Taps are going dry across Rochester as a crowded craft beer market collides with changing tastes, according to WHAM.
Several local breweries have closed in recent months, prompting leaders at the New York State Brewers Association to call it a long-overdue correction. The state once supported more breweries than demand could handle, while inflation, tariffs, and post-pandemic habits squeezed margins.
Drinking itself is also slipping. A recent Gallup survey shows U.S. alcohol consumption hit a new low, especially among younger adults. Owners say cannabis, wellness trends, and sobriety culture play a role…