It was April 2020, and Justin Baccary, the owner of Station 26 Brewing, was prepared for a bloodbath. Like many other states, Colorado had forced its bars, breweries and restaurants to close in March to try and stem the rising rate of COVID-19 infections, and it was becoming clear to Baccary and others that what had once looked like a three-to-six-month nightmare was turning into an indefinite hell-scape for businesses of all kinds.
The Brewers Association trade group had just released the results of a sobering survey: nearly 12 percent of independent breweries nationwide said they would have to close by the end of the month if social distancing restrictions weren't lifted. Nearly 60 percent said they would be out of business by July. That would have translated to a stunning 4,500 breweries across the country and 250 beer makers in Colorado.