The decline of craft beer

[Al_4_State]

Local craft beer is what is hurting larger craft beers national distribution numbers, similar to what craft beer has been doing to BMC for several years. People are choosing to drink the good beers made near them that they can “see and touch” rather than supporting a national brand you can get almost anywhere. You’ll see a decline in national craft numbers perhaps but they in general will continue to take away from big beer along with small local breweries helping that out. One large national brewery has seen its largest gains in recent years in its carbonated water sales and not in beer sales. Beer styles and their popularity will come and go but in the end no matter what good products must be made no matter what scale.

Yup. The larger craft brewers are getting squeezed by the local guys big time. IMO, freshness is the biggest reason. If it's not a BA stout, but better be fresh.

Lagunitas, Founder's, Bell's, and Sierra Nevada are large craft brewers that I find still make excellent products that I regularly drink, but that's about it at that scale.

 

[cyfanatic]

Dumb question...but is Sam Adam's considered a "craft brewer"? I wonder how their sales have been impacted in recent years by local brewers?

 

[dmclone]

Dumb question...but is Sam Adam's considered a "craft brewer"? I wonder how their sales have been impacted in recent years by local brewers?

I consider them craft beer but I think their volume is right on the border where they will no longer official be considered craft beer. Their sales have been horrible lately.

On the other hand I consider them a lot more craft beer than that junk called yuengling.

 

[Clonefan94]

Yup. The larger craft brewers are getting squeezed by the local guys big time. IMO, freshness is the biggest reason. If it's not a BA stout, but better be fresh.

Lagunitas, Founder's, Bell's, and Sierra Nevada are large craft brewers that I find still make excellent products that I regularly drink, but that's about it at that scale.

I'm not a huge fan of BA beers, but it's funny you say this, because the ones I tend to enjoy are those that come from the barrel and go on tap. Once they've been bottled for a while, they kind of lose their appeal to me. Seems after a bit in the bottle, I tend to taste more of the alcohol that was originally in the barrel and lose the oaky part I tend to like. They get more of a stout with a shot of rum or shot of whiskey taste than the barrel itself.

I don't know if that makes sense as other people I've mentioned this to always tell me I'm crazy. I know my palette is a bit odd, but there is a distinct difference to me between the oakyness of a fresher one compared to one in a bottle.

 

[Clonebydesign]

I consider them craft beer but I think their volume is right on the border where they will no longer official be considered craft beer. Their sales have been horrible lately.

On the other hand I consider them a lot more craft beer than that junk called yuengling.

I may still have some light struck been in my trunk for a time being bottles if you'd like to give them another try?

 

[Jmarsh13]

I'm not a craft beer guy, but in my observation it seems like most craft beer fans enjoy seeking out new beers rather than consistently drinking their mainstays. So let's say you find something you really like-- you probably aren't buying that every time you need some beer. You're going to look for something else you may like.

I find myself almost overwhelmed with the selection and constant changing selection in the craft beer section. A lot of times I will look for a few minutes and then say screw it and pick up a six-pack of a craft beer that I like and know is good.

Choice is good. But too many choices can be overwhelming...

 

[VeloClone]

Every Craft Beer fan has their favorite beer or brewery. Doesn't mean they won't seek out others to test the field.

Idk if that means it is set up for failure, however.

Every time I travel I try to sample some local brews so I am probably part of the problem of propping up dismal local brews.

 

[Al_4_State]

Dumb question...but is Sam Adam's considered a "craft brewer"? I wonder how their sales have been impacted in recent years by local brewers?

I think there's a technical, volume related definition of what makes a craft brewer, and they may be past it. I think in terms of the styles they produce, they're craft.

They're one of the big craft brewers I just don't buy much of anything from these days. They made a decent NE IPA recently, but that's the first time they've made a good hoppy beer since Noble Pils, IMO. They take a lot of chances and have a ton of variety, but I pretty much always find someone else doing it better.

 

[intrepid27]

The craft beer market is still largely an American thing. I can't wait to see what happens when it takes off in parts of the world that are known for their flavors.

For instance, in India, you have a bunch of ordinary, watered-down beers, such as Kingfisher, and then a few "strong" beers. Right now, the only craft beer in India that I know is Bira 91.

http://www.bira91.com/

I have to think that craft beer will explode in places like India that are otherwise so committed to unique flavors in food and drink.

Yes, I was in Costa Rica in 2016 for 10 days. 90 % of the restaurants we were in only sold Imperial and Imperial Light. Which is like picking between Keystone or Keystone Light. Only in the resort towns along the coast did we have any kind of beer selection.

 

[CloniesForLife]

Being in the cities I have a ton of craft beer options with more coming. I have not even been to them all yet. I do try to get out and try new stuff and new breweries a lot and I don't just go to the same one and drink the same beer. Definitely like supporting local too.

In terms of buying at the store I usually pick up a six pack of something new and some Grain Belt for more volume drinkability. I think the only time I ever get something from the big boys is when I go back to Ames to visit my brother (gotta revert to my cheap college days )

 

[brianhos]

At what point do all the people who drink craft beer have enough choices? At this point you either like craft beer or you don't, right? Aren't new craft breweries just taking market share from other craft breweries?

Yes, I think you pretty much have all the people you are going to get. Sure you can convert some people from drinking **** (busch light) over to good beer, but that is a small number.

 

[Cyfan1965]

Going to MN soon- I can't wait to visit the burning brothers gluten free brewery. I have not had a black or brown beer in 10 years. Their IPA that I had in cans was brilliant (not generally IPA dude)

 

[JP4CY]

I consider them craft beer but I think their volume is right on the border where they will no longer official be considered craft beer. Their sales have been horrible lately.

On the other hand I consider them a lot more craft beer than that junk called yuengling.

I get that people might think they are a craft brewer because they are family owned but they aren't. They are comparable small A-B, when the Busch family still ran it.
For the price, I think its a good beer. I would take it over a Coors, Miller, or Bud every day of the week at the same price.

 

[dmclone]

Going to MN soon- I can't wait to visit the burning brothers gluten free brewery. I have not had a black or brown beer in 10 years. Their IPA that I had in cans was brilliant (not generally IPA dude)

I’ve heard a lot of good things about Barrel Theory in St. Paul.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I think the decline of craft beer is exaggerated. Maybe you have different breweries making arguably better beers than 5 or 10 years ago. Competition is good for the consumer.

I was in a Hy-Vee earlier this week and came home with some cans of Toppling Goliath, a 6-pack of Dogfish Bottles, and some cans from Confluence.

15 years ago when I moved to DSM my choices would have been Fat Tire and Amberbock.

Not a decline to me.

 

[Al_4_State]

I get that people might think they are a craft brewer because they are family owned but they aren't. They are comparable small A-B, when the Busch family still ran it.
For the price, I think its a good beer. I would take it over a Coors, Miller, or Bud every day of the week at the same price.

This is the crux to the Yuengling debate. It's not a craft beer, and shouldn't be judged against craft beer. It's a macro lager and should be compared to those products. And it buries those products at the same price.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about Barrel Theory in St. Paul.

They're really good. They pretty much focus on hazy IPAs, fruited sours, and pastry stouts, which are the hip beer snob styles these days, but they knock those out of the park. I'd call them the best thing going in the Cities right now.

They're former Surly brewers who wanted to do their own thing as Surly got huge. Like Pulpit Rock to TG.

 

[JP4CY]

This is the crux to the Yuengling debate. It's not a craft beer, and shouldn't be judged against craft beer. It's a macro lager and should be compared to those products. And it buries those products at the same price.

Absolutely spot on.