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Has brewing finally jumped the shark?

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I don't think IPA (as a loose term for hop-forward beers, including APA) is going away. I think it was Jeff Alworth of the Beervana blog, and author of the recently released "Beer Bible", that basically has called IPA America's beer style.

The people I know who basically don't drink craft, drink IPA. Sours and bourbon barrel beers are price-limited due to production cost, but IPA isn't. And they're drinkable. It's a beer that you can easily buy a six pack and drink one after the other.

I think the American flavor palate is slowly trending away from overwhelming sweetness towards bolder, bigger flavors, including bitterness. See the growth of things like coffee, dark chocolate, green vegetables like Brussels sprouts, etc.

I think IPA is here to stay.

I don't mean to say that I think IPA is going to go away. But I think eventually its prominence in American craft beer, that more or less (some rare exceptions) every single craft brewer brews one, and one might say HAS to brew one, is going to fall and something else will take its place. There's a craft brewer I know who is not a hop head, but brews a number of IPAs simply because they're going to sell the best.

What's going to replace it? Not sure. Malt is an option. And like you said, sours and barrel aged beers are often to expensive to become widespread (but certainly can be called trends amongst beer geeks).

I could see Belgians taking the torch. The yeast character can be just as assertive as the hops in an IPA, they're plentiful, lots of American brewers brew them and brew them well, and plenty of people like them already.
 
The good news is that the Brooklyn Brewshop kits are all-grain so buyers are introduced to full-on brewing from the start.

Thats how I started...didn't even know there was extract for my first year of brewing and still have never done an extract brew.

PS- My wife bought me a kit at William and Sonoma...6 years ago
 
I'd say that saisons are the new craft beer trend.

Hipsters love 'em because the name is french... So fashionable! So exotic! Bonus points if you throw in the word "Farmhouse" somewhere; it's so rustic!
 
No offense taken, and apparently I don't get out enough. Man, I thought I was being facetious, turns out I didn't think far enough outside of the box. Mayne Ikea? Toys/Babies R Us? My local firearms dealer? lol I considered brewing to be somewhat a specialty endeavor, but I guess to me that sort of reinforces my thought, of jumping the shark. Maybe I am an elitist, but having it sold everywhere makes me feel that it's less 'special' or serious, or something. I know what I'm thinking, but can't seem to express it properly. Just my feeling, but that doesn't mean it's correct of course.

It was a niche about a decade ago, except to my great grandmother who argues that homebrewing was the only way to keep beer at the house.

But honestly, even today, itsa like buying a new car. It's not until you are driving it home that you realize that every third car you see, or third person you talk to, is doing it already.
 
...To borrow from my grandfather "people will always drink beer"; if times are good, they want to celebrate, but even when times are bad, beer is still on the shopping list...

Agreed. During bull/bear market turns, you can likely see different styles dominate the consumer craft beer markets. I have no proof to back it up, but i would assume when times are good, more expensive styles would likely dominate, like barrel aged beers and sours. Whereas when times are tough, you'll have less expensive styles become more popular like pales and lagers. Regardless of the market, beer will always be around.
 
I definitely don't see it going anywhere anytime soon. As far as the beer kits go, they've been popping up here and there for well over 20 years now. My first venture into homebrewing was back in 1995, I bought a "Beer MAchine" Similar to Mr. Beer, only instead of bottling, the barrel could hold pressure and had a special serving spigot to keep the inlet tube at the top. Therefore, add a CO2 bulb into the compartment and serve directly from the vessel. The kits were all pre-hopped LME at the time and the yeast definitely wasn't what it is today, but it made OK beer that was definitely better than the BMC that really cornered the market back then. Anyways, there have been Big Box store gimmicks for quite a while now.

As far as the breweries go, I'm not seeing any downturn yet. Any town I go to, I always try to hit a local brewery and have yet to go to a taproom that isn't pretty full. My theory on this is that not only was America missing good beer for a while, but the old neighborhood pub was disappearing as well.

At least in the Schaumburg, IL area I live in, it was really tough to find a good old fashioned pub, where the main goal was to gather with other adults and enjoy a drink. There were plenty of bars, but they were also family restaurants and that was their main source of business, not the pub end. And if you did find a place that was mostly bar, they seemed to want to pump dance music all night long, basically preventing any kind of decent conversation.

The Tap rooms seem to have become that old time neighborhood pub that used to exist before electronic music. A place you can stop in, have a few beers, chat it up with the locals then be on your way. Not worrying about seeing a menu and not worrying about keeping all your conversation family friendly.

So, from what I've seen so far, as long as you are making good beer and not worried about becoming a millionaire, there seems to be a spot for you in this world. There is always going to be a group trying to cash in on a trend. You just have to try to distinguish between the ones who really care about getting you a solid product and those just trying to make a quick buck.
 
What if instead of breweries being like wineries, breweries are like the music industry? Huge profits to only th highly visible, and for the rest they give their product away at break even or loss and get by with supplemental revenue streams? Only difference is that people pay for beer and not music any more, but what's the difference if you have to match BMC on price in the long run?
 
It's here to stay. Being a Chef I 100% relate this to the foodie craze that happened right before the beer craze. A lot of people drank BMC for years and their eyes where finally opened up. To accompany it, along with any craze, there is a huge boom and breweries opening and closing left and right. But as the consumer and as the crafter that's only good for us. The more recognition the more people finding out what works and what doesn't. It's easier to find a product you like now than before the boom. Ofcourse there will be trends and crazes that will come and go but for the large part the quality will stay. Just like the food network revolution changed (and pissed off) the culinary world, in the end it's all for the better. Even if the craft beer trend died would you ever want to go back to BMC all time? If no, then there is your answer
 
I've seen kits sold at Bass Pro Shop, which makes no sense at all.

But as far as the craft beer upswing, my thinking has always been this: breweries will become like restaurants. The big boys will continue to dominate in sales numbers like fast food chains do. Larger craft breweries (Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Stone, etc) will have a large nation/international presence as well similar to Red Lobster, PF Changs, etc. Then there will be regional and local breweries just like you see a small restaurant around the corner from you that is family owned. Since the capital investment and operating costs are greater for a brewery compared to a restaurant, we aren't talking about 200 local breweries for a large metro area like Houston, but instead it could maintain 10 or so comfortably.

What we will see an end to is small breweries becoming national companies regularly. Those starting a brewery now should not aim to be the next Sierra Nevada or Ballast Point, they should aim to become a stable for their region at most. Unless you are lucky enough to have a large financial backer and a lot of connections such as Karbach here in Houston (make great beer, but you can tell that their owners had connections in distribution by the way they were able to grow so quickly).

Look at a place like Germany. I would assume there are approximately 1,300 breweries for about 80 million people. Compare that to about 1,600 breweries (not including brewpubs) in the USA for almost 300 million people. Many of the small breweries in Germany are dedicated to a small local region. I worked at one during college over the summer that really only served about a 30 mile radius (it is also the one my grandfather and great-grandfather worked at; Stolz in Isny).

Another way to put it is this: when someone starts a restaurant, they don't think they will become huge. They normally think that they will create a nice income for their family and enjoy their work. People used to (and still sometimes do) start breweries thinking they will own a big business eventually. That mindset will most likely change over time to fit more of the restaurant model.

The other side of your question is demand; will the demand for craft beer keep up? I would say somewhat. Already you are seeing the shift from IPA's to sours and saisons. Stone used to get by just by being the bitter bastard, but is now being forced to look at different styles. But that's the beauty, there are so many different styles that it will likely become a cycle of what is hot right now. On top of that, while IPA's are no longer the hottest thing right now, there is still a massive demand for them. They are now a staple, you can't have a brewery without an IPA in your line up. The overall demand will most likely stay stable (once it tops out, it is still growing now).

The analogy to martinis doesn't quite work either; people don't really go home and drink a martini, or make a martini to watch a game, they are more for going out and for more special occasions. Beer on the other hand is something people grab when they just want something good to drink, you keep a sixer in the fridge just in case (or in our case, a keg in the keezer and a few cases in the closet).

The total demand for beer rarely drops, and the demand for craft is still growing (you are also seeing the way the big boys are buying up craft breweries, they see the trend and want to profit off of it). To borrow from my grandfather "people will always drink beer"; if times are good, they want to celebrate, but even when times are bad, beer is still on the shopping list (just maybe not that $30 bomber of barrel aged sour saison).

Phew. Sorry. This is something I have spent too much time thinking about.

TL:DR - The market is changing; breweries will become more local and regional, but with the big boys still holding the majority of the volume. Demand will not drop, but instead it is diversifying.

I see your point, but morally object to comparing Sierra Nevada to Red Lobster. Blasphemy!
 
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...As far as the breweries go, I'm not seeing any downturn yet. Any town I go to, I always try to hit a local brewery and have yet to go to a taproom that isn't pretty full. My theory on this is that not only was America missing good beer for a while, but the old neighborhood pub was disappearing as well.

At least in the Schaumburg, IL area I live in, it was really tough to find a good old fashioned pub, where the main goal was to gather with other adults and enjoy a drink. There were plenty of bars, but they were also family restaurants and that was their main source of business, not the pub end. And if you did find a place that was mostly bar, they seemed to want to pump dance music all night long, basically preventing any kind of decent conversation.

The Tap rooms seem to have become that old time neighborhood pub that used to exist before electronic music. A place you can stop in, have a few beers, chat it up with the locals then be on your way. Not worrying about seeing a menu and not worrying about keeping all your conversation family friendly.
Kinda like Cheers, then, except R rated. ;-)
 
I am interested to see what happens during the next downswing in the economy.

I am also interested to see what role legislation will play when it comes to issues like three tier distribution, and how those effect the culture.
 
Brewers Association reports 4,144 at last count, the most in the country since 1873

I think the interesting fact in the infographic at that link: 1 bbl per 4.7 persons in 1873, today it is 1 bbl per 14.

that would suggest the US could support >12,000 breweries

We also used to be able to drink low alcohol beer at work. Laborers where encouraged to partake. But alas it only takes a few to ruin the whole deal. There where also table beers that where shared by the entire family over a meal. I don't see the volume per person at 1873 numbers again.
 
We also used to be able to drink low alcohol beer at work. Laborers where encouraged to partake. But alas it only takes a few to ruin the whole deal. There where also table beers that where shared by the entire family over a meal. I don't see the volume per person at 1873 numbers again.


That's because beer was safer than water until 100 years ago.
 
An older guy I worked with at Ford worked one of the breweries that used to be in Cleveland. They got, I believe, two beers a day on the house.
 
I am interested to see what happens during the next downswing in the economy.

I am also interested to see what role legislation will play when it comes to issues like three tier distribution, and how those effect the culture.
Yep, I mentioned that upthread as well, but I think that unless we (and I mean more than just us home/pro brewers, I mean a critical mass of the general public) get behind some major changes to the status quo, there is too much money invested in the way it currently operates to significantly modify the 3 tier dist model.

One can always hope though, and maybe with enough brew pubs, and other locales that sell crafty beer along with we brewers get behind a campaign informing their customers of the issues it causes, and to contact their politicos and really push the issue, change may just happen. Hey, it wasn't till JC signed the legislation legalizing home brewing back in the 1970's that would could do this legally. Next on the road, spirit distillation, at least in Home Use quantities. Another tough fight against moneyed interests. But, I've lived long enough to know to never say never. I even sent my state rep an email about it early last year, I'll quote a little of it just for a quick reference:

Just thought I'd send you a (turns out looking at it, a rather lengthy) message. I was reviewing laws regarding home brewing and distilling, and after reading up on one section of our laws, and comparing it to what I saw as the law in Missouri, I was honestly amazed at how anal and overbearing we are compared to them.

Here is a link to their statue on it: http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes/stathtml/31100000551.html
and here is a link to ours: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=340a.301

3 short paragraphs, versus a whole long page with chapters, sub-chapters, divisions, sub-divisions, addendum's, licenses, bonds, fees, permits, etc etc etc. It's absolutely amazing. I think I am starting to agree with the people who say that govt is over-reaching and over regulating, it's pretty amazing the difference in philosophy between the 2 states. From what I can see, they seem to have it pretty much right. If you want to make it, for your own personal use, go right ahead, we have no problem with that at all. If it's legal to buy, it's just as legal to make. Here, not so much so. Maybe you can print out and pass around to your colleagues the law that MO has, and propose something similar here in MN..

Of course, I got the 'Thanks for the Letter, we'll look into this' reply, but shockingly, nothing I could tell came of it. Oh well, I'll keep working on it, maybe some day this too shall come to pass. I mean, it only makes sense, at least to me.
 
Personally, i think homebrewing will always be a niche market so to speak. It takes a lot of patience and practice to get good at homebrew. Most people don't have the patience to get good at beer making.
 
Do you think that with the ongoing retirement of the baby boomers, this may add to the ranks of home brewers? Often times, but certainly not always, with age comes wisdom, and patience, which are both good attributes to have as a brewer I'd think.
 
we have a local chain brew restaurant around here, called Sweetwater Tavern. yes, they have troubles with the name, so at GABF or other pro competitions, they're entered as Great American Restaurants. decent beer, they only sell on premise and don't distribute

and the nearest brewery to my house, Beltway Brewing, is a contract brewery. They're making the core beers for several smaller local breweries, so the smaller breweries can concentrate on seasonal and one-offs. plus they're making the house beer for Buffalo Wing Factory (a local chain)

Sweet lord I forgot how much I missed the Buffalo Wing Factory. Used to live in Ashburn. I stop there every time I'm even close to that area now. Why do you have to bring up such a sore spot? Now I must drink... :tank:
 
I live in a city with a population of just under 200,000 which has zero breweries or brewpubs currently. The only brewpub that has ever existed here since prohibition first started up over a decade ago but has changed hands and names about 4 times and is currently not operating. A local coffee house owner has had plans to open a brewery for well over a year but still hasn't even started preparing the property he plans to use and according to some insiders I know the brewery has only a 50-50 shot of ever opening.

The metropolitan area I live in has a population of over 400,000 and there is currently 1 brewery and zero brewpubs in it. As far as I know there are only two homebrew stores serving that area as well.

Brewing may have jumped the shark in some parts of the US but in the south where I live I think there is plenty of room for Fonzie to try that jump again.
 
Brewing may have jumped the shark in some parts of the US but in the south where I live I think there is plenty of room for Fonzie to try that jump again.

Meanwhile, in areas I frequent there have never been any breweries...until everyone decided they'd open one in the same calendar year. So we go from having 2 corner pubs with no craft beers to having 4 breweries opening within a 10 min drive of each other...a little excessive for a village.

That's more of what I'm interested in seeing in about 3 years: these places that all couldn't wait to open and rushed into it without concern of competitors coming into a small market at the same time. Can they last? Will their beer actually be any good?

I've found plenty of micro's that serve absolutely horrible beer...but people still go there, just like people still continue to buy Bud, Miller, Rolling Rock, etc. Sometimes people will drink it, even if it's crap.

I think it's going to be more and more about having enough people to drink it.
 
My view from across the globe is probably different, but I definitely see homebrewing gaining more and more popularity, and I doubt it's a bubble. Homebrewing in Finland is nowhere near as popular as the states, but it's definately growing. We have 3 online stores that sell homebrew stuff, and no good walk-in stores. 5 years ago there weren't any stores with a good stock of ingredients.

Finland's strict alcohol laws make starting a brewery pretty hard, but still there are quite a lot of good breweries popping up. The problem is that for drinks over 4.7%, you can only buy them in government ran liquor stores that have a pretty **** selection when it comes to beer. I recently ran into this when I was trying to find sour beers for dregs. The above-mentioned store only had a few sours and they were Rodenbach (pasteurized). Fortunately we have a local pub with a very good selection of lambics, so I guess I'll just have to go there with a small sanitized jar and steal the dregs from a few beers.
 
Do you think that with the ongoing retirement of the baby boomers, this may add to the ranks of home brewers? Often times, but certainly not always, with age comes wisdom, and patience, which are both good attributes to have as a brewer I'd think.

My wife & I are two of them, being born in the mid-50's. Those attributes are in evidence, compounded by aging pains. Ohio is considering dropping the legally drunk level to .5. I can see this not only getting more folks to drink at home, but more taking a 2nd or 3rd look at home brewing. It's certainly possible anyway. And being retired means not having all that extra money for tuner car bling, boats, etc. So home brewing is one of, if not the, most rewarding hobby.
 
My wife & I are two of them, being born in the mid-50's. Those attributes are in evidence, compounded by aging pains. Ohio is considering dropping the legally drunk level to .5. I can see this not only getting more folks to drink at home, but more taking a 2nd or 3rd look at home brewing. It's certainly possible anyway. And being retired means not having all that extra money for tuner car bling, boats, etc. So home brewing is one of, if not the, most rewarding hobby.

not related; but that level is .05 not .5...most people will be dead at 0.4! :off::tank:
 
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