Expanded Distro A Bad Thing For The Movement?

This day is not coming. Don't worry.

 

Value will be ascribed to those items that aren't available whether they are good or not. This is already happening. Sierra Nevada Hoptimum is not hyped because it's everywhere.

 

Hunting for beer does not sound fun, that's why I don't hunt.
I go to the store on Friday and buy whatever they have that looks good.

I couldn't care less if I get to try a certain hyped beer, the hyped beers I have had are almost never as good (or cheap) as my favorites sitting on the shelf.

 

I do believe there is an argument to be made for much more localized distribution. There are several breweries who may distribute to several state but they are spread rather thin in the majority of them. We see a backlash and animosity directed towards these breweries when people miss out on the more limited products. I believe that a more localized distribution approach would be more sustainable. Breweries would be able to better meet their demand in a smaller footprint, competition increases amongst local breweries and small breweries may have a better chance to establish themselves within a market. This approach may not be perfect but it has its merit.

 

Movement?

 

I will say that part of the fun of traveling (both for business and for vacation) is trying the beers in that area that are not available where I live. I do notice now, that when I am out of state that there are more and more options that are now available in CT... For example, one of the things I loved about DC was that I could get Founders... now that is in CT. Granted there are still plenty of others that not going to CT.

Overall, I am not that concerned, as there will always be new and existing brews that are, and likely will remain, locally brewed and will be fun to sample when traveling. Also, the next time there is any type of hiccup in craft beer sales, I think you will see brewers reduce the # of states they distribute to...

 

Economically impossible

 

What I was going to say.

OP, as long as it's fresh, more beer in more markets = more competition = better beer at lower prices = win for the consumer. I think.

 

Likewise, BMC is expanding into craft (see: Goose Island). So I guess the "movement" goes both ways.

 

The most sustainable element for any brewery will be maintaining profitability. You can't keep making beer if you are not making money. One of my favorites is in your back yard--Founders--and they are going everywhere. Folks are going to even more up tight over their KBS allocation but I guess that Founders has factored that in. Bell's seems to have a pretty big footprint as well but the really tough to get stuff (Black Note) doesn't come to NC at any decent level. It is really hard to get here and I'm ok with that. Perhaps a hybrid of bigger distro on everyday and less so on hard to get? I'm ok with that--Two Hearted is special enough.

Lagunitas/Green Flash/SN/NB/Oscar Blues are also going/have gone the opposite of this local approach. As far as NC goes, these expansions have energized the local economy. Five years from now may be a different story-excited to see.

 

Yes that's what I took out of your post. I disagree with the premise. I don't see craft as a movement, that just glorifies the sale of beer IMO. Therefore, expanded distro isn't a bad thing.

 

We are talking hypotheticals here, obviously we are not going to see breweries reverse course and see localized distribution become the norm. I do think that a more localized distribution scheme would still be profitable thus being sustainable. Breweries such as Short's and New Glarus have stuck with the local distribution model, profitability is not a concern for either brewery. Removing breweries from outside the region would allow local breweries to fill the void. Granted not every brewery could operate at their current rate but profitability is still possible.

My goal is not to argue against national distribution, I am grateful for the wide variety of beers I can work out my front door from all corners of the world on any given day. My goal is only to share my thoughts on why a more localized system may be more beneficial than we may like to admit.

 

I get what the OP is asking, but I think the worry is unfounded. "Every beer available to every part of the country" is just too huge a proposition.
Sure, we're getting some better distro here in NY lately (besides the Founders/Bells you mention, I can get the following now that weren't available 3 years ago: FirestoneWalker, BallastPoint, GooseIsl., JacksAbbey, LeftHand), YET here's a short list of brews that get mentioned in these forums all the time that I have never seen: 3Floyds, Shorts, RR (okay, had PTE while traveling), DCBrau, Alaskan, Deschutes, Surly, CCB, Schlafly, Odell, Avery, MaineBC, Terrapin, NEBC, NorthCst., HillFarmstead, Kuhnhenn. Besides those, there are a couple thousand others that I'll likely never have the chance to try, and all are brewing incredible beers.
There's simply no way that even those on my little list will become available to all corners of the country. As a few mentioned above, it has to be profitable, and only a small portion of all brewers will even attempt to go the route that the "pseudo-national craft" labels have, like BostonBeerCo, SierraNevada, maybe DFH.
As mentioned, not only is there a backlash against local brewers who expand so much that their hometown drinkers can't find the product reliably -- but there's also an easily recognized backlash from many true-blue micro drinkers who will despise any brewer who expands beyond their region.
Again, I understand the OP's point that for some craft drinkers there is an "allure" to finding that rare beer that you heard about on these forums. Those rare finds will always be out there -- and I think the earlier mention deserves repeating that when craft beer in general hits a large lull in popularity (for any reason, who knows why), there will indeed be a healthy downsizing of distro. What we're seeing currently was not fathomable 15 years ago ..... and it won't last forever, so enjoy it! I turned around in my supermarket 3 weeks ago and saw a small pyramid of Bells sixers -- couldn't have been more surprised (having missed the news about the new distro push) and also couldn't have been happier to partake in the bounty.

 

I think with the right conditions this would be a good thing, the problem comes when breweries try to expand too fast. Founders is the best example, I love their beer but sadly each store got less KBS and Back Stage beers even though Founders is making more beer than ever. They seem to have spread themselves too thin, FBS was supposed to come in 6 packs this year for the same price as 4 packs, in addition the quality of FBS has suffered. Not sure why maybe the new and larger brewing setup, either way I feel Founders was better before they decided to start expanding like crazy.

Sierra Nevada is the good side of this, they didn't grow too fast and quality seems consistent, I've also not heard about a major shortage of certain beers or stores receiving less than they did the previous year.

 

Those who enjoy the exclusivity of craft beer will never lose it; because once a brand gets too big, they'll denounce it and move on.

 

Even with 2000+ "craft" breweries, when have prices gone down?

 

Screw the hunt. I want good beer, and I want it now!