Is this the Extreme Era?

Welcome, Rip Van Winkle!

The space is a lot more crowded these days. They have to try to differentiate to compete and win market share.

Plus, as I saw described in a recent interview with the head of Hop Union, the evolution of the established players in the industry and the industry as a whole is just like the evolution a home brewer goes through. At first they want to play it safe and make sure they don't screw up, but once they've got it down, they want to start exploring and trying new things and experimenting.

Plus, there's an echo chamber effect. As all these brewers try all these new things, they all riff off of each other because it's fun and it's what they like doing.

So I would imagine those three drivers explain a lot of what we're seeing these days. It's busting wide open. Bring on the gruit and bust it even wider open.

 

Funny you mention: the first commercial Bourbon barrel-aged beer was brewed in 2003. So...blame Goose Island?

 

Goose Island, yes, but you are off by nearly a decade. It was first brewed in 1994, so the whole idea has been brewing for a while. Actually, by 2003 or so I was surprised that the concept was being thought of as being consistent and predictable enough to become a regular bottled product. I have a buddy who was doing that sort of thing in Seattle in the late 90s, but it was a seasonal draught-only specialty at the time. The whole idea may have come of age in the last decade, but there was a lot of groundwork being laid in the previous one.

 

You're right. As soon as I posted that I thought "err, mid-90's." I believe it was for the 1000th batch at the Clyborn pub...I think? Mind you, I was in the 4th grade at the time so I was drinking heavily.

 

Is this the extreme era? My answer to that question would be is there any question that it isn't.

Seems like they're willing to put anything in a Bourbon barrel and people will flock to buy it.

 

It really depends on what you mean. Yes, there are more extreme beers than ever before, but there are also more beers than ever before, period. (Okay, in recent history at least, maybe there were more pre-Prohibition). It makes perfect sense that many of those would be "extreme", in that they try to distance themselves from the others.

Most breweries still make "normal" beer, many breweries that try to push the envelope make most of their money on "normal" stuff (DFH comes to mind), and now we're even seeing people market "normal" beers as though they're extreme ("session IPAs" may be a stupid name, but a hoppy pale ale is a reasonably normal beer).

 

I think this is the era of discovery for Extreme Beer. Meaning, people are still figuring out what works and what doesn't, learning how to use barrels and crazy ingredients properly, and generally experimenting as much as possible.

10 years from now, there is not going to be a lot left to try with beer that hasn't already been attempted.

 

There is no doubt in my mind that overall we are in an extreme era.

In the latest issues of Ale Street New (10/11 2012), Tony Forder had some interesting things to say in the From The Editor column:

“Look at Sierra Nevada – for years they consistently piled the market with half a dozen solid brands, a new style from them was major news. That all changed about three years ago with a steady diet of seasonal, experimental and collaborative beers. Same with Sam Adams – they recently took the blinders off their brewery giving them individual license to create recipes for limited release beers.”

This past year was the 25th anniversary for Stoudt’s Brewery. To celebrate this big even they brewed a beer called Amber 25:

“To celebrate Stoudt’s 25th Anniversary we created this special Amber ale using a rendition of our original Amber recipe, and fermented it with our kolsch yeast. This light bodied refreshing brew uses a small amount of caramel malt to give it a nice amber color, and a hint of sweetness. Lower hopping rates and a smooth dry finish make this the perfect session beer to help you celebrate 25 years of wonderful Stoudt’s beers!

Style: Amber Ale

4.8% ABV”

I was impressed that Stoudt’s didn’t jump on the extreme beer band wagon but instead just made a ‘regular’ beer that was extremely enjoyable to drink. Sometimes less is more!

Needless to say but the Stoudt’s Amber 25 is the minority beer with so many extreme beers being produced these days.

Cheers!

 

This is the era of variety.

 

There are what, 2000 breweries in the US right now with another 1000 set to open? These breweries need to do something to stand out, and if means brewing with bat poop or something then so be it.

 

Extreme variety.

 

Actually 1992, wanna know how I know? Its because I've never had a BCBS. The helplessness of not being able to get this beer makes me feel like when I was a virgin, am I ever gonna get some?

 

Unless you look at the 19th century in England, where there were many strong and sour beers.

Then there are the homebrewers that go beyond the experimenting stage and get focused on making better beer. Throwing more into the kettle does not always make it better.

 

You know the best way to stay a virgin? Walk around saying "am I ever gonna get some?"...

 

All you gotta do is be willing to part with a few Benjamins, bro.

 

Depends on your viewpoint. I would have to say that yes, there are more extreme beers being released, beers with high ABV, beers with heavy hopping, beers with unusual ingredients, etc

On the other hand, I'm guessing that among craft breweries, IPAs and APAs still sell way more by volume than extreme beers.

 

This is the golden era of beer my friend. Its never been this good, this diverse, this available, or this ubiquitous. Live it up.