Hiring in craft beer is getting easier, but keeping employees is becoming harder.
Many brewery owners report that while applicant flow has improved, retention has become the bigger operational challenge. The issue isn’t just labor availability … it’s sustainability.
Why hiring is getting easier in craft beer
Hiring has improved in part because of broader industry slowdowns. As growth stabilizes and some breweries contract, more experienced workers are re-entering the job market.
That creates a larger talent pool—but it doesn’t solve long-term staffing issues.
Why breweries are struggling to retain employees
Retention issues are more structural than cyclical.
Many brewery roles involve:
- inconsistent schedules
- physical demands
- limited upward mobility
When those factors combine, employees often leave for more stable or higher-paying opportunities.
Retention challenges often come down to factors outside of hiring.
One brewery leader noted that while staffing pipelines have improved, keeping employees engaged over time is a different issue entirely.
“The craft beer industry relies heavily on staff retaining the drive, ambition, and creativity as a net ‘benefit’ outside of what employers can offer,” said Jerry Siote, director of brewhouse operations at Lone Tree Brewing. “Once someone loses this, then the overall Employee ‘ROI investment’ goes down with it. It’s incumbent on the leadership of every brewery to find those people with that passion-factor — and do everything you can to keep them.”
The 3 biggest reasons brewery employees leave
1. Workload and burnout
Small teams often carry disproportionate responsibility, leading to fatigue.
2. Lack of structure
Unclear roles and expectations create frustration.
3. Limited growth opportunities
Without a clear path forward, employees look elsewhere.
How breweries can improve retention right now
Improving retention doesn’t require overhauling compensation alone. Most breweries see progress when they:
- create consistent scheduling
- define roles clearly
- provide small but visible growth opportunities
The hiring environment may continue to fluctuate, but retention is largely within a brewery’s control. Those that treat staffing as an operational system—not just a hiring challenge—are more likely to build stable teams.
For deeper industry perspectives, read Easier to Hire But Harder to Keep? Craft Beer’s Workforce Dilemma.
