Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/353654
41 Where is craft beer headed? The U.S. contains over 2,800 breweries and is growing steeper by the day. Has America's craft beer movement come to fruition? Will we see an uncontrollable spiral downward with all of those at the bottom asking themselves, "How could we have let this happen?" The geekdom that is this craft beer movement has been in-flux since the late 1980's. At this point in our nation's drinking history the craft beer founders: Boston Beer Co, Sierra Nevada and New Belgium have been brewing beer for over 20 years. The pressure for the 2014 brewer is as strong as ever, perfection is the only outcome. Today each new brand is picked clean like a sterilized mash tun, the drinker examining each facet; taste, aroma, color, mouth feel the same as the noble brewer eyes each angle, weld and spout for a surface to judge. Who are WE to judge these micro brewers, these nano-brewers? Nano brewers are creating 300 gallons of beer per year while our friends at Sierra Nevada Brewing pump out 24 million gallons per year. We are truly at a great divide; the divide between the consumer, thirsty for a well-made beer (no matter where it comes from) and the consumer that has an affinity for a specific brewer. More and more I hear, "Bro, everything that brewer makes is soo good." My reply is, "When did you last pick up a six-pack from them?" Silence. This is inherently the problem with craft drinkers today. They tend to vocalize their support for the young and restless local brewer but I ask, "Where is the follow through? The dedication? The care for one fellow man that we used to see such a short time ago?" Brewers are feeling it too. Making beer in 1995 was a lot different than it is now. Brewers considered to be local (within 200 miles) had it made. There were fewer players and craft drinkers were more loyal, dedicating themselves to a brewery and telling their friends about it. Facebook "likes" were verbal and physical not digital. Owners are feeling it too. Making beer in 1995 they sold to primarily their home markets, New Hampshire sold to Massachusetts and Vermont and Maine. Now these owners are feeling the strain on their saturated local markets and shipping their product to Michigan, Iowa and Florida. Where does the "win at home" mentality lie? Maybe it doesn't any longer. Our economy struggles, total U.S. beer sales are down two percent as of last year. All the extra effort paid off for the seven percent market share craft brewers who posted a twenty percent dollar sale increase to save the day. A win for the local brewer because, guess what? They don't brew in efficient brew houses with hop extracts and computer-driven whirlpool tanks. They brew with 50-year-old bottling lines, used fermenters and tired hands which aren't nearly as productive, efficient or cost saving. As I write this I'm drinking an imported craft ale. What? Is this what's happening in our craft beer culture? Beer brewed in Europe, in small batches and then sold in the United States. New category, right? When we sell our craft ales to Europe it's the same thing! Let's thank Brooklyn, Stone and Lagunitas for sending their craft ales overseas to tap a market begging for change. But are they begging, or are we forcing? Are we shipping our excess volume to other countries because we can't "win at home?" These are questions for another time, when more American brewers show up in Amsterdam asking for space in customers' fridges. We'll just have to wait and see. When is enough, enough? When has the old maple tree in upstate Vermont given all she can to the sap producer? When does this train fall off the tracks, when does our beer run dry? It won't. Craft beer in America is on fire, "Growth of the craft brewing industry in 2013 was 18% by volume and 20% by dollars compared to growth in 2012 of 15% by volume and 17% by dollars." (www.brewersassociation.com) Dollars are up; overall beer volume is down (macro and import included)