When you think of propane, you're more likely to think of welding equipment and welding supplies. But do you know that propane's use in the beer making industry is growing at a rapid rate? In 2016, the United States was the second largest manufacturer of beer, after China. Much of this rise can be attributed to not just the beer industry, but also to the growth of private brewers who like to make their own beer at home using simple equipment. In fact, this beer industry is a growing commercial market for propane sales.

Why? Let's look at some of the reasons that are propelling this market.

Rise of Homebrewers

Much of this growth can be attributed to the homebrewers or hopheads, as they are known colloquially. These home brewers use propane-based burners to brew their beer. Typically, much of the brewing happens on kettles that require extremely high temperatures. In fact, they need output burners ranging from 60,000 to 100,000 BTUs. Besides using high-pressure propane burners for mash cooking, they also use large amounts of extremely hot water for washing the bottles and equipment that can be best provided by propane water heaters.

Many of these homebrewers are also going beyond their homes and are expanding to cater to a small and niche set of customers who are open to trying new flavors of beer. Some of them have even tied up with local restaurants to add to the unique experience of diners. This steady growth of homebrewers augurs well for the propane industry as the demand for propane will also grow with it.

Growth of Vineyards and Wineries

Of late, agri-tourism has been seeing a steady increase in growth. This kind of tourism includes the many vineyards and wineries that offer visitors custom beer and a peek into the brewing process, all of which add value to their travel culture and experience. Since most of these wineries are located in rural areas, propane fills both their heating and water needs.

Booming Cider Market

Hard cider is one of the happening areas of growth in the adult beer market. This is usually made in cider mills in rural America. These cider mills need large amounts of propane for heating water and to meet their other energy needs.

Thus, propane is seeing explosive growth in the beer industry and its use in this industry is only expected to go up due to the above-mentioned reasons. What does this mean for a brewer? Stock up propane cylinders and propane tanks for your growing business.