Next mainstream style

haha True that. I was at my beer store today and saw some new Red Stag whiskey in flavors. Maybe the new style is going to be the same beer but in different "flavored" or "spiced" variations. Like Bud Spice or Cherry Moon. That would be horrible. But we have seen it in some brews like the whole bud light lime thing.

 

I'm going all Nostradamus on your asses and predicting the "South Pacific Pilsner". The SPP will sweep the beer geek community off their feet and leave the masses in the wake wondering what they've been missing out on. Wait for it!!

 

I've had a couple and it was hit or miss...

 

It's pretty apparent that the "american bitter/session ale" has become quite popular (maybe not Ding! approved) but still.

What I find funny though is that these are basically just pale ales with a bit more of a sturdy hoping and everyone is all excited about it because of it's "cool/new" name...myself included. Dying to try All Day IPA and Daytime.

 

Dark will what will come to light as beer drinkers discover that there are other choices.It is always surprising to what extent people drink dark beers at local festivals.

 

"New at Applebee's, Jack Daniels-aged Budweiser Select!"

It would 100% totally sell. Not even kidding. The brand alone would drive it.

 

I lol'd when I saw all those labels come through at the same time. Gotta love how marketing money can turn 1 beer into 5!

 

i hope everyday for a surge in German or english styles, dont care which one. any of them.

 

I think there is a chance super sweet stouts like Southern Tier Creme Brule make major inroads with drinkers that don't normally drink craft. A couple female friends of mine loooove it.

 

But it's a start. And besides, if the first step up from BMC are Shock Top & Blue Moon, then the next step up from Shock Top & Blue Moon should be something better and more "craft" oriented.

 

I'd have to say that neither of these statements represent truth to me.

 

I was just thinking that—if there were some more primo examples like that, I'd be so, so happy.

 

I'm going to go with some previous posters and say that craft lagers, in general (but especially darker lagers, maibocks, kellerbiers, stuff like that—fuller-tasting and -feeling lagers without the heaviness of a lot of bocks and whatnot) and also porters. This guy nailed it:

 

This gets my vote too. Saisons would generally be accepted by the masses easily as they are similar to some of the current gateway craft beers. It would allow an alternative to IPA's on the tap handles for people who aren't fond of hoppy beer. I still think we are some time before a complex style or some of the darker styles become as popular.

 

Do you not see all the people who crave Bourbon county variants and KH? It's the vast majority unfortunately. Also, you know that AB bought GI and expanded BC production over 5x while raising prices? Why would they do these things if they don't see the profit opportunity? As a public company, they're legally obligated to...

 

I am seeing more and more saisons. Pretty easy drinking style wit tons of flavor.

 

Because ramping up BC production will be an exercise primarily in R&D, and the real profits will come from the Jack Daniels Bourbon Barrel aged amber lagers that they'll sell to the other 94% of U.S. beer drinkers? In other words: Bourbon Barrel Aged stouts are the true gateway beers

 

Don't know what it will be - probably some kind of spiced beer, but I am hoping for more, better, fresher craft lagers and also unique, drinkable, flavorful pale ales (not more SN pale ale knockoff's).

 

A part of me wants to say saisons because there seems to be a resurgence of that style over recent years. However, it can be a very confusing style to people who are just getting into craft because it has such wide interpretation. Something like Hennepin and Fantome Saison are both considered top examples of the style, yet they're very different from each other. So while some saisons catch on quick with non beer geeks (ex. Jack D'or here in Boston), other great saisons are so polarizing that they can turn off newbies from the style if that's the first saison they have.