Craft and imports grow, macro declines

No worry or yelp, and there is help if you want to seek it.

 

Those "some folks" would be that queen of misinformation and fear-mongering, all in the name of making bucks with her blog.

 

It would be nice if she were the only one out there.

 

More than a year ago on the New Beer Sunday thread I wrote about Narragansett Lager. The post turned into a side by side with Budwieser. I had thought that all AALs tasted the same since the 70s and was surprised by how different they tasted. The Bud was a bit sweet. The Narragansett was a bit bitter. In the 70s we just gulped beer never tasted it the we do craft. Maybe those AALs would have seemed different from each other had I actually tasted them. I'm sure you will find some differences if you do that taste-off.

 

I have a very strong feeling that the ones with more of a hop presence will be the preferred beers. We shall see.

 

I would not be surprised if there is a connection there. I had a project for a few years where I did home inspections in a predominantly latino community in South Jersey. Just like anywhere else these houses had some beer around, but in this community it was mainly mexican lagers like Tecate, Corona, Dos Equis, etc. I wouldn't paint with too broad of a brush based on that anecdotal account from one place though, because at the another other end of the racial spectrum was my grandfather (RIP), an 80-year old German-descended, salt-of-the-earth, retired union worker in central PA, who drank the occasional beer and tended to favor Sol and Corona.

 

Well your anecdotes are consistent with what some are finding/reporting:

http://fortune.com/2015/12/30/mexican-beers-strong-sellers/

The Hispanic population growth is thought to be a strong driver of the growth in consumption of those imported beers.

But they are not the only demographic that is attracted to drinking the Mexican imports.

 

I'd really like to be in too, and I'm under the same calendar constraints. I did it once years ago and definitely had preferences, but the field I used was bigger than simply Miller vs Bud (and I didn't do it blind). This isn't aimed at any comment here, but personally, it doesn't sit well with me when people mention indistinguishability in this context as a way to discredit the drink or the drinker (whether or not the indistinguishability is real).

 

The article talks about Spanish language marketing, which makes sense. If someone is a first generation immigrant, chances are they brought their beer drinking habits with them. I could also see that passing along to 2nd and 3rd generation if they grow up with everyone in their family drinking those brands.

Corona seems to be the choice of those consumers that like light lager, but either have more money, or want to appear to be drinking "better" beer than Bud Light. Kind of like Heineken.

 

I think it demonstrates demographic shift more than anything else.

 

Well, after a few Coronas stay out of the surf!

 

Many breweries --not all--are located in old industrial districts where rents/land were cheaper for upstarts and space more plenty. Some closer to newer residential/repurposed older buildings and great for those folks. A small number near light rail.

Love an occasional brewery visit but in my parts, typically much further from where I live so the truly local spot with lots of fresh taps that are a 5 min taxi/Uber or 15 min walk--just more practical.

Plus the neighborhood vibe is nice.

 

Funny to note same here, old industrial buildings in lower rent parts of town have been a favorite for local breweries. Keegan ales left the ceiling track and some original equipment from the iron works factory it once was.

As a general comment concerning the huge growth in tap rooms, we have gone from famine to feast in that regard, so the article is certainly on the money, maybe understated a touch, around here..

I wondered, as do others, how their growing popularity would affect sales at beverage stores, etc. And anecdotally around here it seems to have impacted to a degree, but sales generally still seem to be going up for them. Many more packaged/growler locals available now too.

I now wonder if we can sustain having the number of tap rooms we have, and the recent spate of brewery expansions, and new tap rooms yet to open?

 

In Houston, go into any gas station/convenience store and there are usually 3 or 4 large open coolers packed with beer and covered with Ice. 3 of those 4 are usually mexican 16/24 oz cans. The 4th is US Macros in one half and Buc Chelada in the other half. And as for Corona, if you like it, get it in a can, not a bad beer that way.

 

Right ... "why go to a bar when you can go to the source?" assumes you can go to the source. If you CAN'T go to the source, then the bar it is.

I don't have in Bryan-College Station what Houston has in terms of brewery-site taprooms (and it's not like Houston has many — 8th Wonder is kind of special). My point, I guess, is that the way these numbers are skewing, I can see how taprooms might be playing a role.

It's funny you point out industrial districts. Karbach is dead square in the middle of what I'd call an industrial district, and in a span of half a decade, they blew up from upstart craft brewery to global empire (now that AB-In Bev has bought them) and part of it happened because they expanded their brewery tours into a taproom/beer garden into a full-service restaurant/bar. It obviously helped them being attached to a massive urban center, but their site is in a terrible location.

Still, Houstonians (and Texans in general) found them and turned them into a minion for the empire.

 

Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow - anybody want to do this (last minute)?

@JackHorzempa @AlcahueteJ

 

I can do this or a general AAL tasting soon, but not tomorrow or even this weekend. Going to be at a Kentucky Derby party.

I already have what I hope will be a 'ringer' in the house, so I won't sit on it for too long.

 

how about Memorial Day or 4th of July weekend? I know those are popular family/vacation days so I understand if it doesn't work out. I just figured we should have an "American" theme

 

However, I'm down for a Mexican-lager only Cinco de Mayo tasting....Pacifico vs Tecate vs Modelo vs Corona? I'm game. Sorry to reply to you twice, I forgot to include this in my last post.

 

Thanks for the info. Go Craft Beer!

Cheers!