What no one wants to say

[BrewZer]

Something like this?

View attachment 882150

Many beer lovers want to know who makes their beer. The independent craft brewer seal is a handy tool for beer drinkers to easily differentiate beer from small and independent craft brewers and beer produced by other, non-craft companies. The sealOpens in new window is a visual signal to help you make decisions when you shop—when you see the seal, it’s your sign that the beer you’re buying is from an independent craft brewer.

Yeah, until AB/Inbev buys the Brewers Association...

And I'm being only partly sarcastic here.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

There's a million different beers out there because there's a million different tastes. Beer does not need to adhere to a certain style in order to be good. What one finds mediocre or junk, another finds as their go to. There's going to be breweries that stick to traditional methods and styles, while others swing for the fences on flavors and combinations. Neither of these means they're doing a bad thing.

 

[user 348755]

Something like this?

View attachment 882150

Many beer lovers want to know who makes their beer. The independent craft brewer seal is a handy tool for beer drinkers to easily differentiate beer from small and independent craft brewers and beer produced by other, non-craft companies. The sealOpens in new window is a visual signal to help you make decisions when you shop—when you see the seal, it’s your sign that the beer you’re buying is from an independent craft brewer.

I don’t know if this means you won’t get fruit juice though

That's useful but I'm thinking more along the lines of PDO/AOC type of cert but instead of geographic designation, it would be a seal that ensures conformance to a process/ingredient standard. It's just a thought though but one seemed to have some traction with the more scrupulous brewers I discussed it with.

It would be voluntary seal that ensures you get a pils made with lager yeast and and not kveik or a sour that has been soured the traditional way instead and not in a kettle or an IPA that gets its flavours from hops and not extract. A lot of other products protect quality and process this way and it could be applied to beer.

 

[day_trippr]

When considering the apparent decline of beer and brewing, there's this trend to add to the mix...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adults-drink-alcohol-record-low-new-poll-decline/

 

[user 348755]

There's a million different beers out there because there's a million different tastes. Beer does not need to adhere to a certain style in order to be good. What one finds mediocre or junk, another finds as their go to. There's going to be breweries that stick to traditional methods and styles, while others swing for the fences on flavors and combinations. Neither of these means they're doing a bad thing.

Yes, but as a consumer it's a game of roulette that leads to a chilling effect towards these craft brewers. It's true that it doesn't need to adhere to a style to be good, but at the same time, if I'm buying a can with gose on the label, I'd like to to get a gose.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

When considering the apparent decline of beer and brewing, there's this trend to add to the mix...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adults-drink-alcohol-record-low-new-poll-decline/

It's articles like this and articles like the ones mentioned therein as the reason why I gave up reading.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Yes, but as a consumer it's a game of roulette that leads to a chilling effect towards these craft brewers. It's true that it doesn't need to adhere to a style to be good, but at the same time, if I'm buying a can with gose on the label, I'd like to to get a gose.

That gose with the territory, I guess. Same can be said in the food industry too. I guess you just have to find one that checks all your boxes and and never let it go.

 

[user 348755]

That gose with the territory, I guess. Same can be said in the food industry too. I guess you just have to find one that checks all your boxes and and never let it go.

exactly but the food industry has trade certs and seals help the consumer chose a product that meets their standards. Cheese, dairy, wines, meats, fruit etc... all have a variety of grading and trade certs. it would really suck if you had to buy 20 steaks just to find the Prime cut by taste alone.

As far as finding beer that checks all your boxes, I think that's what a lot of people are doing. Hence the growing market share of the macros.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

There's no seal or cert for 'authentic' Mexican joints putting lettuce and cheddar on tacos.

 

[MaxStout]

There's a conundrum here. A brewery might produce some off-beat beers that appeal to a very narrow segment of drinkers but everyone else walks away thinking they suck. Or...they could produce beers with mass appeal. But then they become--oh no!--mass appeal beers!

Like that cool little indie band you loved in college. One day they turn out a multimillion-selling album and the original fan base says "they sold out."

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

precipitous decline in the number of folks brewing at home

When considering the apparent decline of beer and brewing, there's this trend

("Could be worse. Not sure how, but it could be." -- Eyeore)
(no, I don't spell check other people's memes, but thanks for asking.)

​

 

[sibelman]

Growth = Good? Decrease = Bad? What about Enough?



https://new-economicsf.files.svdcdn.com/production/files/0369000fddb0bb6226_36m6voh4u.pdf

 

[bwible]

There's a million different beers out there because there's a million different tastes. Beer does not need to adhere to a certain style in order to be good. What one finds mediocre or junk, another finds as their go to. There's going to be breweries that stick to traditional methods and styles, while others swing for the fences on flavors and combinations. Neither of these means they're doing a bad thing.

Thats why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors

 

[dmtaylor]

You have to ask - if you had your favorite beer/brewery fresh on tap in your town (for me it would be Triple Karmeliet or Augustiner helles) how often would you go and buy? Is that enough to sustain the establishment? It is an interesting question.

It's an excellent question.

I know for me... If the greatest nectar in the entire universe was flowing out of a pub across the street from me for $7 or $8 per pint... I'd still rarely ever go over there. Maybe once a month or two. But not every week, and absolutely not every day. And I think most people these days might tell a similar story.

Now.... if that same nectar was only $1 per pint, then hell yeah I'd be there maybe every day. But that's not realistic of course... unless you brew your own.

 

[Bassman2003]

That is heart of the matter for brew pubs and LHBS. I would like to support them but if there are not enough "MEs" then their business will be a challenge.

 

[MaxStout]

It's an excellent question.

I know for me... If the greatest nectar in the entire universe was flowing out of a pub across the street from me for $7 or $8 per pint... I'd still rarely ever go over there. Maybe once a month or two. But not every week, and absolutely not every day. And I think most people these days might tell a similar story.

Now.... if that same nectar was only $1 per pint, then hell yeah I'd be there maybe every day. But that's not realistic of course... unless you brew your own.

I'd have to be this guy.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

It's an excellent question.

I know for me... If the greatest nectar in the entire universe was flowing out of a pub across the street from me for $7 or $8 per pint... I'd still rarely ever go over there. Maybe once a month or two. But not every week, and absolutely not every day. And I think most people these days might tell a similar story.

Now.... if that same nectar was only $1 per pint, then hell yeah I'd be there maybe every day. But that's not realistic of course... unless you brew your own.

And sometimes it's not even a matter of money. I think post-COVID people just stay home more often. I know I do.

I have cognitive dissonance when a place I like (be it restaurant, brewery, etc) goes under...

• There's a part of me that's truly saddened to see the loss of a quality establishment that I really liked.
• There's another part of me that then remembers "oh, I've also not been there spending money in 3 years, so it's not like I was doing anything to keep it open"...

It's like I expect other people to patronize an establishment I like enough to keep it open for the once-in-a-blue-moon time that I want to go, but I won't do it myself.

But not TOO many people. If the place is too crowded, then it's almost not worth the hassle!

So... I'm not helping my own cause...

 

[MaxStout]

I'm kind of the same way. If I enjoy a place I want them to do well and thrive. But I don't want to stand in line to get a table.

 

[mac_1103]

But not TOO many people. If the place is too crowded, then it's almost not worth the hassle!

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."
- Yogi Berra

 

[sibelman]

News flash: Americans are drinking less Fewer Americans are drinking.

 

[mac_1103]

There are a number of brew pubs in my area that have a variety of very good to excellent brews and happy hours with pints for $3-4. Once SWMBO retires I think we'll be going out more often.

 

[Pennine]

There are a number of brew pubs in my area that have a variety of very good to excellent brews and happy hours with pints for $3-4. Once SWMBO retires I think we'll be going out more often.

I would love that, happy hours at my local brew pubs are $6 pints...

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

News flash: Americans are drinking less Fewer Americans are drinking.

Rebuttal: individuals who enjoy the process or the result of brewing beer at home may not care.

 

[sibelman]

Rebuttal: individuals who enjoy the process or the result of brewing beer at home may not care.

It's certainly not a problem for me!

 

[bwible]

You have to ask - if you had your favorite beer/brewery fresh on tap in your town (for me it would be Triple Karmeliet or Augustiner helles) how often would you go and buy? Is that enough to sustain the establishment? It is an interesting question.

For me it would be a recreation of a British pub with a giant Whitbread mirror and a red British phone booth outside, serving real cask ale on hand pulls. We have one and they even serve the traditional English breakfast - but its over an hour and a half drive and not someplace I want to go driving and drinking. If I had that reasonably close I’d be there 3 or 4 times a month. Good British ale is SO hard to come by here. There used to be an Elephant & Castle in Philly but that closed long ago. The closest one is in DC now. Went to DC for 4 days and ate there twice.

 

[bwible]

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."
- Yogi Berra

“No thanks, I don’t drink”

Jeff Stone, in response to being offered a shrimp cocktail

 

[bwible]

When considering the apparent decline of beer and brewing, there's this trend to add to the mix...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/adults-drink-alcohol-record-low-new-poll-decline/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281

How might alcohol help the heart?​

Many studies have shown that drinking regular, limited amounts of any type of alcohol helps the heart. It's not just red wine. It's thought that alcohol:

• Raises HDL cholesterol, also called the "good" cholesterol.
• Helps keep blood clots from forming.
• Helps prevent artery damage from high levels of LDL cholesterol, also called the "bad" cholesterol.
• May improve how well the layer of cells that line the blood vessels works.

 

[sibelman]

Many studies

Seems like there's been a lot of back and forth on this, at least in the popular press. Maybe there's cardiac (and mental health!) benefits to modest alcohol use, but...

Our previous surgeon general said we should limit ourselves to one or two drinks a week, if I recall correctly.

 

[corkybstewart]

The bar graphs showing openings vs closings of micros, brewpubs and taprooms is telling. Closings outpaced openings in all 3 categories in 2024. Not a good sign.

Keep in mind that restaurants have always had the same problem-it's fairly easy(expensive) to open one but most fail pretty quickly. Usually it's cost control more than quality issues, breweries are no different. Billie Bob's friends love his beer, it's the best in the world., brewed with the finest ingredients available. But to produce 100 pints cost Billie Bob $500 and he sells them for $4 each because there are already 3 taprooms in his town who sell for $4. Billie Bob's best bet is bankruptcy.

 

[corkybstewart]

Some stores I go in make me wonder if they’re trying to drive people away with the music

Go to a store in France and listen to what appears to be screech monkeys singing harmony to howler monkeys. Yesterday my wife said the same thing you just said. "Who picks this music? Do they not want us to stay here long enough to buy our groceries?"