The Next Big Thing

I think what you're going to see is a lot of folks moving away from beer. Things like craft sake (which actually exists) and macro distilleries.

If we're going to stick strictly to beer, I don't think "session" beers have been fully explored. It would be cool to see the trend apply science into packing the most perceivable amount of flavor into a lower ABV beer.

On top of that it would be cool to see further creativity into the way beer is fermented. Not necessarily wild fermentation, just bring back old world techniques.

 

Some places are dabbling in the old Northern German and Scandinavian beers. A place by me makes some historic versions of those. A friend in Bend OR asked last night on FB if I had ever had a smoked Gose, which he was having an exampe of at Deschutes.

 

Weizenbocks.


Please Weizenbocks.


yes, Weizenbocks.

 

I know that this was probably unintentional, but I found it amusing anyway.

Also, I don't think anything is going to change soon. Big beers are the thing and will stay that way for a long time. Whether that's wild yeast, barrel-aging, or overly hopped. Expect more weird hybrid styles, particularly hybrid substyles of IPAs.

 

Hoppy Pilsners

 

Next big thing?... I'm still working on all these hoppy IPAs

 

3D beer!

 

I would like to see more breweries venture into several different brew techniques. Forget different recopies, i'd like to see more varieties of brewing. For example, Tactical Nuclear Penguin lol!

 

I'd like to see more rum & tequila barrel brews...

 

There's a lot of room for more craft lagers in general.

 

Barrel aging, new-age hops, "session" beers, wild yeast...there are a lot of fads that seem to ebb and flow like Earth's magnetic field without ever really overtaking or disappearing. I'm not really sure what the next one will be, but it's probably already started.

 

Agreed- those are difficult to get right though.

 

How about black Pilsner. I like to mix stouts in with Pilsner to get a sweet but biting
Black pils.

 

I was going to say Wine Barrel Aging for none wild ales, cause I would consider it less than mainstream. But since you listed that as a current trend I guess I am already dated.

Although much needed, I think we are pretty far from the American Craft community blowing up with light lager styles. Its harder to make a palatable, appeal to the masses Kolsch or Helles Lager, than it is to make a hop bomb IPA or bourbon barrel aged stout.

 

this shit has been going on for like 5 years.

 

If you look at what some of the bigger craft outfits are doing in their reserve or special release series you will probably get a picture of the future. For instance Founders Backstage series is kind of a benchmark which has set the stage for a lot of what we see as popular today. Last year they did an IPL. I have recently had a few IPL's from other breweries and I have a feeling it will become more trendy. I also think Gose will become more popular and more breweries next summer will be releasing that style. Not that Gose isn't already there, but I see it becoming much more popular in the next few years. And like someone said before variants of those styles.

 

I hope you're right when it comes to more gose. Loving what AndersonValley has done with a variation of what was a great, widely available gose (in a can!) Can't get enough of that blood orange

 

I agree that the session style is sort of just breaking ground and has quite a bit of potential. Session IPAs are great, but I would love to see more things like AVB's Blood Orange Gose, for example. Mind blowing, unique beer at barely over 4%.

 

Just noticed your reply when I mentioned the same beer. Amazing brew.