200 new breweries opened in the UK last year, meaning that there are now 2,426 breweries in operation across the UK, shows a new study by UHY Hacker Young, the national accountancy group.

UHY Hacker Young says that the growth in brewery startups has started to slow as the craft beer market becomes increasingly competitive. Growth in the number of breweries, while still impressive at 9.1% in 2021/22*, fell for the third consecutive year (see graph below), having stood at 17.7% in 2018/19.

The data comes from a Freedom of Information request made to HMRC by UHY Hacker Young.

James Simmonds, Partner at UHY Hacker Young, said: “It is remarkable that Britain’s craft beer boom is entering its second decade and is still registering significant growth in startups.”

“The attraction of starting a craft brewery still remains for many. However, the challenge of making a success of a startup in the sector is now greater than it was.”

“Some UK brewers that were startups only a few years ago are now major players worldwide. They now have access to distribution in both the on and off trade that younger brewers cannot yet match. Startups can still grow quickly through local and online sales if they have the right product and branding, however.”