Brought to you by:
BrewTools Homebrewing iPhone App

Latest Reviews

Double Dry Hopped pseudoSue
Toppling Goliath
Modus Vivendi
Wild Beer Co.
Spaceman
Brewfist

Recent Articles

Shameless
Craft brewer sellouts become as tone-deaf and underhanded as their new overlords. Great Taste Eve
Check out the burgeoning Madison beer scene the night before the best fest in country. Good Beer Makes Good Conversation
The effects of drinking beer worth talking about. The Beers of Walmart
The largest retailer in the world now has its own line of beers. archives »

Beer Diary:

Boom!

The popularity of craft beer is exploding.
by Rings

The news is just too good not to share.

Craft beer is exploding, even as overall beer sales—and particularly the mass-market industrial sales—are stagnant or falling.

News: Craft Beer Sales Expands

News: Craft Sales Continue to Soar

News: Number of Breweries at 125 Year High

As we’ve mentioned in the past, this is likely part of an overall trend for “local” and towards quality that’s expressed itself in many areas of the American market over the past few years. Other examples include the growth of farmers markets, organic foods, cooking shows (and the celebrity chefs), gourmet coffee, and fresh dining.

None of these issues are to be “fixed” with marketing dollars, which has been the preferred weapon of industrial brewers since the post-Prohibition and post-war consolidation. In fact, the big brewers continue to align to use market share and distribution power as a weapon against craft competitors, who now amount to roughly 6 percent of the overall market..in other words, plenty of room to grow. What remains to be seen, in the information age, is whether consumers will continue to seek out local alternatives as a choice, rather than settle for what’s most readily available.

As I’ve pointed out, in having this discussion with others, the modern young adult turning age 21 realizes that the “best” beer is most likely local or craft … rather than a generation ago, when young adults considered a “premium” light lager, such as Michelob or Heineken, to represent the finest example of the fermented arts. This realization is a battle lost for the industry giants, at least for now. Consumers are becoming less appreciative of the consistency the big “commodity beers” represent, in favor of the flavor, romanticism, and creativity found in their non-advertising, word-of-mouth competitors.

And the beer wars continue …

Drinkin’ And Thinkin’

Beer Dorks News

The pillar of the American craft beer movement sells out to Japanese giant Sapporo. Message to Minhas: As the only brewer that manages to make worse beer than ABI and Molson-Coors, it's very ironic that you are suing them. Short's sells 20% stake to Heineken. We know how this story is going to end... BA creates label to distinguish true, independent craft beer from faux, corporate-owned "craft" beer. Cheers to that! The aptly named Tenacity Brewing seeks to emerge from the disaster that was the water crisis in Flint, MI. Chicagoans hopeful a recent announcement from Three Floyds will bring a much-desired brewpub to the city. Sam Calagione's brilliant response to the news that an AB/InBev subsidiary is now a part-owner of RateBeer. Wisconsin's Gestapo, the Tavern League, looks to tighten rules that will hurt small brewers. One of the original craft beer stalwarts of the Upper Midwest, Summit, ceases distribution in 6 more states, leaving only 5 from their peak of 17. How much does psychology play into perceptions of craft beer? An incredibly interesting case study by this Estonian brewery indicates it's a major factor.