Finding Clarity in 2021: Beer Trends & Predictions

Great insights, most of which sound good to me as a beer drinker (except the seltzer displacing beer shelf space part). Would love to see more 12-packs and lagers, and I’m definitely looking forward to an eventual beercation.

 

I'd love to see a return to more traditional styles from some brewers. IT would lessen the over saturation of hazy NEIPAs, fruited sours, etc. Not that I don't love quality examples of these, but there are too many breweries putting out mediocre versions of them that don't touch the greats

 

I am definitely hoping the CA shipping stays in place. Getting access to so many breweries that don't necessarily distribute well has been one of the positives of the pandemic. I'm hoping they start doing more mixed packs like Fieldwork just put out where you get a can or two of multiple different beers rather than having to purchase a pre-prescribed amount.

 

I’d love to return to a brewers quest to make just simple great WCIPAs. The Brut died quickly, NEIPAs are still going strong, but the price / quality ratio isn’t so great. Hit or miss. Sounds old fashioned? Well try and brew a beer better than Pliny, or within spitting distance. Head Hunter, Union Jack, Stone, loved Grapefruit Sculpin, not so much Sculpin. A pretty daunting task, almost like making a great Pils. Sounds easy till it isn’t.

 

If curbside pickup survives, 2020 will have all been worth it.

 

I totally agree with the hard seltzer . My wife and several other friends (who don't drink beer) have been enjoying themselves.

While buying/drinking basically brewery release only, i'm getting higher quality & spending more $$$ for beer - but also saving money not going to tasting rooms.

I wish I could switch to drinking only lagers & pilsners, I would be saving a boatload of money. Since our finances haven't been impacted of covid-19, our buying habits haven't changed. Hopefully will remain.

I was never into beer events, so the traveling is a moot point for me. I visited Modern Times a few times during covid-19, as I felt fairly safe being there, and others were cognizant of personal space and wearing their mask. Though leaving the house anytime is a risk. That being said I will return to the tasting rooms when/if covid-19 will be over. But I would not travel for beer or go crazy visiting the tasting rooms every week.

 

If 2021 brings traditional beer styles and fewer +$20 hazy 4 packs, I am all in.

 

Some great points here in your article Todd.

I too, would like to see more lagers, and while I understand the financial aspect of why there are so many IPAs dominating shelf space and tap handles it makes me kind of sad to see other styles becoming harder and harder to find.

12 packs are something that I used to purchase with much more regularity, but once again due to the fact that so many of them are now dominated by IPAs I'm not buying as many of those any more. Bang for your buck though, 12 packs are usually a much better deal than buying singles and $20-$24 4 packs, something that I just can't do much longer due to financial constrictions, even if I wanted.

Not sure which I miss more, not being able to go to beer fests or concerts. Obviously both, but the beer fests were such a great way to try new beers, and have some great conversations with the brewers themselves. Can't wait to be able to start attending these again.

The home delivery of beer has been nice, I can't complain about that aspect of the beer scene these days due to COVID. Like many others, it's been wonderful being able to try beers from breweries otherwise unobtainable to me, and new brews from familiar breweries. I've ordered delivery here in California from North Park, Burgeon, Russian River, Topa Topa and others, and have done curbside pickup from Green Cheek, Firestone Walker, Pure Project, Monkish, Casa Agria, Browerij West, Smog City, The Bruery and Modern Times among others.

I've actually probably enjoyed more great beers this year than in any other. The only downside is that my wallet has taken a beating (all those expensive 4 packs), and I'm going to have to cut back on my purchasing next year, but I thought that I'd at least try to send off this screwed up year in style.

Cheers to everyone here, and may 2021 see you all happy and healthy! - John

 

I agree that many small breweries are making traditional, lower cost to produce Ales such as Reds, Blondes and Browns with lesser attention to big IPAs and Stouts. I may only have a handful of local breweries to back up this claim with at this time but, I can see this trend continuing and I hope it does.

Salud.

 

I like seltzer’s occasionally, especially at the beach or pool. They’re light and refreshing. Can never replace beer, but some are very good.

 

Fruited Sours Lagers and 12 packs.

 

Dale, I just tried earlier this evening my most recent batch of a clone of Pliny the Elder and it was very tasty.

My next batch I will be brewing is my annual batch of Bohemian Pilsner.

Well, I have been brewing for 25+ years and I would characterize it not as being hard but being able to pay attention to details. If I can do this at home fermenting in plastic buckets commercial breweries with their more sophisticated breweries should be capable of doing this as well. A situation of a 'give a shit' factor?

Cheers!

 

Well your an experienced brewer with a recipe that’s dialed in for your batch, I wish I had the patience.

How difficult would it be to multiply that by 10,000 percent? Does the math equalize out? Pliny is popular, it’s limited by how much Vinny wants to produce, if it was so easy why haven’t others duplicated it?

 

A commercial brewery would formulate their own recipe based upon their experience with their equipment. They would not just take a 5 gallon batch recipe and multiply straight up.

I can't answer for how commercial breweries decide to do what they do. Given today's absolute preoccupation for producing hoppy beers that are juicy and turbid it could be that breweries have no interest in producing an IPA that has notable bitterness and is clear (i.e., Pliny the Elder).

As a homebrewer I can brew what I want and I would prefer to drink an IPA that has bitterness and is non-murky so I brew my version of Pliny the Elder. I do not have Haze Bros as my customer base so I can brew beers that please me.

Cheers!

 

I’ve had your Pliny close years ago and I approve of how good it was.

 

I agree - Cheers to Tomme!

 

I would hope that 2021 will bring a push in changing outdated legislation to allow for shipping of beers. Having had the chance to try new beers this year due to breweries adapting to meet their new needs has been great. I never thought I would see heady on my local shelves. I think by bringing the shipping laws into current times more breweries will follow the lead burial took in 2020.

 

Good article.
Like you I hope for more Lagers.
I miss doing brewery tours, I always tried to do one or two a month back in 2019.
That particular activity if it ever returns probably won't be until 2022.
But one can always hope.
I've visited tap rooms in NC and Florida in 2020, I'll continue to do so if at all possible in 2021.