Most of Colorado’s breweries are more than 5,000 feet above sea level. But professional brewers at altitude are downright scientific with their methods. And the first thing they point to is the temperature at which they boil.
For many breweries, a regional, cultural identity fosters the brand’s wider appeal. Paradoxically, that popularity might dilute the brand by requiring a large-scale production model that precludes ties to its regional roots—something expanding breweries keep in mind.
From the initial stages of business planning onward, brewery owners are forced to make difficult decisions that affect the direction of their business. Successfully navigating these choices relies upon having a clearly defined vision and strategy.
Churchkey Can Company ressurrects the flat-top steel can; interstate brewery expansions loom; study finds two drinks a day could be a life saver; Heineken bans branding of local brews during London 2012 Olympics; and new beer laws passed in Indiana and Georgia.
Goodwill among brewers doesn’t stop at the occasional tank or piece of advice. It’s an industry-wide culture that can be found at every stage—from conception of a brewery or beer to execution, to, yes, even consumption.
Just like there is no typical craft beer, there seems to be no typical craft logo. And with the ongoing proliferation of craft breweries in the US, branding is becoming both more crucial and more impressive than ever before.
If 2011 was a year for celebrating a return to local beer, 2012 will be a year when consumers and brewers seek to redefine what local really means. This past year saw dozens of breweries, including many well-known names, retreat to their home markets due to supply issues.
New ventures for Brick Store Pub; Weed fought the law; Smuttynose finds a home; Serving beer in liters is a crime; Star Hose to open in historic N.Y. firehouse; and Elysian and New Belgium collaborate.
There are really only two ways to blow the mind of an experienced, worldly beer drinker: Make a classic style to absolute perfection or make a beer that is unlike anything brewed before.