Craft beers and breweries in the United Kingdom: Where now, what next?

The numbers of craft breweries in the United Kingdom (UK) has increased significantly since the 1980s, passing from approximately 140 to nearly 2000 in 2017. Many of these breweries are micro- and nanobreweries with an average portfolio of six different beers and more, most of them are real ales, and the bulk of their operations remain within spatial proximity. While opportunities for growth in the British beer sector remain large, it is likely that the domestic market will reach saturation soon, forcing many businesses to reconfigure their trajectories to develop or even survive. This chapter explores and examines the impact of the craft beer movement on the beer scene in the UK, investigating possible future trajectories for the sector. The author presents and uses primary and secondary informations related to British breweries and pubs to analyze how patterns and growth and decline of these businesses may affect local economies and communities. Two aspects in particular, branding and export, are investigated with regard to opportunities and challenges for British breweries. Findings from this analysis provides fresh knowledge about the British craft beer sector, and represent a valuable instrument for practitioners and policymakers operating in the sector.