Has Craft Beer Jumped the Shark?

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Matt

The arrival of the band Hanson’s “MMMHop” beer next year clearly cannot be viewed as the pinnacle of achievement for Craft Beer. The band has previously launched their own board game and record player so this is just one more marketing ploy for the three brothers who can lay claim to being one-hit wonders.

No matter how (un)successful MMMHop will be the real question is has Craft Beer jumped the shark? The explosive growth we have seen in the Craft Beer industry in the last several years would certainly indicate that a bubble is forming. Additionally the arrival of such marketing gimmicks as the Hanson Brother’s MMMHop lends credence to the view that the craft beer craze has peaked.

I would agree with this except the numbers don’t support this theory. First of all craft beer volume continues to expand. Market share is being stolen from the macro breweries. Second, prices for craft beer continue to rise. If Craft Beer had jumped the shark and had indeed peaked in popularity we would see volumes stabilize and prices flat to declining.

Since the numbers don’t support the concept of Craft Beer jumping the shark, how should the appearance of MMMHop be viewed? The answer is the same way “Booty Beer” and “Sippy Flats” – as marketing gimmicks by beer marketing companies that don’t have their own brewery to make their own beer and lack the ability to even understand the Craft Beer industry.

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Michigan makes it easier to for home brewers to enjoy their beer

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Matt

As a Michigan exile I still keep track of the events in my native land. Usually the news is another scandal, collapse of a business, violence or some combination of the aforementioned events. However on November 10th the Governor and State Legislature actually did something right. They enacted a new law (HB-4061) that regulates sampling at licensed establishments. As part of this legislation home brewing clubs are now allowed to sample and evaluate beer at their meetings. Before this legislation passed, any pub or other licensed establishment was in violation of the law (and risked their liquor license) if they allowed home brewers to sample on premises.

This is a big deal for the lovers of craft beer because many professional craft brewers got their start as home brewers. In many cases, we can thank trained beer judges and other home brewers for pushing the brewers of our favorite beer to reach for more and become a better brewer.

Michigan already has a great craft beer scene. This new law will only help foster the development of new craft breweries – Good Job Michigan!

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Are Contract brewers Good or Bad

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Matt

Contract brewers present a challenge for craft beer lovers. On the one hand they enable craft beers to reach the market that would otherwise never make it beyond the concept stage. Breweries that exclusively use contract brewers are nothing more than marketing companies. Some are big companies that you have heard of (Pabst) while others appear to be small craft brewers but in reality they know nothing about operating a brewery. On the other hand contract brewers do a disservice to those independent small breweries that scrape together the capital and invest in their own equipment. Contract brewers blur the line between the big macro brewers and craft brewers.

While it may seem that true craft brewers and contract brewers have competing interests, contract brewers can serve a useful purpose for true craft brewers. The reason lies in the cost of equipment and the seasonality of the beer business.

While craft beer has less seasonality than macro beers, craft beer still sells more barrels of beer in the summer than in the winter. As a result craft brewers have to either build inventory before the summer surge or invest in capacity that is only needed a few months of the year. The solution? Utilize a contract brewer to absorb the demand above and beyond a baseline level. In this way a craft brewer could fulfill all the demand for their beer while keeping inventory and capital investments to a minimum.

Of course this solution is not without risk. The independent craft brewer must find a contract brewer willing to make their beer to the craft brewer’s specs. While this sounds easy it is surprisingly difficult given the differences in brewing equipment and processes. However with proper specifications and clear contract expectations this issue can be overcome.

*** Want to comment? Send me an e-mail and I will post it. The Spammers are preventing me from opening up the comments. My e-mail is matt(at)craftbeercritic.com****


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Beer Geeks versus Beer Snobs

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Matt

I recently sat down and watched Sam Calaigone’s speech at Google’s
New York offices. While I am still disappointed in Dogfish Head’s decision to withdraw
distribution to Wisconsin, I have to salute his insights and analysis of the
craft beer industry.

 

While Sam made many, many great points in the video, my favorite
was the distinction he drew between a beer geek and a beer snob.  Sam prefers to think of himself as a beer
geek not a snob and I have to agree with him.
Beer snobs hold their noses up at a certain type or brewer of a beer
while beer geeks find every beer intriguing and can find the distinguishing
aspect of any beer.

 

I have said this before but before you speak ill of a beer
consider all the thought and hard work that went into making it.  I think you will find that every beer has a
story that can enhance your overall enjoyment of craft beer.

 

So be a beer geek and learn as much as possible about every beer
you enjoy.

*** Want to comment? Send me an e-mail and I will post it. The Spammers are preventing me from opening up the comments. My e-mail is matt(at)craftbeercritic.com****

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Where have all the comments gone and where are all the posts

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Matt

Today I reluctantly took the necessary step of disabling comments on posts older than 14 days.  I did this not because I wanted to but rather because the spammers were inundating my inbox with bogus posts.

Sorry if this causes any problems but you can still e-mail me at matt (at) craftbeercritic.com

In the meantime get ready for some new posts in the next days or two.

Matt

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The responsibility of a Craft Beer Drinker

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Matt

This weekend I had the opportunity to be around a large group of non-craft beer drinkers. I was not in charge of bringing the beer and the beer at the gathering was a light macro brew. I could have been a beer snob and not had any of the beer or I could have made a big deal about what all my friends were missing but instead I took the conversation in a different direction. I used it as an opportunity to understand why these intelligent and tasteful people would decide to pick a macro brew instead of a craft brew. I was surprised to hear the responses, They ranged from I don’t like the taste of craft beer, to I’m here to socialize and I don’t care what I’m drinking to craft beers are too high in alcohol for me. I was there to socialize and didn’t want to get into dispelling these opinions. So I took the feedback and thought about my friends’ comments on the way home.

In the end I realized that craft beer drinkers have a lot more work to help macro brew drinkers discover there are craft beers out there that suit them to a tee. We cannot rely on our friends liking the same beer we like. Nor can we rely on our friends to haphazardly discover the craft beer they love. We have to help them find their way by asking as their beer guide and mentor. If you love craft beer you know there are so many styles and brewers out there that there is bound to be a beer that a non-craft beer fan would love. It is up to us to help them find it.

So the next time you are out with a non-craft beer drinking friend ask them what they like and what they don’t like in their beer. Is it the malt, the bitterness, the color, the aroma, the adjuncts? Use that information to help them find their next beer.

If we want to see the explosive growth of craft beer continue we must introduce our non-craft beer drinking friends to the world of craft beer.

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Your Local Beer Brewed in St Louis?

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Matt

A couple of months ago Anheuser-Busch bought Goose Island. Now comes word that AB is seeking to trademark area codes in major metro markets in an attempt to replicate the success of 312 – Goose Island’s signature wheat beer. It remains to be seen if they AB will be original enough to create a separate recipe for each area code. Oh who am I kidding this is AB, that would never happen however this may be AB’s attempt to defragment the craft beer market and confront the “drink local” movement by blurring the lines between real craft beer and pseudo craft beers.

Also interesting here is the track record AB has with purchases of smaller brands like Rolling Rock. They closed the Latrobe PA brewery and moved production to Newark NJ. How long will it be before the Chicago Goose Island beer is closed due to “inefficiencies” and production is moved to support these new “local” beers?

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Senate Small Brewers Caucus Formed

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Matt

The clout of Craft Brewers took a big step forward yesterday in the United States Senate with the creation of the Small Brewers Caucus by Senators Max Baucus (D-Montana) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). This caucus will mirror the US House caucus that was created in 2007 and will advance small (craft) brewer interests in the United States Legislative Branch.

While it is great to see this bipartisan support for craft brewers, I am a bit surprised that the Senators from such craft brewing hotbeds as Oregon, California, New York and Vermont not taking a leading role alongside the Senators from Montana and Idaho. Perhaps the Senators from California and New York can be excused since the big breweries have significant operations in those states but Oregon and Vermont? The Senators from those states should be ashamed that companies that do so much to support their state’s economy are not getting the same hustle and support that the craft breweries in Montana and Idaho are receiving.

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Cheers Beer Quotes

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Matt

*A little humor after a long week of politics*

Before the Boston Beer Company made Boston the home of Sam Adams Beer in 1984 it was the home of Cheers. The best sitcom ever centered around beer. It ran from 1982 to 1993. Below are some of my favorite beer related Cheers quotes. Norm is in almost all of them. I wonder why….

Sam: What’ll you have Normie?
Norm: Well, I’m in a gambling mood Sammy. I’ll take a glass of whatever comes out of that tap.
Sam: Looks like beer, Norm.
Norm: Call me Mister Lucky.

Woody: Jack Frost nipping at your toes, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Yeah, now let’s get Joe Beer nipping at my liver.

Sam: What’s new, Normie?
Norm: Terrorists, Sam. They’ve taken over my stomach and they’re demanding beer.

Woody: Pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Alright, but stop me at one. Make that one-thirty.

Woody: What’s going on, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: The question is what’s going *in* Mr. Peterson. A beer please, Woody.

Woody: Would you like a beer, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: No, I’d like a dead cat in a glass.

Norm: A thirsty guy walks into a bar… you finish it

Cliff: Hey, Norm, What’s up?
Norm: My blood-alcohol level.

Sam: You drinking again?
Rebecca: Certainly not. I never stopped.

Old Man: What if I bought this guy a beer?
Norm: Buy me a pitcher and you can kiss me on the lips

Sam: Hey, Norm, can I get you a beer?
Norm: Beer? Isn’t that the amber-colored, carbonated liquid? I’ve heard good things about it.

Coach: What’s new, Norm?
Norm: I need something to hold me over until my second beer.
Coach: How about a first beer?
Norm: That’ll work.

[the bar holds a drawing to decide the night's designated driver]
Carla: And the lucky loser is… Norm Peterson.
Norm: Great, the first time I enter this thing and you can’t pick…
[Norm pulls another slip from the hat]
Norm: Norm Peterson or…
[Norm pulls another slip from the hat]
Norm: Norm Peterson or…
[Norm pulls another slip from the hat]
Norm: Norm Peterson or…
[Norm pulls another slip from the hat]
Norm: Oh, Frasier Crane. At least somebody was honest.
Frasier: I beg your pardon. I wrote “Norm Peterson”.
[Norm looks at the slip again]
Norm: You’re right. I wrote that.

Sam: [regarding Norm's bar tab] You know, Norm, you’ve been coming in here a long time. Look at the first entry, “skinny guy at the end of the bar”.

Norm: Morning, everybody!
Woody: Beer, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Little early in the day isn’t it, Woody?
Woody: Little early for a beer?
Norm: No, for stupid questions.

Woody: How would a beer feel, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Pretty nervous if I was in a room.

Do you have a favorite Cheers quote? Post it in the comments.

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More Motion 414 Musings

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Matt

The Budget Battle in Wisconsin is heating up. Lots of issues are in play but the opposition to Motion 414 is getting more traction. Below are links to more articles from mainstream media that are critical of Motion 414.

• Boot beer brouhaha from budget
• Craft brewers prepare to fight possible brewing changes

Also there is a pro-Motion 414 Facebook page out there called Support 3-Tier Wisconsin. I encourage you to check it out. It appears to be a half-hearted attempt by one of the corporate sponsors of this legislation to make it look like there is grassroots support for this legislation. The comments by other craft beer lovers (assuming they have not been removed) really undermine the effectiveness of this group.

Oh yeah, the other interesting thing about this group is they claim to be based at 456 E Morgan Street, Madison WI 53073. The problem is that that address does not exist. There is a Daniel Morgan Avenue in Madison but it is not in the 53073 zip code. Oops!

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