HOUSTON – (By Kyle Hagerty for Realty News Report) – Demand for industrial space from brewers is booming across Houston. A few years ago the city hosted 18 craft breweries occupying 225,272 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space. Today, 64 breweries occupy 570,933 square feet—an increase of 256% in just six years—according to research from NAI Partners.
That expansion shows no signs of slowing. A 2013 Texas law allowed brewpubs to sell directly to consumers, and a new bill passed this year, effective September 1, extends the same right to production-only breweries. This change creates additional opportunities for craft brewers to expand sales and tap new markets.
Although Harris County remains ranked #46 in breweries per capita by the Brewers Association, there is still ample room for growth. Despite the relatively low per-capita ranking, the craft brewing industry generates a $4.5 billion economic impact across Texas—the third-highest in the United States. Texas produces 1,144,563 barrels of craft beer annually, which translates to roughly 1.7 gallons of premium beer per drinking-age adult in the state, according to the Brewers Association.
Texas’ rapid ascent in the craft brewing sector has attracted national investment. Well-known Texas operations such as Revolver Brewing (DFW), Four Corners Brewing, and Houston-based Karbach Brewery have been acquired by larger beverage companies in recent years.
The largest craft brewers in Texas continue to be Gambrinus, owner of Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, and Saint Arnold Brewing Co. in Houston. Operating at a much larger scale than the numerous brewpubs and microbreweries fueling recent growth, these two producers still account for the majority of craft beer brewed in the state, according to the Brewers Association.
Aug. 23, 2019 Realty News Report Copyright 2019
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