tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post1251772991877407356..comments2024-03-09T00:31:10.190-05:00Comments on Seen Through a Glass: Massively Increased Beer Choice: Good, Bad, or Ugly?Lew Brysonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-23528326245136480552011-03-26T19:33:14.876-04:002011-03-26T19:33:14.876-04:00To me as a consumer I love choice, variety, new pr...To me as a consumer I love choice, variety, new products, competition but if i was a brewer I would rather have a portfolio of stable products. the beer business has become IMO a fad driven business. To operate in an industry with high capital costs, commodity prices which can fluctuate wildly and ever costilier distribution costs a lot of brewers are headed for trouble. When I go to my distributor, I see beer from all over country and world. i for one would rather sell a lot of beer locally than sell a few cases accross the USA. Sometimes I wonder how a brewer can make it.Just my two cents.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-3526546020550931532011-03-25T12:16:20.450-04:002011-03-25T12:16:20.450-04:00No arguments, Ed...and I think the breweries who a...No arguments, Ed...and I think the breweries who are doing just what you say are the ones who are doing well in the larger market: Sierra Nevada, Boston Beer, New Belgium, Boulevard, Deschutes, Goose Island, Harpoon...<br /><br />If you took the top 20 craft brewers' volume out of the market...what you'd have left, with a few exceptions, would be a wild mix of everything from hand-to-mouth crazyshops to brewers that are on their way up because they have QC buttoned down -- in the brewery, and in the supplier/retailer chain. Gotta do it all if you really want to be a sustained brand. You bet. <br /><br />Throwing your beer across the country without a net can only work for so long.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-63617782678587284292011-03-25T12:03:42.439-04:002011-03-25T12:03:42.439-04:00Here are my thoughts about the shakeout Lew.
Whil...Here are my thoughts about <i>the shakeout</i> Lew.<br /><br />While I believe that beer in general is better today...there are an awful lot of breweries spewing forth a plethora of 'limited release one-off beers' without achieving consistent quality within their lineup of regular offerings. Quality control will be the name of the game for those who wish to thrive...not just survive.<br /><br />In my opinion, the elephant in the room is the lack of code dating on beers from smaller brewers who are hopscotching their expansion across the US. Without fail, many of these beers sit on shelves for weeks, months and even (gasp!) years.<br /><br />The brewers who thrive and expand will be those who recognize the need to:<br /><br />1.) Code their products with a bottling or pull date<br /><br />2.) Have distribution agreements with wholesalers which holds distributors responsible for product freshness both in the warehouse and on retail shelves<br /><br />3.) Have brewery representatives in areas where their beer is sold in order to train, assist and follow-up on wholesaler personnel<br /><br />Only then will the masses achieve the level of faith they currently exhibit with other products they currently consume.Ed H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10324675741764652658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-14172358313182480872011-03-24T14:17:39.438-04:002011-03-24T14:17:39.438-04:00But that begs the question-- do nanos really stay ...<i>But that begs the question-- do nanos really stay nanos?</i><br /><br />Key question. Depends on several things, primary one being: are they any good, and do they know how to run a business? Then there's the question of what kind of beer they make, whether they have any money, and -- a surprisingly big one -- why are they in it in the first place? The nano scenario is still in early stages.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-15951296538764302212011-03-24T14:10:20.080-04:002011-03-24T14:10:20.080-04:00Good point Lew. You really have to seek nanos out...Good point Lew. You really have to seek nanos out, by defintion. But that begs the question-- do nanos really stay nanos? I dont know too many businesses that are going to turn their backs on growth and I've seen many committed "small" breweries (troegs, berwick, north country) expand greatly and continually. <br /><br />Hopefully enough local folks will drink enough local beers and we'll see more representation at the multi-tapsLee Botschanernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-20159904014751949852011-03-24T14:00:23.803-04:002011-03-24T14:00:23.803-04:00Hey thanks Lew! When are we going to see you next...Hey thanks Lew! When are we going to see you next? Perhaps at KBF Sampler upcoming? It is always great to see you when you can stop by the Gazebo. I will be there (the SB gazebo gatherings) at the end of April.<br /><br />GaryGary Gillmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-41601370610900629132011-03-24T13:58:43.250-04:002011-03-24T13:58:43.250-04:00It's going to be harder to find the nanos by d...It's going to be harder to find the nanos by definition, Leeb; they don't produce much, and they also tend to stay close to home. But the ones I've had so far have been <i>good,</i> so I hope we're okay on that.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-7709223199305753152011-03-24T13:57:55.779-04:002011-03-24T13:57:55.779-04:00massive beer choice does not bug me in the least i...massive beer choice does not bug me in the least its your thing do what you want to do, although I cannot be bothered with most of it, I completely undrstand why some people are on a quest for the latest and greatest. For some people its the jounrey for others its the desitnation. I was lost in the desert for far to long and am happy to have found my home (beer wise) that isAl Luccioninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-78112735289369466392011-03-24T13:48:20.412-04:002011-03-24T13:48:20.412-04:00I agree with the New Albanian it's almost a ca...I agree with the New Albanian it's almost a catch-22 where the (intial) cry for local beer has been surpassed by hop bombs and big beers from California, Colorado, Michigan. At least where I live the amount of PA taps (and surrounding states) in a multi-tap is still small compared to the major craft brewers. Lew, I hope you are right about the nano breweries but I have found that the smaller the brewery is (especially within PA) the harder it is to find it on tap. Victory, no problem, east end or roy pitz-- much harer.<br /><br />Gary is right on with the styles, there was even a big porter boom in the mid-late 90's I remember going to a stoudt's beer fest where everyone brought a porter. I think the mainstream-type styles was part of the attempt to appeal to the masses and cash-in. Hence the blondes and ambers that didnt challenge the drinker.Lee Botschanernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-33488346969194657712011-03-24T13:17:34.176-04:002011-03-24T13:17:34.176-04:00"I find myself burning out on the newness and...<i>"I find myself burning out on the newness and seeking out the old familiar."</i><br /><br />I agree with that to about 90%. I'm still interested to look at new beers on the shelves (maybe it's a holdover from when there wasn't much variety in my youth), but <i>new</i> is relative as most of the bottles I see are just variations on two or three themes anymore.<br /><br />I can still remember when discovering a store with Merchant duVin labels was a thrill. Nowadays, I'm happy to see the latest seasonal from Goose Island or Capital when the calendar turns.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10585545034172431563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-55491865240430683022011-03-24T13:09:28.292-04:002011-03-24T13:09:28.292-04:00Folks: the definition of "a good day blogging...Folks: the definition of "a good day blogging." You make a thoughtful post, and Gary Gillman says "I agree fully." That's how you know you're on-target. <br /><br />Cheers, Gary; I do value your checking on me!Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-91882689781448807272011-03-24T12:59:20.451-04:002011-03-24T12:59:20.451-04:00I agree fully, I don't believe an embarrassmen...I agree fully, I don't believe an embarrassment of choice would threaten a flatlining of the craft brewing industry; au contraire. I agree again with the factors you outlined Lew for the stall some 15 years ago. Most craft beer then wasn't nearly as good as it is today, and the choice of styles today is (again) much greater. There were too many indifferent "blondes", "ambers", "darks" then, that is what led to the initial fall-off in sales and new ventures in my opinion.<br /><br />Lots of choice in the single malt field, and the numbers just grow every year. Ditto the American whiskey market. Ditto wine. Tons of wines out there, more than ever, and wine (e.g. in Australia) has outpaced beer in terms of real growth for the last generation.<br /><br />GaryGary Gillmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-56764947599112005542011-03-24T12:27:42.947-04:002011-03-24T12:27:42.947-04:00And you know, Roger, I see more and more love for ...And you know, Roger, I see more and more love for the local beer (while I'm still seeing serious geeklust for beers "from away": no one ever said this was rational...or monolithic) and the brewpub-fresh beer. The burst of nanobreweries seem sure to help that along, assuming the beer's good.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-44923976930120601092011-03-24T12:24:57.786-04:002011-03-24T12:24:57.786-04:00Couldn't agree more, Russ; the mutual funds an...Couldn't agree more, Russ; the mutual funds analogy is ridiculous.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-18769824026509536042011-03-24T12:18:53.549-04:002011-03-24T12:18:53.549-04:00Something keeps nagging at me about this feeling o...Something keeps nagging at me about this feeling of boredom when I see several hundred beers arrayed before me, from all over America and the world, and the first thought I have is: Which one's the freshest?<br /><br />The nagging feeling might be the creeping doubt that growing by shipping further and further from the source rather resembles the problem we once resolved to fight by brewing locally.The New Albanianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10757531658514051905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-2090532560631219632011-03-24T12:03:29.627-04:002011-03-24T12:03:29.627-04:00I'd say the biggest problem with too many choi...I'd say the biggest problem with too many choices is lack of loyalty leading to beer consumers jumping from one brand to the next without really supporting them.<br /><br />However, the market doesn't really hold this up as a number of brewers I talk to always say their flagship beers are what keeps them afloat and the specialties are really just to get their name out or for fun or whatever.<br /><br />I have read before that the crash in the late '90s was mostly caused by lack of quality and the explosion of money being invested in shoddy brewpubs, etc. Similar to the Dot Com boom basically.Rich Isaacshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05356872043234492112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-62286733505728140512011-03-24T11:42:57.847-04:002011-03-24T11:42:57.847-04:00Comparing investing to beer purchasing seems ridic...Comparing investing to beer purchasing seems ridiculous to me. Investing is all about risk tolerance/aversion; when an investor, faced with too many decisions, chooses to stand pat, they receive the benefit of guaranteeing they WON'T lose money. <br /><br />Until Dogfish Head comes up with a beer that can actually consume all other booze in your house (and I wouldn't put it past Sam) there's no such risk when buying a six-pack. As such, the main motivation to stand pat when faced with overwhelming investment choices (i.e. risk aversion) isn't a factor when faced with overwhelming beer choices, and the analogy falls apart.Chibehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00255790557381362058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-40670456467531975652011-03-24T11:33:12.032-04:002011-03-24T11:33:12.032-04:00Agree with Kelly. I find myself burning out on th...Agree with Kelly. I find myself burning out on the newness and seeking out the old familiar. At home I drink pretty much what I did 10 or 15 or 20 years ago and often that which is not available at the thousand-tap in the neighborhood.<br /><br />Speaking of the thousand-taps I find myself seeking the old familiar there. at 6, 7 or 8 bucks a pint (or snifter) I dont need to try the hop bombs that i dont really care for, or the fruit beers. I've been in this game for 20 years and have tried everything. Now I just go local/regional and, like Jack has said, crave "just a beer."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-4175925215030227052011-03-24T11:26:51.226-04:002011-03-24T11:26:51.226-04:00I think the choice paralysis is a truth that can b...I think the choice paralysis is a truth that can be taken too far.<br /><br />I was an intern with a girl who had strict Korean parents. She told me she had a mental breakdown in college because it was the first time in her life where she had to make choices for herself. So the phenomenon is real.<br /><br />I think the solution is to have people to help. I was hired by a liquor store to help people figure out what beer they want. We have wine people who do the same. And from my experience there are people who are stuck in a rut, there are people who are interested but overwhelmed, and there are people who want to try everything, and everything in between.<br /><br />However, let's not overstate the problem. This choice problem is one every segment faces. How many macro beers with different permutations of packaging are there? But it doesn't seem to be a big deal. It may limit growth. But as people learn and grow the number of people it affects gets lower and lower. We get a lot of people who get educated by going to Philly/South Jersey bars.geoffrobinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14949411893531888555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-26197109107113961182011-03-24T11:24:31.015-04:002011-03-24T11:24:31.015-04:00Hell, I can't even keep up. I find myself stic...Hell, I can't even keep up. I find myself sticking to local/regionals mostly, but then, I get to travel, so that gets broad, too. Carpe diem.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-1020181000335753422011-03-24T11:17:04.924-04:002011-03-24T11:17:04.924-04:00Interesting piece. I do find that I'm less ad...Interesting piece. I do find that I'm less adventurous in some ways than I used to be. At a certain point in the dark past I had to try every new craft brew that came into my field of vision. Now I don't think that I could do that unless I had a full time job like yours. I have also noticed that it really is a relatively small number of brewers who are consistently delivering the quality and choice that I crave. Do I need to sample every single Amber, DIPA, Bourbon Stout that comes out? With notable exceptions, I tend to drink the local/regionals in the style I like and round out my drinking with Imported old masters I always liked.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13255038570506731679noreply@blogger.com