2025 annual report
From the president
As the Missouri Craft Brewers Guild closes out another year—and as I conclude my term as President—I want to sincerely thank our Board of Directors, Executive Director, allied partners, and membership for your continued support and engagement. Serving this organization has been a true honor.
There’s no denying that the craft beer industry is navigating meaningful headwinds across all segments of our industry. Slowing beer sales, rising input costs, and increasing competition across the broader beverage space have created real challenges for small breweries. Many of us are being asked to do more with less while continuing to innovate and serve our communities.
And yet, even in this environment, Missouri’s craft beer community continues to demonstrate resilience, creativity, and collaboration.
This past year, the Guild made meaningful progress in strengthening our organization and supporting our members. Highlights include:
Successfully advocating for a reduction in Missouri’s state excise tax—delivering real, tangible relief for small brewers across the state
Hosting our first-ever Missouri Beer Cup, giving us a new platform to showcase the quality, creativity, and diversity of breweries and brands throughout Missouri
Continued growth and engagement through our annual conference, offering valuable education and opportunities to connect with peers and industry partners
Ongoing success of the Missouri Strong Brewing Collaboration, bringing brewers together statewide while generating funding to support Guild operations. (Public House had a great time this year as one of the host breweries collaborating on a very tasty Baltic Porter!)
Expanded promotional efforts and member events that foster connection, knowledge-sharing, and visibility for Missouri craft beer
Sustained advocacy work with legislators and regulators to protect small brewers and reduce unnecessary burdens on our industry
Together, these efforts reinforce the Guild’s core mission to Advocate, Collaborate, and Promote—ensuring Missouri brewers have both a collective voice and a strong community behind them.
As our industry evolves, the importance of the Guild only grows. Continued advocacy around fair market access, distribution laws, and regulatory reform remains critical. Equally important is finding new ways to serve members through shared resources, education, and potential group benefits that help small breweries operate more sustainably.
While the road ahead may be uncertain, I remain optimistic. Missouri brewers have always adapted, supported one another, and found opportunity in change. That spirit of cooperation is one of our greatest strengths—and it’s what will carry us forward.
None of this work happens without you. The Guild exists because of member involvement—committee volunteers, collaboration participants, event attendees, and supporters who believe in the strength of Missouri craft beer.
I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together and confident in the leadership moving forward. Missouri craft beer is strong because of the people behind it, and I’m excited to see how the Guild continues to grow and adapt in the years ahead.
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving as your President.
Cheers,
Josh Stacy
Outgoing President
Missouri Craft Brewers Guild
Public House Brewing Company
2025 - A YEAR IN REVIEW
*
2025 - A YEAR IN REVIEW *
gUILD GATHERINGS
This year, the Guild hosted four free Guild Gatherings across the Show-Me State, offering casual, happy-hour-style networking opportunities for members. Thanks to generous sponsors, attendees enjoyed a couple of beers while reconnecting with peers and meeting new faces. Each gathering featured brief sponsor introductions, a Guild update, and ample time for relaxed conversation. These simple yet meaningful events play a vital role in strengthening connections and engagement within Missouri’s craft beer community. We are grateful to this year’s brewery hosts and sponsors for making them possible.
THANK YOU TO OUR HOSTS & SPONSORS
Boat Town Brewing Co., Lebanon - sponsored by Hawthorn Bank
East Forty Brewing, Blue Springs - sponsored by Hopsteiner
Blue Jay Brewing Co., St. Louis - sponsored by Country Malt & Bono Burns Distribution
Hold Fast Brewing, Springfield - sponsored by Belmark, inc.
mISSOURI MEETUP AT cbc
The Guild also hosted a special Missouri Meetup at Guggman Haus Brewing in Indianapolis during the Brewers Association’s Craft Brewers Conference. Sponsored by Wipfli, the event brought together more than 30 attendees for great beer, welcoming hospitality, and valuable networking opportunities.
Missouri loves company®
The Missouri Loves Company® collaboration beer series continued to serve as the Guild’s flagship fundraising initiative. This year’s Brews from Abroad series showcased four globally inspired beer styles and raised more than $20,000 in support of the Guild’s mission. Beyond fundraising, the series created meaningful opportunities for members to collaborate in person, share expertise, and craft exceptional beers together.
This annual initiative is made possible through the generous support of our host breweries and sponsors. We are continually inspired by the collaborative spirit and strong participation of our members, which make Missouri Loves Company® a lasting success.
HOST BREWERIES
Kansas City Bier Company, Kansas City - Belgian-style Tripel
Mother’s Brewing Company, Springfield - Cologne-style Kolsch
Rockwell Beer Company, St. Louis - New Zealand-style IPA
Public House Brewing Company, Rolla - Baltic Porter
OUR SPONSORS
Suppliers: Berlin Packaging, CK Print & Design, SMC Packaging Group, U.S. Tape & Label, Veritiv / Landsberg
Ingredients: Bono Burns Distributing; Briess Malting & Ingredients; Hopsteiner, County Malt Group, Hollingbery & Son Hops; Malteurop Malting Company; RahrBSG
Additional Sponsors: Craft Republic, Paul Mueller Company, Turn It Up Media
Special thanks to Jim Wagner at Lagom Design for designing this year’s labels.
advocacy
MISSOURI CRAFT BEER DAY AT THE CAPITOL
In February we organized a small group of Brewery Members to visit our Missouri legislators at the State Capitol in Jefferson City to share information about the craft beer industry in our fine state. We spent the day meeting with Governor Kehoe’s office and both House and Senate legislators in each of the districts represented by those attending.
We dissused general economic impact of the craft beer industry, fair and equitable access to market, and House Bill 1041 A.K.A. the “American Beer Bill” - which reduced state excise taxes collected on Missouri made beer from $1.86 per barrel to $.62 per barrel.
Additionally this year we were joined by Sam DeWitt from the Brewers Association who helped bring a national perspective to our discussions.
Pictured at top from left to right: Elliot Ivory, Vine Street Brewing; Logan Hartpence, East Forth Brewing; Scott Wuest and Zach Wuest, Turkey Creek Brewery, Chris Courtney, Mother’s Brewing Company; Ryan Lair, Demolition Brewing Company; Chris Byars and Kelsie Wilson, Bee’s Knees Brewing Company; Annie McGinnis, Vine Street Brewing Company; Tyson Hunt, Logboat Brewing Company, and Fran Caradonna, Caradonna Collab. Front row: Tyler Frazee, Logboat Brewing Company, and Sam DeWitt, Brewers Association.
AMERICAN BEER BILL SIGNED
On July 10, members of the Missouri Craft Brewers Guild attended a special bill signing ceremony for the American Beer Act at Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis. Governor Mike Kehoe signed the legislation surrounded by brewers, legislators, and industry advocates—highlighting Missouri’s proud brewing heritage and the vital role beer plays in our state’s economy and culture.
The American Beer Act, passed as part of House Bill 1041, includes a win for Missouri’s small and independent brewers: a reduction in the state excise tax on beer from $0.06 per gallon to $0.02 per gallon, effective January 2026. This tax relief will allow small brewers to reinvest in their businesses, create jobs, and continue crafting the beers Missourians know and love.
We’re proud to stand alongside the entire Missouri beer industry to support smart policy that strengthens our community, promotes growth, and celebrates beer’s deep roots in the Show-Me State.
BREWERS ASSOCIATION HILL CLIMB
In July, the Missouri Craft Brewers Guild joined state brewers guilds from 34 states at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC to advocate for the craft beer industry at the national level. Our executive director visited with our two senators’ offices, as well as the offices of Reps. Onder, Cleaver, Wagner, Smith, and Alford.
Topics of discussion were the impact of tarrifs on the brewing industry, the Credit Card Competition Act, the US Postal Service Shipping Equity Act, Agritourism, and the importance of maintaining funding for TTB, and U.S. hop and barley research.
accomplishments
PROMOTING CRAFT BEER
The Promote Committee refreshed the branding to go along with a full schedule of consumer and member activities for Show-Me Craft Beer Month in June. Events included Missouri Pint Day, releasing a Missouri Loves Company® collaboration beer, and a Guild Gathering.
Missouri Pint Day brought in more than $1,600 with 21 brewery locations participating. Thanks to Bill Courtney for the fun, out of this world design this year!
Additionally, the Promote Committe helped design the award medals and a digital marketing toolkit for the inaugural Missouri Beer Cup competition. They also worked to gain media attention for the awards and Missouri Beer Cup winners.
MISSOURI BEER CUP STATS
The inaugural Missouri Beer Cup was a great success! We received 179 beer entries in 36 categories from 33 Missouri breweries and awarded 113 medals. We also recognized two Breweries of the Year:
Brewery of the Year – Under 1,000 Barrels: BKS Artisan Ales – Kansas City
Brewery of the Year – Over 1,000 Barrels: Boulevard Brewing Company – Kansas City
SPONSOR SHOUT OUT
Thank you to our trophy and category sponsors for helping to make this a night to remember!
Cordill Custom Designs
Hollingbery & Son Hops
Malteurop Malting Company
annual meeting & conference
The 2025 Missouri Craft Brewers Guild Annual Meeting & Conference brought members together in Kansas City at Boulevard Brewing Company, Missouri’s first craft brewery, for two days of educational sessions, collaboration, and connection. Despite ongoing industry challenges, the conference highlighted the resilience, creativity, and shared commitment that define Missouri craft beer. The Guild extends its gratitude to the speakers, sponsors, attendees, and our hosts at Boulevard Brewing Company for making the event a success and helping carry this momentum forward into 2026.
THANK YOU SPONSORS
Acrisure
ArchGen LLC
Belmark Inc.
Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
COUNTRY Financial
Crawford Brewing & Distilling Equipment
Foxx Equipment
Hopsteiner
Kremenak NanoTech, Inc.
Lallemand Brewing
Malteurop Malting Co.
MGI Risk Advisors
Missouri State University
Northwestern Extract
Paul Mueller Company
Pro Brew Supply
RahrBSG
The Country Malt Group
Two Track Malting
Wipfli
Zumbiel Packaging
financials
REVENUES
In 2025, the Guild experienced declines in both membership and sponsorship revenue. Ongoing industry uncertainty—driven by tariffs on key inputs, rising operating costs, and a national slowdown in beer sales—impacted many of our members, alongside several brewery closures in Missouri.
Despite these challenges, the Guild hosted another successful Annual Conference and introduced a new annual revenue stream through the launch of the Missouri Beer Cup competition. We also opened an interest-bearing bank account and continued to receive modest revenue from the Guild’s MEAP program.
The Missouri Loves Company® Collaboration Series remained our primary fundraising initiative, supported by additional efforts including Missouri Pint Day, custom LED sign sales, and online merchandise through Spreadshop.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Guild will prioritize membership recruitment and retention to strengthen engagement and sustain our mission of protecting and promoting Missouri craft beer.
EXPENSES
As the Guild continues to grow, general expenses have increased, with payroll remaining the largest expenditure. While overall expense growth was modest—and some general operating costs were reduced—increases tied to the Annual Conference and collaboration brew activities, when combined with declines in key revenue categories, placed added pressure on the Guild’s financial position. Looking ahead, opportunities to expand the Missouri Beer Cup competition in 2026, along with new revenue streams expected from the Guild’s forthcoming consumer-facing mobile app, are anticipated to help close this gap in the coming year.
membership
Membership declined across most categories in 2025, driven in part by an unprecedented number of brewery closures—exceeding the total of the previous five years combined. Ongoing market uncertainty also led several Allied Trade members to tighten their budgets. The Guild also began phasing out its Enthusiast membership level in preparation for new, consumer-facing engagement opportunities through the Guild’s mobile app.
Notably, three of the four new brewery members who joined this year did so specifically to participate in the inaugural Missouri Beer Cup competition, reinforcing its potential not only as a valuable new revenue source for the Guild, but also as a catalyst for future brewery membership growth.
board OF DIRECTORS
Thank you to our Board of Directors members for their service in 2025. The Missouri Craft Brewers Guild leadership is made up of nine craft brewing professionals with decades of combined experience who help guide the organization. Members of the Board of Directors are elected annually by the general membership and can serve up to two consecutive three-year terms.
BOARD OFFICERS
President, Josh Stacy, Public House Brewing Company
Vice President, Chris Byars, Bee's Knees Brewing Company
Secretary, Megan Knaus, Side Project Brewing
Treasurer, Curtis Marshall, Tie & Timber Beer Co.
BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE
Amber Ayres, Boulevard Brewing Company
Karlton Graham, Kansas City Bier Company
Elliott Ivory, Vine Street Brewing Company
Ryan Lair, Demolition Brewing Company
Carol McLeod, Hold Fast Brewing
RETIRING BOARD MEMBERS in 2025
Curtis Marshall, Tie & Timber Beer Co. (6 years of service)
COMMITTEES
Volunteer leadership is at the heart of the Guild’s work. In 2025, members and industry partners stepped up through three standing committees—the Promote Committee, the Annual Conference Planning Committee, and the Missouri Beer Cup Competition Planning Committee—along with a dedicated Legislative Task Force. These volunteer groups tackled mission-focused priorities, from promoting Missouri craft beer and shaping our annual conference to organizing the Missouri Beer Cup and advancing advocacy efforts at the state level. By lending their time, expertise, and passion, committee volunteers helped turn big ideas into real progress for the Missouri craft brewing community.
PROMOTE COMMITTEE
Responsible for Show-Me Craft Beer Month, Missouri Pint Day, and assisting with the Missouri Beer Cup
Chaired by Amber Ayres, Boulevard Brewing Company
Helen Anderson, Turn It Up Media
Steph Harding, Full Pour Media
Chad Melis, Turn It Up Media
Bryant Vander Weerd, Full Pour Media
Daryl Vander Weerd, Full Pour Media
Scott Wuest, Turkey Creek Brewery
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
Responsible for securing educational content and planning activities for the annual conference
Elliott Ivory, Vine Street Brewing Co. - co-chair
Megan Knaus, Side Project Brewing - co-chair
Curtis Marshall, Tie & Timber Beer Co.
MISSOURI BEER CUP
Responsible for organizing the first-ever Missouri Beer Cup Competition
Chaired by Karlton Graham, Kansas City Bier Company
Carol McLeod, Hold Fast Brewing
Josh Stacy, Public House Brewing Company
LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE
Responsible for determining Guild legislative priorities and a plan of action for moving forward
Chaired by Fran Caradonna, Caradonna Collab
Chris Byars, Bee’s Knees Brewing Company
Tyson Hunt, Logboat Brewing Company
Kevin Lemp, 4 Hands Brewing Company
Greg Pope, Missouri Ridge Distillery & Brewery
Scott Wuest, Turkey Creek Brewery