Is craft beer and hops production declining too?

[Dancy]

Yes, a trend shift seems to have taken place. Maybe too much choice? Not enough brewing expertise? Too many crazy overblown non-sustainable styles? Who knows.

It is just my impression, so no hard facts, but my impression is the young demographic simply doesn’t have the same interest in beer in general like my generation did — I’m 65.

 

[day_trippr]

I agree with ^that^ to the extent that we didn't have many good quality adult beverage alternatives for most of our lives. Nowadays the market is crammed with all types of beverages that aren't beer...

Cheers!

 

[Bramling Cross]

I agree with ^that^ to the extent that we didn't have many good quality adult beverage alternatives for most of our lives. Nowadays the market is crammed with all types of beverages that aren't beer...

Cheers!

I don't listen to too many brewing podcasts, but two or three years ago I remember seeing one entitled "Head brewer at [trendy brewery I don't remember] talks about the threat posed by hard seltzer."

As a guy that has nothing but contempt for that end-around of liquor regulations, that was about the most fascinating brewing podcast (not a high bar to cross) that I've listened to in years. In sum, the brewer argued that hard seltzer is a mortal threat to micro-brewers because it fits younger drinkers' preference for sweet, tart, fruity things. Plus it's cheap as chips to make and not technically demanding.

That certainly opened my eyes wide because when it comes to beer I absolutely live under a very large rock. In the average year, I drink maybe six pints that I haven't brewed. I have less than no clue about what is going on in the wider beer world, so that podcast really made an impression on me.

Wish I could remember where I dug it up, maybe Brad Smith? I tried listening to his podcast while I was stuck running a night shift because of COVID.

 

[teal]

People my age and older - craft was pretty new to us and we moved towards it as an answer to the bland BMC we were limited to. That created craft GROWTH and growth in inputs.

My son (24) and his friends - Craft beer and good beer has pretty much always been there, there's no Oklahoma land rush to the new good thing to generate that large growth like we've seen. They've always had it and have alternatives today as well like seltzers, mixed drinks etc.

Another idea - there was a lot of craft beer that sold simply because it was craft and NOT because it was good beer. The saying used to be much more about supporting craft as a way to avoid supporting or drinking BMC. Well even craft guys are making American light lagers etc. It's not enough to simply NOT be BMC. You need to make good beer and have distinction and marketing. No, the "independent brewery" label can not be the extent of your marketing department either. So as those craft breweries die their economic deaths due to poor product - input demand decreases...

 

[bwible]

People my age and older - craft was pretty new to us and we moved towards it as an answer to the bland BMC we were limited to. That created craft GROWTH and growth in inputs.

My son (24) and his friends - Craft beer and good beer has pretty much always been there, there's no Oklahoma land rush to the new good thing to generate that large growth like we've seen. They've always had it and have alternatives today as well like seltzers, mixed drinks etc.

Another idea - there was a lot of craft beer that sold simply because it was craft and NOT because it was good beer. The saying used to be much more about supporting craft as a way to avoid supporting or drinking BMC. Well even craft guys are making American light lagers etc. It's not enough to simply NOT be BMC. You need to make good beer and have distinction and marketing. No, the "independent brewery" label can not be the extent of your marketing department either. So as those craft breweries die their economic deaths due to poor product - input demand decreases...

Isn’t it funny we talk about the bland BMC and all the awful American lagers (which you have to take with a grain of salt since these companies sell millions upon millions of barrels annually) and then we go back into history and dig up records and recipes from lagers that existed before prohibition and make a whole new style out of that? Recently I think the BJCP dug up a few lightweight Czech lagers and added those, too, which weren’t part of previous guides.

It the same thing all the time, I think people everywhere just want what they can’t have. I’m here wishing I had a UK style pub with beer on handpumps near me and I’ve had people in the UK tell me they wish they lived here so they could get 40 oz bottles of malt liquor.

And the saying is also true, whats old is new again.

But I agree, the younger people don’t seem to be buying beer and are not into beer at all. My wife’s younger niece, under 30, brought Twisted Tea last Christmas. Left 3 cans and they’re still here. I think it started with hard lemonade and hard rootbeer, “alcopops” we called them. I remember BYO doing articles about these in the late 90s or early 2000s. They’ve been around that long. Anybody remember Zima?

 

[Kornssj]

I think the entire industry has drowned in Ubiquity. When you go a gas station and there are like 30 IPAs and you drink maybe 1-2 IPAs a month, that's a problem with supply and demand. The number of craft breweries in the last decade have exploded to unimaginable numbers. Now, after the pandemic we are starting to see the effects of too much supply. As for local brew stores, they are also closing due to pandemic related reasons and leaving the market open for the larger conglomerates (MoreBeer, North Western) to gobble up. Craft beer will always be around through them, because they can weather these types of economical storms. So I say fret not, Homebrew will always be around and the demand will fluxuate but will be around from this generation to the next. Even if you don't teach you kids how to brew, they will eventually figure it out for themselves (insert childhood tears now).

For me personally, I stopped brewing during the times when I had kids. Had my second born few months ago and just now got back into the hobby. The excitement is still there for me and I think for most people as well.

 

[Slim M]

There is a ton of bad craft beer out there that costs way more than macros. Personally, I am not going to spend 9 or 10 dollars for a pint of beer that may be crap. I rarely drink craft beer anymore. I understand the falling demand.

Poor quality + high prices = failed business

Yeah I’ve noticed lots of shelf space occupied by strange, obscure, & highly priced niche styles. Flashy labels but nothing I’m willing to gamble on.

 

[Yesfan]

Yeah I’ve noticed lots of shelf space occupied by strange, obscure, & highly priced niche styles. Flashy labels but nothing I’m willing to gamble on.

Same here. The prices are just too high, so when I go back to the store I'm buying what I know. Nowadays, I just pick up a few cans of Founder's All Day IPA and/or Pacifico as my beer store has them in pint cans (19.2 for the Founder's), 2 for $5. They used to be 3 for 5.

I am not paying $8 a pint at a restaurant/brewpub. Feeding a family of 4 is expensive enough as is.

 

[IdahoBrewing]

Idaho seems to be growing with farm land and hop production. Nice to see some local hop vines growing on farms in local communities. The market is changing for sure. I am getting tired of going to the store and seeing 50 different cans of IPA/Hazy IPAs from companies I never heard of and all using the same malts and hop profiles. Seltzers are popular, dry January, non-alcohol beer (like Athletic Brewing) is growing fast and prices are going up. Beer isn't what it used to be. Local breweries will do anything to make a quick buck now... coffee in the mornings, sell slushies, trivia nights, bands, church groups, and anything to get people in the door. There was a time when the beer was all that was needed to draw a crowd.

 

[MaxStout]

Same here. The prices are just too high, so when I go back to the store I'm buying what I know. Nowadays, I just pick up a few cans of Founder's All Day IPA and/or Pacifico as my beer store has them in pint cans (19.2 for the Founder's), 2 for $5. They used to be 3 for 5.

I am not paying $8 a pint at a restaurant/brewpub. Feeding a family of 4 is expensive enough as is.

With so many offerings and my unwillingness to roll the dice on a $15 4-pk of some unknown brew, I have reverted back to the old stalwarts. Bell's, Great Lakes, Founders, Surly, Stone, Big Sky, Boulevard, etc. And the imports that still hold up well.

When I do find new beers I like it's often from somewhere else and I can't get it locally.

 

[Slim M]

With so many offerings and my unwillingness to roll the dice on a $15 4-pk of some unknown brew, I have reverted back to the old stalwarts. Bell's, Great Lakes, Founders, Surly, Stone, Big Sky, Boulevard, etc. And the imports that still hold up well.

When I do find new beers I like it's often from somewhere else and I can't get it locally.

I’m more interested in traditional styles like Czech, German, British, & etc made locally and fresh than some creamsicle or pastry thing. I’m even more excited to find a nice brewpub serving renditions of traditional styles, pretty much the beer is cradle to grave all in a few yards.

 

[Bassman2003]

With so many offerings and my unwillingness to roll the dice on a $15 4-pk of some unknown brew, I have reverted back to the old stalwarts. Bell's, Great Lakes, Founders, Surly, Stone, Big Sky, Boulevard, etc. And the imports that still hold up well.

When I do find new beers I like it's often from somewhere else and I can't get it locally.

I would rather roll the dice on me making one of those styles and put the $15 towards ingredients. As I am sure many others here as well.