2026 Craft Brewers Conference: Recap

The Oregon Fruit Fermentation team just wrapped a busy few days at the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference in Philadelphia, and we left with a clear sense that something is turning in the industry. After a few years of headwinds, the conversations at our booth had a different tone this year: more curiosity, more collaboration, more energy. Hundreds of brewers we talked to said the same thing: 2026 feels different. 

Here's what stood out.

Before we get into trends, a hearty congratulations to all of this year's World Beer Cup winners, and an especially big shoutout to the brewers and cider makers who took home medals across the fruit-forward categories. From Belgian-Style Fruit Beer to Fruited American-Style Sour Ale to Fruited Cider, the creativity on display was incredible. Whether or not Oregon Fruit was in the glass, every one of these wins is a win for fruit in fermentation. 

If there was one through-line at CBC this year, it was innovation. Brewers are pivoting hard into adjacent beverage channels (seltzers, RTDs, lighter-style beers, NA, and tap room exclusives). They’re asking the right questions: what else can we do? And, lucky for us, they want fruit.

Some fruits came up again and again:

• Marionberry was the most-talked-about fruit at the show – even before explaining what a Marionberry was (read more on that here.)
• Cherries were right behind, with strong interest across multiple varieties.
• Citrus continues to dominate, especially for non-alc and lighter formats. Sicilian Lemon in particular pulled a lot of attention from seasonal-minded brewers.
• Blueberry and cranberry were requested by name more than we expected.
• And the classic: "What's new?" This question never gets old, and we love that brewers count on us to keep the rotation fresh with regional fruit they can't find anywhere else. 

Fruit-forward beverages across seltzers, RTDs, lighter beer styles, and non-alc have moved from "interesting experiment" to baseline expectation. Brewers aren't asking if they should add fruit. They're asking which fruit, and how to make it cleaner, more consistent, and more interesting than the brewery down the street. 

Conversations about umbrella ownership groups came up far more than in years past. For small and medium breweries with positive momentum but a ceiling on growth, joining a larger group is increasingly the path to financial stability and scale. We expect this to continue, and it's changing how purchasing decisions get made across the industry.

With input costs climbing and the overall number of alcohol consumers declining, brewers know they can't compete on price alone. The "quality edge,” meaning better ingredients, more consistency, and better stories is how they hold onto loyal customers and earn new ones. Brewers asked us pointed questions about lead time, supply reliability, fermentation performance, sugar content, and yield. Price still matters, but consistency matters more. 

With "drinking less" continuing to gain cultural traction, real fruit has a real opening in non-alcoholic alternatives. Several conversations made it clear: brewers diversifying into NA aren't looking for flavor systems. They're looking for actual fruit.

The slushie movement is alive and well. Our new Real Fruit Refreshers allow taprooms to easily get into that: just pour, dilute, and slush. 

Taproom activation came up in nearly every conversation, and it's clear that breweries are still leaning on the tasting room as their innovation lab — testing flavors, building loyalty, and getting them to stay for another round. The best breweries are those leaning into what gets guests back again and again. 

We saw a big swing into positive energy in the industry. More innovation. More willingness to try something new. After a few tough years, the floor in Philly felt like the industry is looking up again.

We made time to step outside the convention center and check out a few of Philly's standout breweries: Human Robot, Victory Brewing, and Other Half, to name a few. Tasting these beers right from the tap, in the rooms where they're made, is one of our favorite parts of any CBC trip. Philly's beer scene more than held its own. 

Whether you stopped by the booth or sat this one out, here's what to take back to your brewery:

• Regional and unique beats standard. Brewers leaning into uncommon and seasonal fruit are getting noticed. Marionberry, Sicilian Lemon, Dark Sweet Cherry – just to name a few.
• Build NA into the plan. Not as a side project. As a real category.
• Consistency is a competitive advantage. Lead times, supply reliability, and yield are part of the quality story now.
• The taproom is still the lab. Slushies, fruited specials, limited drops — keep experimenting, and keep your regulars guessing.

Thanks to our partners at Country Malt Group for letting us share our thoughts on the industry beyond beer, and a huge thanks to all of our customers who stopped by Booth #1141 to say hi, sample, swap notes — and ask what's new. The best part of CBC is always the people, and Philly didn't disappoint.

See you next year!