market.

Why are IPAs continuing to shape craft beer trends?

IPAs remain a driving force in craft beer, with drinkers showing continued interest in different interpretations of the style. From soft, aromatic Hazy IPAs to crisp, hop-forward American IPAs and stronger Double IPAs, the category offers plenty of variety. As consumer preferences evolve, IPAs continue to play an important role in shaping the craft beer landscape.

Do breweries need to follow every beer trend?

No. Trends can inspire experimentation or reveal changing preferences, but lasting decisions can also come from sustained customer demand, quality, and what fits the brewery’s identity.