What will be the next "big thing" in beer?

Lagers and low ABV beers.

 

+1!!

 

READ: Oolong Shock Top in 6 months.

 

Czech Pilsner
BA using wine barrels
Eisbocks
RIPAs

 

Gratzer

 

I'm not sure I agree that we've had a Sours craze yet, but I do think it's gaining in popularity. It's still a bit off the map to capture quite the audience that the IPAs have, IMO, but I think give it a few years and we'll see a big boom in American sours. Rye was popping up a lot in the fall, but I don't seem to hear quite as much on it now, I think it's falling off.

If I were to put my money on the next craze, I'd say we're going to start seeing more focus on Saisons in the next year.

 

I have a few ideas but I want to save them for my future brewery

 

I think the saison trend will continue. When you look at the success that brewers like Hill Farmstead is having brewing world class examples of these farmhouse ales, others already are and will continue to follow.
I also feel that more American twists on other traditional styles will continue to come out, maybe an Imperial Bock or more Munich Lagers with toasted walnuts.

 

My thoughts are that as craft beer gets larger which it undoubtedly will, it will attract a lot of people that are used to their golden 4.5 alc. by volume. When they get into beer they will be thinking I want a great beer that doesn't get me so drunk so quickly and they will naturally seek out session beers lower in alcohol content.
I also believe year/vintages and dated bottles will get HUGE soon. by the year 2020 entire shelves dedicated to dusty 2014 beers brewed by the Bruery, who I believe are one of the first to pioneer this market among others. A 200 dollar bottle of beer will not really be all that rare and we will look back fondly on the days when one of the best beers in the world was priced at 12 a four pack.
Soon we will see mead making a slight but formidable comeback.I don't see ciders but who knows. I Agree that bourbon aging has pretty much reached its zenith at this time. At least until the infused bourbon scene really takes off at which point we will see a resurgence in this movement.

however, Inbev will rear its nasty head and continue to push many many more bullshit beers and there will be a couple very surprising sellouts from some very great breweries in hopes of getting distribution and hitting it big which they will. Inbev will get its own megahuge conglomerate competitor. These will effectively stagnate the market at which point breweries will be very similar to wineries. Brewery bus tours hosted by certified cicerones will also become a thing.I also think that at least half of the breweries that have opened up in the past two years will close sometime in the next two years.

 

Always nice to have a sessionable option, but I don't many small breweries are going to be able to stay in business selling $1.75 bombers of session beer.

I think the arms race continues until the bubble bursts!

 

Not really the next "big thing" because it is already happening, but more and more craft breweries are going to get canning lines....which I embrace.

 

I think any variation of IPA's will be coming out. Rye, Cream, Black, IPL( like Sam Adams) Barrel aged,... If you can name the style there can always be more hops added....

 

The next big thing is going to be raising the prices even more. Sad to say, but beer should not cost as much as what it's starting to. It's not 10yr old wine, or 20 yr old Scotch......it's just BEER that's maaaaaaybe one year old!

 

I don't think it will necessarily be the beers themselves since the consumer's tastes will dictate that, but the packaging. Lagunitas 32 oz. Sucks bottle is a good example of where I think things could go. Breweries will try to distinguish themsleves by putting out different packaging. 32 oz. bottles, 20 oz. cans (or how bout 6-8 oz. bottles on maybe some of the monster abv beers), anything to be different and stand out.

 

I remember Rogue used to do this with their "XS series" a few years ago. They sold their Imperial Stout and Imperial IPA in 7oz bottles. Not sure if they still produce them or not?

 

Special wooden beer crates, bro.

 

When Sierra Nevada and New Belgium fire up their breweries in NC as well as Lagunitas in Chicago...how will the playing field change? If SN and NB get into a price war who suffers? There cannot be expotentially more craft brewers overnight but these breweries need to get the market share they need to justify building the breweries in the first place.

BA's will continue to support the local breweries but general consumers???? Hate to say it's a big thing...hopefully not.

 

My guess is increased competition from macros in the craft market.

 

Maybe the next big thing might be that there is no (or at least few) big things. With the amount of breweries constantly popping up all over the place, I'm hoping more breweries will look to creative and original distinctions that set them apart from others instead of chasing after the latest trend. This is somewhat wishful thinking though, since everyone loves hopping on the new trend.

 

Ciders and meads as everyone else stated, with sessions not too far behind. The bubble is getting close though, I do agree with that...