This is only my opinion based on what I read from friends, this site, and market research. The beer industry is going through a huge change. Miller Lite and Bud Light have been losing customers ever since craft beer has come out. Craft beers have been on the rise in the last few years and the local scene is the cool way to go. This is great news for the smaller breweries. Another segment is growing too. Home brewing is back on the rise! Home brewing was a big part of life prior to the 1920's! Every man loves DIY projects, DIY beer is the same thing. Most of my friends I have told about home brewing, have admitted they have wanted to start home brewing too, they just didn't know how or where to get started. To keep this short, I think that every decent sized town in America by 2025 will have a brewery, (close to every one of them at least). Also home brewing will continue to sky rocket with the help of YouTube to learn how to.
I know where my beer usually goes- in my mouth. I know what you mean though, it seems within the last couple of years there has been a great increase in the number of new breweries.
thanks for the first part of the comment haha, yes I love where the industry is going! It is very exciting!
The interaction of home brewing and craft brewers growth will be interesting. One of the biggest reasons people quote for home brewing is to save money. I am not sure that those adopters will stick with it. It takes a lot of time and is hard to save real money. However if craft prices keep rising at the rate they are it will certainly give incentive to make it yourself. The interesting part will be when craft stops growing as fast. 20% increases are hard to maintain. A reckoning is coming (not sure when). When it gets here it will be interesting to see how craft brewers react. Will pricing crash? Will we see even more gimmicky beers? A lot of consolidation? How cut throat will it get?
The home brewing industry will still grow, I know a lot of home brewers who don't do it to save money but for the joy of the hobby! yes after you made a few brews the ingredients pay off the equipment. But creating your own brew to your liking can end up being the best brew you have ever had!
Local breweries making one off batches every few weeks and only sold at their pubs is wave of future. Craft drinkers crave variety and local profits are usually from the pints and growler fills on site. To lure the finicky craft crowd back time and time again you need to keep pumping out new crazy stuff, while going into some repeating the highly rated attempts. 2nd time around will bring bigger crowds due to the buzz created from the first run.
I love my locals just like anyone else, but its surprising to me how well they are doing with average to slightly above average products. For example: There's a place in town charging $28 per bomber for a BB beer. I hope I'm not alone on this, but I have a hard time spending $20 plus on anything not named Cantillon, Bourbon County, or Firestone Walker
I agree beermebro, the prices don't need to be gouged like that. I don't mind paying a few bucks more for a sixer, but $20? It better be damn good!
"In mah belleh," at least according to the "overweight son born of wedlock" from the Austin Powers series of films
The consumer is getting more educated. I work in the liquor industry here in Canada and both the wine and spirit industry have been going through a premiumization phase and now it's beers turn. It's no longer just about getting drunk. As prices increases people want more value for their hard earned money. Everyone will still have their go-to funnel and hose beer, but will also like to experiment more which opens the door for the little guy to get into the business. The big guys paid no attention in the beginning but what has happened is that these "craft" guys have gotten really good at what they do therefore making the big guys take note because even a .5% decrease in sale is major when you start talking about billions of dollars. The beer culture is changing, which I personally think is a good thing because it makes everyone bring their "A" game which can only be good for us beer drinkers.
