Breweries Trending Up and Down

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Kadonny, Jan 2, 2014.

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  1. Kadonny

    Kadonny Pooh-Bah (2,582) Sep 5, 2007 Florida
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    So for the upcoming year, which breweries do you see trending up and which breweries do you see trending down. Here are mine:

    Up:
    Victory.
    Dirt Wolf, Hop Ranch, return of Old Ho and for a lesser extent regular supply of Headwaters.
    BBC. I just like what they are doing overall with all the new beers they are rolling out.
    Goose Island. Love the sours they added and we finally saw some Juliet here in PA. BCBS and BCBBW always winning.

    Down:
    Green Flash. I'm not even sure why, but I don't by or drink their stuff anymore. I think some of it has to do with prices.
    Southern Tier. They just don't make much I like anymore. Even Pumking this year was less than stellar IMO....a ton of it is still sitting on shelves here.
     
  2. BMitch

    BMitch Crusader (447) Jul 10, 2012 Virginia

    Agree with that. Axing Oat/Mocha/Javha doesn't win any points with me. They were ST's three best beers, IMO.
     
  3. TheGator321

    TheGator321 Initiate (0) May 29, 2013 Connecticut

    BBC as in Berkshire Brewing Co.?
     
    konabrewer likes this.
  4. Kadonny

    Kadonny Pooh-Bah (2,582) Sep 5, 2007 Florida
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Sorry, BBC = Boston Beer Company
     
  5. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Keith, I just want to chime in the topic of Victory. I had a great conversation with a Victory Sales Person at the Whole Foods Devon pub last week. There are all kinds of good stuff planned for Victory in 2014 since they will have expanded capacity from the opening of the Parkesburg brewery (which is scheduled to be fully operational/bottling by the end of this month). He was not at liberty to disclose all of the details but a few things he was able to discuss:
    • Ten Year Alt will be available on draft (I really wish they would bottle this!)
    • Mad King Weisse will be available in bottles (big bottles I think)
    • There will be a summer sampler pack which will include Whirlwind Wit, Summer Love, another beer he mentioned and a possibility they will bottle the Kolsch (Woo-Hoo for the Kolsch).
    Yep, I am really looking forward to Victory in 2014; they are getting even better!

    Cheers!
     
    victory4me, Starkbier, zid and 2 others like this.
  6. SeanBond

    SeanBond Pooh-Bah (2,880) Jul 30, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I definitely agree with Victory (just based on the hype on these forums, and how solid Dirt Wolf is), and the first name that popped in my head was Goose Island (although they're one of my favorite breweries, so I'm a bit biased).

    With the success and mind-share that Bourbon County enjoyed this year, coupled with the new, quality releases (Sixth day, Ten Hills, the Sisters), I think they've made great strides in negating some of the doubt/fear/hatred that they started receiving when they were bought out.
     
    Imacopyouidiot likes this.
  7. jmw

    jmw Initiate (0) Feb 4, 2009 North Carolina

    I am not a speculator. Apparently neither are you:
    So this is about you, and not their market potential then?
     
  8. ivorycannon

    ivorycannon Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2013 Indiana

    ST 2X and Backburner will always be solid Southern Tier beers. 2X Rye is even great. Pumpking I will always at least drink one. As for some of ST'S other beers, if it says chocolate or crem on it I will not drink it. I do not drink overly sweet beers.(yes pumpking is a bit sweet) Just not my taste.
     
  9. Shagator

    Shagator Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2012 Kentucky

    Green Flash is still a go to for me. Price is a little steep but not as much as some of the other
     
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  10. Thickfreakness

    Thickfreakness Initiate (0) Oct 2, 2010 New York

    Up:
    Dark Horse... Finally in NY and I could drink Scotty Karate all day long!
    Brooklyn... I'll miss Monster, but Blast in 4-packs, HELL YEAH!!!
    Captain Lawrence... Frost Monster
    Firestone Walker... Always on the up! Hoping for Stickee Monkee bottles in NY!

    Down:
    Brooklyn... No Monster? Are you shitting me?
    Green Flash... No Rayon Vert 4pks? Eat me!
    Ithaca... Still no Brute? WTF?
    Goose Island... No varients in upstate NY? Coconut only in Chicago? Fuck You!!!
     
  11. PSU_Mike

    PSU_Mike Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2013 Pennsylvania

    Up:
    Victory - Hop ranch, Dirt Wolf, need I say more?
    Lagunitas - Sucks year round
    Sierra - Always on the up swing, if you disagree, you are wrong

    Down:
    Every brewery with shitty distribution - hipsters lose in a capitalist world but feel free to think people will do as you please and drive hundreds of miles to buy your growler-only beer while real businesses cash in on distribution. I'm looking at you Vermont.
    Every distributor with bombers over $10 a bottle - you're arrogance is offensive and will catch up with you if you think your beer is that valuable. Why should I pay $25 a bomber on your piece of shit when Dirt Wolf is $9.99 a 4 pack?
     
  12. Imacopyouidiot

    Imacopyouidiot Initiate (0) Oct 1, 2012 Illinois

    Well, comparing IPAs to barrel aged stouts isn't really on par price wise because you have to: buy bourbon barrels, add the highest quality berries/coconut/coffee, have numerous employees to constantly sample during barrel aging to maintain consistency, and time.
    It takes 3-5 weeks to make an ipa. It takes 10-12 months to make a ba stout.
     
  13. opwog

    opwog Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2008 Minnesota

    I wouldn't have worded it like that, but inside of this post there are some valid points that I do agree with. Especially on the issue of price. In a boom time for any industry, it is easy to be a success on varying levels when demand exceeds supply and you are riding a wave based on trending popularity. But you look at SN, Victory and Lagunitas and they bring quality to market at reasonable pricing. There are several others around the country that do the same. But the rest of these guys with their outrageous pricing are going to see a precipitous fall from grace during the shakeout.
     
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  14. opwog

    opwog Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2008 Minnesota

    Two words for you...

    Surly Darkness

    $20 a bottle for a non barrel aged imperial stout.
     
  15. Daemose

    Daemose Maven (1,407) Oct 3, 2011 Texas

    Jester King. I love them, though two of their best beers are virtually nonexistent, another only one per person per visit.

    They've gotten popular real fast which is a good thing for them, but bad for people who live outside of Austin.
     
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  16. PSU_Mike

    PSU_Mike Initiate (0) Sep 6, 2013 Pennsylvania

    There are certain exceptions. I feel a good, aged barleywine can command a premium price and warrant it. I don't particularly care for stouts so my opinion on this is skewed but I know people go crazy for them. BUT...as the market grows and other brewers pop up, there becomes more affordable options which leaves that $30 bottle of Hop God as a permanent fixture on the shelf as it should be.
     
  17. jageraholic

    jageraholic Maven (1,378) Sep 16, 2009 Massachusetts
    Trader

    While i agree axing those beers sucked, i thought pumking was its usual self, backburner and krampus are incredible and compass and live were great new additions to their lineup.
     
  18. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

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  19. Kadonny

    Kadonny Pooh-Bah (2,582) Sep 5, 2007 Florida
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    It's about both. You have to form an opinion as to who you think is trending up/down, correct? You should form that opinion based on what you see and hear about from those breweries. Based on those assumptions, I can base my very valid opinion on the breweries I mentioned.
     
  20. azorie

    azorie Pooh-Bah (2,409) Mar 18, 2006 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    I don't really think about beer like this, but I can understand the passion. I think its a nice different conversation. and it is beer chat. of course its ALL opinion. I think its fun, I like to read it. for what that is worth.

    Folks have to remember while some brewers read these boards. We are a small group, compared to the masses that actually buy good beer. I mean I loved Tumbler, its gone. I bitched and its over. SN does what they do. the bigger they get, the more folks they got to analyze the markets. etc. No to mention the other tiers make a difference in what sells.

    only the BA knows the trends, and I think you have to subscribe to get allot of that info.

    just my 2 cents.
     
    Kadonny likes this.
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