Craft Beer Sales Flatten as Craft Spirits Popularity Grows

Who else remembers Zima? Bartles & Jaymes wine coolers? I do.

 

as long as those dorks don't cause Old Grandad and Old Overholt to go up in price.

that'll be the day.

We don't need as much beer as there is on shelves...hopefully half of them go away and we reset along with prices

 

Hmmm … supply and prices go down at the same time? That doesn’t happen often

 

i dont think supply wouldn't go down it'll just make more shelf space for the OG brewers in my perfect world. SN, Alesmith, Stone, Beachwood etc. Reasonable prices and excellent quality.

 

Ah, you meant half of the individual beers produced, not half of the beer by quantity. Good luck with that. I’m sure they’ll eliminate only the beers you don’t care about and none of the ones you do.

 

Taters gon' tate.

 

Well since I have objectively perfect tastes and preferences I have full faith that the market will correct to reflect my desires

 

And I assume this also applies to other markets—you never see a film, hear a song, read a book, or eat a meal that you don’t completely enjoy? No political candidate you disagree with? That must be wonderful.

 

It's a truly blessed existence

 

It sucks for the folks whose livelihoods depend on breweries staying open. No doubt about that. I don’t want to overlook those folks and just be like “it is, what it is.” At the same time, let’s be real, there’s a lot of garbage on the shelves. If pre-mixed cocktails become more popular than beer it’s not like beer is going to go completely extinct. A bunch of brewers will go out of business and the beer that remains will probably be pretty awesome. I don’t know, I’ve not studied business or economics.

 

Big retailers are very deferential to big drinks companies. Slotting fees here are illegal but I'll be damned if that's true. Greased palms and favoritism is business as usual. Brands change but human business dynamics and behavior does not.

 

Flat sales should not really be a big problem alone. The real concern is the volatility within the craft market. Startups are seemingly everywhere, trying to build their volumes by taking a bite out of the established brewers. There are associated problems arising from the unending development of new varieties, market expansion to remote areas, and packaging costs.

 

I don't agree that the "beer that remains will probably be pretty awesome". IPAs, strong, and flavored brews seem to have taken over the shelves and tap handles. For my taste, many brands that I have preferred have become harder to find, and a few favored beers have disappeared completely.

 

Perish the thought. I mean, these are collectables, who in their right mind would even think of drinking them.

 

Except to my house where it receives a warm welcome.

 

I've yet to find a craft distilled brand that could touch the hem of Evan Williams garment.

 

I remember the girls I bought them for.

 

Please don't give me nightmares.

 

I'm relieved to see my beliefs reinforced.

 

You may be right. I am just kind of assuming that the folks who are into bubblegum IPAs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch stouts might be some of the same folks that are lured away by cocktails and shiny new bourbons. Big assumption on my part, I know.