Best Craft Beer Trends in 2018

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by JayORear, Dec 18, 2018.

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  1. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,757) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I will say, in contrast to my post in the worst trends thread, that the number of small-ish breweries nationwide making excellent beers - in particular, IPAs - is truly remarkable.

    Almost everyone has their own local brewery that other people just need to try. Everyone seems to have access to something that others have heard of, and desperately want to tick (a topic for another thread, in and of itself).

    The best breweries in the nation are still at the top of the game, but the days of absolutely needing to drive several hours to reach a quality brewery are gone. If you make the pilgrimage to Hill Farmstead, it's worth it and you won't be disappointed - but there is a brewery probably within an hour's drive of you (or me) that is producing quality, delicious beer, and likely with a plethora of IPAs and barrel aged offerings.
     
  2. DLDlulz

    DLDlulz Zealot (614) Feb 15, 2012 Illinois
    Trader

    12oz BA Beers :slight_smile:
    12oz $100 BA Beers ;(
     
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  3. montman

    montman Maven (1,410) Mar 10, 2009 Virginia
    Trader

    I will re-iterate the abundance of options and availability of good beer. If I didn't manage to swing by my favorite local spot this week to grab some fresh cans....no big deal...they will have plenty more next week or the week after. Or I will just go to my second favorite spot instead because they are likely to have something very good also, etc.
     
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  4. Zach423

    Zach423 Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2018 Massachusetts

    Beer gardens becoming more popular. Always nice in the summer especially in the Boston area where more and more keep popping up from quality breweries
     
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  5. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    The only 'caution' I would suggest here is that perhaps this is region specific?

    What you are stating here is consistent with my area of SEPA and I would suggest that for this area the distance is way less than 1 hour to reach a high quality brewery(s).

    Now, based upon my reading of BA threads it seems like other BAs are not as fortunate as we are. For a while I thought that perhaps they just might have very particular palates and extreme expectations but then I went to a beer festival in Central PA and I was unpleasantly surprised at the amount of mediocre beer from those local breweries; I dumped a lot of beer that day. Now in fairness there were some high quality breweries there so it would be unfair to characterize that region as being a 'wasteland'. Maybe the 1 hour drive criteria is more appropriate for Central PA and I am just spoiled that I only have to drive 15-20 minutes to reach many high quality breweries?:thinking_face:

    Cheers!
     
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  6. JBogan

    JBogan Pooh-Bah (1,837) Jul 15, 2007 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Best trend I've noticed is that, (and maybe I'm just imagining this), at least in my area it seems there are less IPAs dominating the shelves and fewer bombers (of all styles) as well. Both are welcome trends if they continue in this direction.
     
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  7. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Based upon my readings and what I see at my local stores the amount of beer (nationwide) in the bomber format is declining.

    I can report that in my area IPAs are as popular as ever and the Juicy/Hazy IPA sub-style is still growing: lots and lots of IPAs on my beer retailers' shelves. For those retailers that are smaller (i.e., lesser amount of shelf space) the result is more space for the IPAs at the expense of other beer styles. For the larger retailers I have not noticed a decline in choice of other beer styles - just more beers to choose from.

    Cheers!
     
  8. IPAExpert69

    IPAExpert69 Savant (1,065) Aug 2, 2017 Pennsylvania

    I'd tend to agree if 98% of them weren't absurdly sweet messes of strawberry.
     
  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Have you had a chance to try some Tired Hands Milkshake IPAs?

    I am not a strong advocate of Milkshake IPAs in general but the versions being produced by Tired Hands are not "messes" for my palate. I enjoy drinking one can of a Tired Hands Milkshake IPA.

    Cheers!
     
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  10. IPAExpert69

    IPAExpert69 Savant (1,065) Aug 2, 2017 Pennsylvania

    Not yet, on my list though. It's just anything heavy with fruit additives takes away from the beer in my opinion. Give me a well made haze bomb over a fruit medley any day of the week!
     
  11. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Let me know what you think when you try them. My personal favorite Tired Hands Milkshake IPA was a Strawberry shake; the strawberry flavor in that beer was subdued and for my palate it nicely complimented the hops used to produce that beer.

    Another popular Tired Hands Milkshake IPA is the vanilla version; again it has been my experience that the amount of vanilla added was subtle and complementary to the hops used.

    Cheers!
     
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  12. Reemer686

    Reemer686 Crusader (451) Oct 13, 2014 Maryland

    The best trend here in Maryland is the increasing availability of solid NEIPA's. Nice to see breweries like Peabody Heights and Hysteria making these beers core releases that can easily be found. No need to wait in line!

    And I know were trying to stay positive here but the Brut IPA trend that came from this year can be fired into the sun lol.
     
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  13. Roguer

    Roguer Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,757) Mar 25, 2013 Connecticut
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    To be fair, the "hour" concept is not intended to be taken as a literal figure. For example: where my sister lives, there are about a dozen breweries within a 20 minute drive (and Funky Buddha and Civil Society with 45 minutes). Are all of those local breweries solid? Absolutely not - but they don't have to be; only one does (but more, of course, is a welcome development).

    And then to have FB so close, and CS - one of the best NE-style IPA brewers in Florida - is simply incredible, in a state not particularly known for its local beer scenes (certainly not like Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, et al).

    Certainly the geography in a state like Texas prohibits such a layout. You're absolutely correct that, to an extent, this is going to be region specific.

    The larger point, however, is not: there is solid quality local beer springing up everywhere, and everyone has much easier access to some fantastic beer - and often in a variety of previously regional-only styles, such as sours and NE IPAs - on a scale by which they previously had to take a very long road trip, or even a plane.

    Cheers, Jack!
     
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  14. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I have family that lives in Texas: previously Austin but now in New Braunfels (20-30 minutes north of San Antonio). I can testify that there are plenty of high quality breweries in what they term Hill Country, TX.
    I do indeed agree with you here. There is no requirement to get on a plane to get high quality beer.

    A couple of months ago I was in the middle of Louisiana and I had quality beers from Gnarley Barley, Great Raft, Urban South,...

    Cheers!
     
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  15. Roadkizzle

    Roadkizzle Initiate (0) Nov 6, 2007 Texas

    There are lots of breweries in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Austin-San Antonio area, and Houston area.

    But outside of those hubs in Texas it's more scarce.

    Most places there's at least a somewhat decent selection.

    BUT I have family living in a small city in West Texas. When I went to visit them about 5-8 years ago or so I was surprised at how good the beer selection was there. There were many available craft breweries from around the country.
    I went to the same stores within the last year or so and it's nothing like it used to be.

    The ONLY options available were Goose Island, Blue Point, Karbach, and another one or two other brands from AB-Inbev. Plus the ubiquitous Shiner.
    So obviously I went with Shiner.
     
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  16. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    The locals were not purchasing the craft beers available to them so they pulled out?

    Cheers!
     
  17. Roadkizzle

    Roadkizzle Initiate (0) Nov 6, 2007 Texas

    The locals want something because they switched to crafty options. But why should the retailers work on requesting each possible craft brewery when the distributor can easily just suggest a package that happens to all come from the same brewery.

    If the locals weren't buying craft beer then they would have just filled the space with more Miller Lite.
     
  18. readyski

    readyski Maven (1,471) Jun 4, 2005 California
    Trader

    What makes you think brewers won't start bastardizing lagers with adjuncts/additives like seemingly every other style (to help cover 'flaws' and make them more approachable to noobs)? :astonished::wink:
    As to OP question, like many others above, I'm loving the increased availability and range of offerings of an endless supply of great beer.
     
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  19. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    They have NEIPAS and Milkshake IPAs to pollute with that crap.
     
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  20. ManBearPat

    ManBearPat Pooh-Bah (1,813) Dec 2, 2014 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    R.I.P. Bombers

    ^^ this is my favorite thing
     
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