![]() “For a while there you’d have four different seasonals, plus limited-edition add-ons, and then next thing you know you were up to 28 beers in your portfolio, and you’d think, ‘Whoa, what did we just do?’” he says. What if craft took a page out of domestic beer and focused more on key brands? That’s the future envision by Mike Stevens, co-founder of Founders Brewery in Grand Rapid, MI. But maybe that’s part of the problem for craft beer right now. The terms “macro” and “craft beer” are usually at odds. There’s never been a time where folks have lived closer to so many brewery options.” 2) Craft Beer Goes Macro ![]() “While the market may have slowed a bit, there is still a ton of opportunity for breweries to carve out spots where they can become the neighborhood bar. “Whenever we are asked, ‘Are there too many craft breweries?’ I always ask, ‘Are there too many BBQ joints in Kansas City?’” says Natalie Gershon, VP of marketing for Boulevard Brewing Co. Which is why whatever’s most local will likely continue to enjoy strong loyalty among consumers. Consumers are more confused than ever with the amount of options - some that are over-the-top - that eventually people will go back to what they know,” says Jack Hendler, co-owner and brewer at Jack’s Abby, in Framingham, Mass. “The number one trend I see is that there will continue to be too many choices. Some craft brewers believe it’s better to pull back from crazier releases and instead focus on core brands. The alternative strategy in 2019 is the opposite. Brewers will fight for consumers’ eyeballs with unique brews that stand out on shelves. Which is to say that we will see even more creative takes on standard beer styles in 2019. More than ever, craft breweries will need to be hyper focused on consumer trends and look to innovate on these insights,” says Ben Widseth, VP of marketing for Green Flash Brewing Co. “Competition is becoming more concentrated. So what’s the strategy for that in 2019? There seems to be two prevailing modes of thought. Especially as more drinkers turn to spirits and wine. The industry only grew around 5% in 2018, down from the double-digit increases of years before.Īltogether it’s more difficult now for breweries (and retailers) to capture consumer attention. “While the market may have slowed a bit, there is still a ton of opportunity for breweries to carve out spots where they can become the neighborhood bar.”Īt the same time, the explosive growth enjoyed by the category in the earlier 2010s has slowed to single-digit gains. “Whenever we are asked, ‘Are there too many craft breweries?’ I always ask, ‘Are there too many BBQ joints in Kansas City?’” says Natalie Gershon, VP of marketing for Boulevard Brewing Co. That’s an indicator of the industry’s size two years out, says Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association. And active brewery permits with the TTB now total more than 9,000. Even the most knowledgeable craft fans may no longer know half the brands available.īehind this SKU surge is the brewery boom: more than 7,000 now operate in the U.S. The sheer number of breweries and SKUs is daunting. Overall: It’s a nice beer, and big, and doesn’t shy away from the hops without going out of balance.Craft beer consumers who walk into retail stores cannot be blamed for feeling overwhelmed. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body, clean but with a long lingering bitterness into the finish. Clean malt with a bit of caramel and honey. Alcohol spiciness as well, not hot but present. Some citrus fruitiness (blood orange) with spicy peel and pith (pink grapefruit). Taste: Solid bitterness that’s herbal with some resinous sap and a touch of black tea. It’s got a pretty classic DIPA aroma profile without feeling “dated,” if that makes sense. Smell: Pine and candied citrus with some sweet, perfumey alcohol notes, and a big earthy streak of hop resin. Classic!Īppearance: Deep copper color, unfiltered, rocky off-white head. The hop bill is simple enough: Chinook, Cascade, and Centennial. It’s classic and familiar but brings our flagship into a whole new world of hoppiness. We took our iconic IPA recipe and made some tweaks- jacking up the ABV up to a whopping 9.0% and doubling down on dry hops with two pounds per barrel. Introducing Imperial Harpoon IPA: Big & Limited Edition. We’d never change Harpoon IPA- it’s New England’s Original IPA after all- but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with it. The beer is 9% alcohol by volume with 60 IBUs the website description says: I’d posted about the release and Harpoon sent me a can to sample recently, so I figured since we’re still only a week out from December I’d get a review posted. For the month of December, Boston’s Harpoon Brewery released a doubled-up version of its flagship Harpoon IPA, in what it dubs its “Big & Limited Edition” (series? one-off?): Imperial Harpoon IPA.
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