February Slumps Threaten Washington Breweries, Seahawks Games Offer Crucial Boost

Nearly half of breweries nationwide report January or February as their slowest month, leaving Washington’s craft brewers staring down a winter slump that industry data and local leaders say is severe enough to drive closures.

“While January is Dry, February is Frigid. Local craft brewers see sales down both months,” said Daniel Olson, executive director of the Washington Brewers Guild. The seasonal dip is part of a broader trend: the Brewers Association finds that nearly 50% of breweries experience their slowest month in either January or February, and 66% see their slowest month between November and February. Industry tracking showed 268 new brewery openings and 434 closings in 2025, underscoring the churn.

Sales numbers highlight the pressure. National craft beer sales fell 5% in 2025, 4% in 2024 and 1% in 2023. Washington-made beer dropped 6.5% in 2024 and 3.7% in 2023. “It’s hard for these businesses to survive winter. Brewers used to plan for a slow winter but we’re still not seeing customers return even in warmer months the way they did pre-pandemic. As a result, we’ve had record brewery, taproom and brewpub closures,” Olson added. Locally, Washington has seen nearly 30 brewery, taproom and brewpub closures in the past couple years.

The stakes are high. Washington’s more than 400 breweries support more than 57,000 jobs, generate $3.7 billion in wages, create $12.4 billion in economic activity and pay more than $1.5 billion in taxes per year. With inflation, tariffs, supply chain issues, employee shortages and fewer people drinking, brewers face what one industry write-up called the most challenging business conditions in generations.

Community momentum and local events can blunt the cold spell. Seahawks playoff success has injected optimism across the state: the team posted a .824 winning percentage, snagged the division and NFC titles and punched their ticket to the Super Bowl. “Cue the celebrations—and, ideally, a few extra rounds of beer. For craft breweries across Washington, this kind of success is very welcome news if it translates to beer sales,” one local beer blog wrote. The same blog put it plainly: “If Dry January is a punch in the gut, Frigid February is a slap in the face.”

For beer drinkers and community-minded customers, small actions matter now. Visiting a neighborhood taproom, buying cans to-go, purchasing gift cards, and planning a Super Bowl or St. Patrick’s Day spread around Washington-made beers send immediate revenue to brewers and staff. Taprooms running limited events, prix fixe pairings, or merch drives can translate fandom into foot traffic and sales.

What comes next is predictable seasonality with a narrow window to shore up cash flow before St. Patrick’s Day. If Seahawks-fueled gatherings or early spring promotions can nudge occupancy and off-premise sales upward, some breweries may avoid the fate of recent closures. For anyone who values local beer and the jobs it supports, a pint, a pack, or a gift card this month carries more weight than usual.