AHA Demographics - 2/3rds have been brewing since 2005?

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hexmonkey

hexmonkey

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So after their recent survey, among other stats, the AHA says that of those surveyed, two-thirds of them started brewing after 2005. That seems like a lot...why do you think this is?


aha-infographic_main_small_post.jpg



http://www.homebrewersassociation.o...ls-demographics-and-production-of-homebrewers
 
AZ_IPA said:
Home-[insert anything] has become hipster...

brewing, gardening, canning, smoking meat, etc. etc. etc....
Click to expand...

The average homebrewer profile they're saying is 40 with 60% between 30 and 49. That doesn't strike me as the hipster demographic. :cross:

Maybe it's due in part to the proliferation of web communities but I'm sure there has always been some kind of presence on the net.
 
I've been brewing since 1996 (in Canada, but brewing stuff pretty much parallels). I'd believe the stats; in '96 the city I lived in (~1M people) had a brew club of 40 and one good homebrew shop. Now, in a city of 300K I'm in a brew club of 90 members...most in their first five or so years, and we have two good homebrew shops plus a bunch of excellent mail-order places.

The hobby's exploded in the past 5 -6 years.

Bryan
 
I notice that the graphic doesn't mention the percentage of male/female homebrewers or white/all other races.

It's okay, AHA. You can tell the truth. 90% of us are late-30s/early-40s white guys with beards.
 
Gardening and canning are "hipster"? I had no idea that my grandparents have been hipsters for decades now!
 
But back on topic...I fit both of these demographics:

- started brewing after 2005
- 60% between 30 and 49 (started in 2006 and was 30 in 2007)

Its undoubtedly different for everyone, but I'm sure my story is typical of many others that fit these profiles, and may contribute to the demographics: was prime exploratory-beer-drinking age during the thick of the 90's craft beer explosion, and started homebrewing when my life situation (finances, free time, priorities, a good space to brew) all coalesced to make it the right time for me to jump into home-brewing (i.e. after undergrad, grad school, some time in the career, and buying a house).
 
The LHBS around here says "the boom is over". Of course, that person has odd opinions on many things.
 
Epimetheus said:
The LHBS around here says "the boom is over". Of course, that person has odd opinions on many things.
Click to expand...

I would have to agree. I am only basing this on HBT activity though, specifically the General Beer Discussion page. It seemed like one days activity would take up 2 "pages". Now many times one day will only take up one "page". I am sure the Mods would know how many visitors there are to HBT and whether they are increasing or decreasing.
 
I think many of us have been brewing for a longer time- BUT many people come and go out of the hobby and I would say that most people who are very active in brewing and are members of the AHA are new-ish brewers.

Many people pick up a hobby for a year or two or three, but then it fades away when kids and life changes come.

I know many of the former moderators that were here when I came along don't even brew any more due to life changes.

I brew a lot now, but I've even faded in and out since 2000. I think it's the most active brewers (and AHA members) who would take part in the AHA survey, so that would skew the results right there.

Joe Sixpack who makes Coopers kits four times a year for the last 15 years probably didn't take part in the survey, and there are a lot more like him than you'd think.

I'd say that most brewers don't stick with it all that long overall.
 
There is probably a connection to Craft Beer popularity and therefore, price increase. I can make two cases for what some breweries charge for a growler.
 
I started earlier this year and I'm 32. I've been interested since I registered here several years ago, but it took the seriously optimistic statements on the side of MrBeer kit box to convince me I could do it without all the equipment it seemed I'd need from reading Palmer's book 6 years ago.

Sometimes I go to my LHBS and it is empty. Other days there are half a dozen guys measuring hops and grain and I have to wait for a scale. A homebrew demo I went to was about 1/3 female attendees, more than I'd have guessed. I am in SoCal though, one of the places I'm sure it is pretty popular and therefore more accessible compared to other places.

I think a 'boom' might be fading, but I don't think the overall attitude of avoiding giant retailers and supporting local businesses with your $ will go away. I think it will continue to expand, and that will always be good for craft and local breweries.
 
60% of homebrewers are 30-49 (19 year range)
40% of homebrewers are 21-29 or 50-65 maybe (24 year range)
To me, this is not very significant. Although I started in 1995 and in my teens, I quickly found out that it costs money and a small investment. Needlesstosay, I didn't brew a lot of batches over the next dozen years. Enough to keep my feet wet but not enough to seriously advance in the HOBBY.

Which brings me to my other point. It's a HOBBY and while some folks will start a hobby and stay with it for a long time, most will keep a hobby a finite amount of time because there comes a point when a hobby no longer has the same "magic" as it once did and you simply move on. I, for one, have had many hobbies over the years. Some I've moved on from and others phase back in occasionally.

I also think that most of the "old timers" are not as active on brew forums. I know several homebrewers where I live that have been doing the hobby for many years and not one of them is a member on HBT.

But, in the end, it comes back to one basic thing....

....hipsters :p
 
I have to agree with Yooper that the people who would have really helped the results and made them look more realistic are the ones who probably didn't take part in the survey nor do they chill on the AHA website enough to have seen said survey. I say take the results with a grain of salt.

If I am a hipster for getting into brewing in 2013 then so be it. I've been interested for a while but my life changed about 1.5 years ago and I found that it was possible for me to do more of the things I wanted to always try. I actually had no clue it was as popular as it is right now.

So I'm white, middle aged and I do not have a beard because I hear men don't like women with beards. /shrug
 
This seems high to me. Maybe it's my perception as a newer homebrewer. My first question would be where did they solicit their "online" survey? That could make a big difference.
 
Im wondering where they got there sample and how large was it. Im 49 and started brewing in 2012...clasic hipster, you should see my fedora.
 
Kiknjville said:
This seems high to me. Maybe it's my perception as a newer homebrewer. My first question would be where did they solicit their "online" survey? That could make a big difference.
Click to expand...

It was put out by the American Homebrewers Association/Brewers Association. I definetly think that it could be a biased towards "serious" brewers....some guy who extract brews 2x a year probably isn't a member and never saw/filled out the survey.
 
I tend to start/become interested in things a year or two before they get big. I started homebrewing in early 2012. Sorry everybody.
 

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