2023 will be a tough year for craft breweries?

I suspect that it will be a tough year for craft breweries. Having a product that basically kills your long term customers while pricing the next generations of customers out with expensive beer isn’t a recipe for long term success. Then throw self inflicted wound like Founders’ repeat racism accusations and craft isn’t doing itself any factors.


Premium pricing mattered when beer was actually a premium product compared to competitors, but the difference between the best 1% of beers and the next 25% isn’t the chasm it was 10 years ago. Why pay more for something that isn’t proportionally better than the lower cost alternative?

I’m surprised at how many N/A breweries are popping up. It’s almost like N/A beers are going to be the new coffee shops. Health and wellness concerns, especially as the craft beer generation ages out and has to reduce consumption, is going to be a big detriment to craft growth.

 

NA craft is one solution. The NA technology may get cheaper, more available.

 

No one likes inflation

 

I voted no because I haven't changed my purchasing habits. I have been buying mostly moderately priced craft beer half cases for the last few years, since they tend to satisfy my taste preferences and are available in my area over a significant time period. Most of the more expensive beers I've tried don't seem to be to my taste (I'm looking at you, Pilsner Urquell and most craft lagers). And if I liked an exotic craft brew, it probably wouldn't last long enough in the market for me to be able to buy it again.

 

Gluten free is another possible craft market. I like the idea everybody may be able to taste beer.

 

Founders isn't "craft "

 

I'm a hard yes. As evidenced by some of my latest beer purchases.
4 pack 16 oz cans Miller High Life - $3.99
12 pack Miller High Life - $8.99
6 pack Kona Big Wave - $8.99
6 pack Shiner Trail Ale - $3.99
4 pack Pipeworks Blood of the Unicorn - $5
4 pack Pipeworks Infinite Citra - $5
6 pack Victoria Cerveza - $4
Plus, on Tuesdays, a friend and I go for a walk and then onto a bar and grill that has $2 pints of any of the 22 beers on tap. (Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue, Noon Whistle Gummypocalypse, Three Floyds Gumballhead, Revolution Freedom Lemonade, & Columbus Brewing Bodhi are just a few examples of what they have had on their rotation.)

 

Historically during the craft beer boom 2010-2019 I was really interested in visiting any/all new breweries and buying a wide assortment of singles from retail stores to try to find the next great brewery to emerge. Although the travels was quite entertaining, the money spent on trying beers was kinda a waste looking retrospect. I need to stop buying $15-$20 4 packs from these brewers and spend same/slightly more from the consensus best brewers (and ones I’ve had historically and love). Compliment these premium treats with cost efficient variety 12 packs and occasional AALs. Yeah that’s my new strategy going forward. Less of the middle of the road yet expensive beers.

 

I voted no. I don't drink a ton, so I don't really worry about the price. It helps that I don't really drink many BB stouts or expensive IPAs.

I do think many small breweries will be closing this year or the next, though. I don't think they are getting enough people in the door.

 

Hard to be a regular at any establishment with prices so high. I have also noticed breweries sort of disincentivizing or exploiting sample pours with ridiculous prices. People like reasonably priced samplers...not a good move to push them away. I don't really go out to any local breweries unless it is happy hour or they do 2:1 with an app or something like that. Thank you Craftapped and others.

 

It's no for me, mostly because I've more or less went from daily drinking to weekend/holiday drinking. I remember seeing "drink less, drink better" on this site way back when and I guess this is the next level LOL.

So I'll have a few moderate priced beers that I like but I get mostly local/regional and if Boulevard puts out a great BA beer, I'm there so I get higher end beers at the same budget.

 

I personally cut back on brewery and beer bar trips. Used to order more beers to try and bring home a four/six pack, but I tend to just pick up single cans/bottles from trusted breweries for NBW/NBS, and return to buy more of the winners.

Sticking more with tried and true vs. exploring and hoping it works out. Even then, cutting back a little like probably only getting 1-2 Half Acre Navaja four packs at $19 each, instead of 3-4 at the prior $14-$16 price level.

Bought a 24 pack of Bud Heavy on Memorial Day. It was $0.042 per can ($1 total) plus tax (near $0.10 / can - the Joys of Illinois) after rebate that I already received and spent. This replaced my Summer Moosehead or Old Style 12 pack purchase.

Plan on mixing in more quality economic favorites like Trumer Pils, Pilsner Urquell, Sierra Nevada, Founders and others into the mix when I return to beer buying this Fall. Will look for reasonably fresh craft beers via grocery sales as well.

 

$1 for a 24 pack? How do they even keep those in stock?

 

Best by 9/9/23 (so canned 3/13/23), but likely won't get to all 24 before then because I only drink one at home per day most days. Their sales took a hit in Chicago, but not nearly as much as other places in the country which were actively promoting the rebates via store displays.

I doubt many in Illinois knew about the rebate. I came across a social media post about it. Rebates were good up to $15, less $1, so I received $14.99 (the sale price was $15.99, $2 off), via an electronic mastercard prepaid number good through December. I posted the case in the Post Your Beer Haul Thread to give people a heads up (offer expired May 31). They had a second rebate window earlier in May. Folks could have received two rebates.

AB distributors are the best in terms of pulling out of code beers. I wish they had the Sierra Nevada account (and still had Bell's which shifted to Reyes, since Reyes owns New Belgium's book).

 

If you live near a Wegman's supermarket and you can make your own 6 pack for a flat rate of 12.99 or whatever then thats a great deal. If you live in a state or area like myself where its only liquor stores that sell beer and the make your own 6 packs are priced by bottle and can indvidually and there's no flat rate, it makes me less interested in buying singles from bottle shops. A liquor store is always going to charge you more than a grocery store. Maybe they gave you 10% off on a Mix a 6 but thats nothing compared to Wegmen's charging you a flat rate of 12 bucks or whatever. So I dont really buy singles/Mix a 6 anymore. Cheaper to buy a 4 or 6 pack if I'm restricted to liquor stores only.

 

13.99 is still a better deal than me getting a mix a 6 from my local liquor store and getting a lousy 10% off discount. Still going to be over 20 bucks unless you distinctly look for the cheapest bottles/cans they have.