Author Steve Hindy on how craft beer is changing the industry

The beer industry may be dominated by brands like Budweiser, Molson Canadian and Coors Light, but small craft brewers are trying to change that, and they're making a lot of progress.

Steve Hindy co-founded Brooklyn Brewery in 1987, when craft beer was almost non-existent on the market. In the nearly 30 years since, he has seen craft beer grow to eight per cent of the U.S. market. 

Similarly in Canada, while beer sales have been flat since 1995, craft beer sales have seen revenue growth at or near double digits, 

Hindy is author of the book The Craft Beer Revolution, which looks at the evolution of the industry from the late 1990s to the present.

In an interview with CBC's The Lang & O'Leary Exchange, Hindy says a lack of variety has helped push craft beer into the mainstream.

"I think a lot of people are realizing that there is more to beer than light lager beer," he said.

While the big brewers have marketing budgets in the millions, Hindy has found a way to find an audience.

"I’m going to donate beer to good causes, to not for profit organizations and art organizations, through that I’m going to get my beer into the hands of people and I’m also going to build good will."