While public appreciation for beer has arguably never been higher, we are also obviously entering a new age of uncertainty.
When it comes to trends in beer, we, personally (and maybe selfishly), want it to stay. Non-alcoholic beers are still very much in the early days of popularity in the U.S., but in terms of beer trends, we expect them to make gains this year, especially since dry January is just around the corner. Craft brewers cannot ignore this trend, and you are going to see a lot more craft breweries offering a variety of non-alcoholic bruises across the globe.
Some breweries, including major craft brands such as Boston Beer Co. (makers of Samuel Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer, and Twisted Tea), have expanded into other alcoholic categories to meet market demand. While Boston Beer is still one of America's largest craft brewers, it is becoming crystal clear that the bulk of its overall volume will soon come from non-beer products such as hard ciders (Angry Orchard), hard seltzers (Truly), and malty, flavorful beverages (Twisted Tea). Boston Beer would actually pass 2 million barrels of traditional brewing in 2011, and the craft brewing segment would rise over the next five years from around 10 million barrels to more than 24 million as over 3,100 new breweries opened up 3+ doors. In fact, currently, just one other BA-identified craft brewery is producing more than 2 million barrels a year.
The writing is on the wall pretty much now, with craft breweries realizing that, in the modern beer landscape, taking the newly formed brewery nationwide is a little, a bit borderline impossible. Fewer beer companies are going to open, and we are going to see a number of beer companies fold and switch hands, but this is how a maturing craft brewing industry looks. The industry is still growing and changing as we roll into this new decade. Europe has seen craft brewery growth in the past five years, and increased active brewery growth in the European market could be considered as a support for craft beer.
Premium beers have been the main trend across Europe, therefore, demand has increased drastically too, supporting the market for craft beers in those regions. The sales of canned and bottled beers have witnessed overwhelming demand, considering factors like affordability. While the overall share of beer sales has been declining Drizzly over recent years, retailers reported plans to boost craft brew offerings going forward. Competitive landscape The beer market is growing quickly, with breweries overcoming the larger, stagnant category through more flavorful offerings and fast expansion, thus providing a wider variety of products.
This scenario is most evident in European countries such as Sweden, where beer producers are looking to drive a shift to the craft brewing market. The not-so-good news, for me at least, is that nearly nine percent of all beers sold are going to continue shrinking, while remaining big regional and national breweries are bought up by corporate interests.
I think we are going to continue to see an increase in farm-to-beer types of breweries, as consumers become increasingly conscious about ingredients. Knowledge about local craft beer is growing all the time, so, at any given moment, the local Chinese brewer might come up with a new style of beer. To grow their market share and attract domestic lager drinkers, the breweries are going to make more craft lagers, since it is something consumers are already used to drinking, said Sam Kazmer, President & Founder, Elsewhere Brewing, Atlanta.
Breweries can make smaller batches and see how customers respond to the new recipe, not losing ingredients if a beer is not a particular success. Many craft breweries are planning on producing CBD-infused beers on a limited release, then continuing to expand the lines if they prove to be a success. Beer has lost out in the rest of the categories, and the projects that this category is poised for balance in the U.S., with lower-performing brands dropping off, and brands and innovations that are prioritized being brought to back up.
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