GREENSBORO, N.C. — Just like everything else at the store, you've probably seen the price of your favorite beer go up.
Inflation has hit every industry, including the brewing business, in which smaller breweries are working hard to stay afloat.
Jamie Bartholomaus, Foothills Brewing President and Co-Owner, said everything from aluminum and paper products to barley and wheat has gone up in price.
He said the company they purchase cans from used to have a minimum of one truck for purchasing cans, now they require a minimum of five.
Barley, which is essential to making beer, has gone up about 10%, according to Bartholomaus.
He said packaging has hit them the hardest.
"For instance, our six-pack material, we will have the 4th price increase on June 1. Their paper went up, their labor went up, their trucking went up, now it’s their ink that went up. So each time, they're passing on some amount of cost, and so it’s just a ripple supply through our whole industry and every industry," Bartholomaus said.
He said because of this, they've had to order everything in advance to hopefully avoid even more price increases. For example, they already have all of their fall and Oktoberfest supplies. Bartholomaus said they typically wouldn't get their fall supplies until July.
"Breweries are everywhere. I mean they’re a part of each community that they’re in. You probably know someone who's been in that industry. Small businesses are kind of the backbone of our country," Bartholomaus said.
He said they've been forced to increase their prices once due to supply chain and inflation. While they're doing OK, he said it's really been hard for smaller breweries to make money.
"It just makes it slimmer margins which means less investment in the future for the breweries. They won’t have as much money to invest in their business," Bartholomaus said.