What’s Brewing with Craft Beers

This year, 2011, the craft brewing market now comprises of nearly 2000 breweries and several hundred more formally announced as ‘in planning'.  The craft brewing industry makes up only a small portion of the $100Billion USA beer industry sales, at 7.6% or $7.6Million.  This equates to slightly less than 10Million barrels. I contrast this to America's #1 selling beer, Bud Lite that this one brand alone market over 40Million barrels!  However, the craft beer brewer’s sales by both volume and dollars are growing.  Last year, the craft segment made up the fastest growing group, with sales dollars up 12%.  I note the entire USA beer market was actually down 1%.

The craft beer brewers continue to be innovating, with full-bodied, full tasting brews.  Not one to be complacent, they continue to experiment and market unique beers.  Big brewers are well aware of these trends, which is why they are seeking to carve out their own craft space: MillerCoors with its Tenth and Blake division, which markets brands such as Blue Moon, Leinenkugel’s, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni, Killian’s, Henry Weinhard’s, Grolsch, Tyskie, Lech, Cristal, Cusquena, Aguila, Batch 19, Kasteel Cru, and AC Golden brands.   

Meanwhile, newly created giant Anheuser-Bush/InBev is not one to stand still with ownership in several craft breweries such as Goose Island, Redhook, Widmer, and Kona…. and to name a few more …
Stella Artois, Becks, Hoegaarden, Leffe, Alexander Keith’s, Antarctica, Aqua Fratelli, Vita, Astika Fine Quality Lager, Baisha, BagBier, Bass, Belle-Vue, Boddingtons, Bohemia, Boomerang, Caracu, Castlemaine XXXX, Chernigivske, Diebels, Diekirch Dimix, Dommelsch, Double Deer, Franziskaner, Gilde Ratskeller, Guaraná Antarctica Guaraná Brahma, Haake-Beck, Harbin, Hasserõder, Hertog Jan, Jinling, Jinlongquan
Julius, Jupiler, KK, Klinskoye, Kokanee, La Bécasse, Lakeport Pilsener
Liber , Löwenbräu , Mousel , Murphy's , Oranjeboom , Paceña , Permskoye , Gubernskoye , Piedboeuf , Phoenix
Quilmes Cristal , Red Shilliang , Rifey , Rogan , Safir , Santai, Sedrin , Sibirskaya Korona , Skol , Spaten, , St. Pauli Girl , Sukita , Tolstiak , Vieux Temps , Yali , Yantar
Zizhulin , and Zhujiang.     Honestly, there's more .....

A few fun facts I found from Nielsen Research include

- The average mainstream light or regular (mass produced) beer drinker had 11.8 beers per week, compared with 8.5 for the average mainstream craft beer drinker.

- The craft beer drinkers insists his beers are more interesting and unique

than the regular mass produced beers, as well as fuller flavor, and yes…. more expensive

- The average craft drinker spends $60.16 per bar and restaurant check on food and drinks, compared with $44.18 for the average premium light-beer drinker.

-The average craft beer drinker is 24-35 and is a male with ‘higher education’.

Keep checking back to the Nor’easter Blog, we’re trying to update often.  We’d enjoy hearing your comments as well.  Feel free to follow us on Twitter by clicking on @Nor'easter.  This is updated daily with fun beer facts.

Pouring the Perfect Beer

-Hold the glass at an angle slightly over 45 degrees under the bottle, pouring the beer slowly and allowing it to roll on the bottom of the glass. This provides a nice aeration and lots of head. As the glass fills, pour the beer faster and slowly bring the glass to an upright position.

-Allow the foam/head to slightly 'fall' down the glass and while the foam is cascading over the glass (hopefully you are doing this near a sink) use a head cutter (straight edge) to take the top layer of foam off the glass. This seals the beer.

-Clean the sides of the glass before serving and inspect the head of foam. The perfect pour yields approximately a 'two finger' head.

-Present the beer to your fellow micro craft beer drinkers. NOTE: I like to bring the bottle with me to show the label.

TIP: Be sure the glass is clean. A chilled glass is a bonus!

Have you ever been with a group of folks or to a beer festival and everyone appears to be a beer expert? Well, here’s a few easy tips on tasting beers-

TIP: It is normally best to evaluate more than just one beer at a time, so you can compare.