Low ABV in U.S. beer to be popularized in the future?

been trying to find the low alcohol beer for me going forward, low alcohol = lower cals which is the direction I need to go, still find it impossible for bud light etc, still want a beer.

 

God, I hope not

 

I'd just like to see more lower ABV craft - as in 4-6% instead of 10%+. I don't drink to get drunk, and tire of beers that I'd like to try being 10%+ ABV and only available in a bomber. Some of these can be the equivalent of a typical macro six pack. As I am the only drinker in the house, any beer I try will be consumed in a sitting though sometimes I do stopper it and drink it over several hours. Same goes for 12oz beers that are 12%+, too much alcohol. No, I don't want near beer but I don't need to get drunk on one beer either.

 

I'd be all for more 3-to-4% ABV beers that actually tasted good. I've had a few (some gose, Berliner weisse, and English styles) but they're definitely not easy to find in stores -- half of the really-low-ABV beers that I've had were on tap at the brewery and unavailable anywhere else.

Almost every time I read comments on the Internet, I become more and more glad that I don't have this ridiculous "nobody could possibly think differently than me, and anyone who says they do is lying (and/or crazy)!" mindset that seems to have infected so many people.

 

Odd that you didn't say you would be all for more 0% abv beers.

I don't have that either but alcohol does play into flavor profile and if it weren't at all a factor no one would be here.

I know it's cool to say taste is what is king and even if alcohol weren't involv.... Its utter bullshit. You wouldn't drink beer if it werent for the impact the alcohol has on the flavor profile and the effect it has. Slight glow to blackout. Doesnt matter what your goal is. ZERO people drink alcoholic beverages regularly with it having nothing to do with the alcohol.

 

I really do not want any beer lower than 4.5 percent.

 

Just had "Moritz Fiege Sommerhopfen",basically a dry-hopped light Pilsener, which was great at 2.6%.

 

It's very popular here already (Australia) - light and mid (3.5%) beer is probably the majority of liquor sales in this state. The mid-strength amber ale that is made for my restaurant is our highest seller by a wide margin, with mid-strength macros being 3rd and 5th. The light option (2.6%) comes in 6th. Some ultra-light stuff (~0.9%) is making the rounds and I was given tasting samples and refused to stock, they're disgusting (to be fair, have not tried all, or even most, of the options)

But if I had 10 of them in one hour, I'd still be safe to drive home, and ALOT of people have to drive home from a night out. The market is huge.

 

Well,you are missing out a LOT of excellent beers. Especially if on cask where a 4.5% beer can drink like a 6% bottled beer.

 

Honestly if there is no alcohol in it, I am in the what's the point camp. beer has to something in it. Smuttynose hayseed was my favorite low abv beer, a saison .

 

I didn't either until I had a Lindeman Framboise. Wow. Sure, could take a bit more alcohol, but this stuff is worth the sacrifice.

 

In 2005 I was in Prague for a semester as a visiting professor. My office mate took my family out for a driving tour around the area, during which we went out for dinner. He had a non-alcoholic beer with dinner and when I asked about this he said that the drunk driving laws are so strict in Czech Republic that you pretty much HAVE to drink non-alcoholic beer when driving. This was from a guy who pretty much lived for drinking beer, based on what I'd seen when he and I went out to bars but were walking.

To somewhat verify the accuracy of my memory, I found this: http://www.globalmalt.de/czech-repu...ol-free-beer-sales-increased-in-2009/?lang=ru

Basically it says that in 2009 the total beer output dropped in Czech Republic but the amount of non-alcohol beer increased.

Probably would never happen in the US for non-alcoholic beer production to rise much because I doubt we'd ever have zero-tolerance drunk driving laws... but having more good-tasting options in the 3.5 - 4.5 range might become more of a trend. I keep my fridge well-filled with Yards Brawler at 4.2% because I like being able to grab a low-abv brew when I want a beer but don't want to feel too much alcohol effect.

 

Ummm...are you sure? Berliner Weiss, Gose, Helles Lagers...

 

Bill! The helles lager starts at 4.7% I like gose. I do not care for the light lager. 4.2% Nor the session IPA either 4.2 % again. I don't want 3.8% at all. That is what I am basically saying. Put something in the beer. it has to be alcohol if there's malt in the beer.

 

This one's 4.3 : https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/263/29145/

There's quite a few under 4.7%abv but most aren't widely distributed. Sigh.

 

Yes. They will. People always forget the most base fact of all.
There is room for everything.
As our palate expands beyond the mono culture it is rapidly evolving from. This will become a big driver for craft beer as well.

 

It's a simple combo that sells well:
low price
low ABV
low bitterness/mild flavors

Anything that fits those 3 will market to the masses. Just look at Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy. Introduced in 2007. From another article I read that single drink outsells Deschutes entire portfolio of beers nationally distributed, and a few other larger brewers. I'd bet that hardly anyone even heard of Leinenkugels before 2007, and I'd bet none of those people drinking them in mass quantities ever heard of the term shandy before either or probably still don't know what the term means. Yet the non-adventurous masses took to a new brewer and new type of beverage without any issues. It hits the 3 checklist points above.

4 packs or large bottle formats of low ABV selling for $10+ will never attract a large audience. Just us beer nerds if it tastes good.