Last month, this publication explored the golden age of beer brewing and the devastating effects Prohibition had on the industry and the economy of our nation. In this edition, your favorite Beer of the Month Club is going to give you the low-down on the Craft Beer industry, and how it is positively impacting the industry – and enriching the lives of the thousands of people who lend their support to that growth!
A Chicago-based global supplier of product research studied the craft brew industry and released these numbers:
– Craft beer sales were $5.7 billion in 2007. Moving forward to 2012, the number was $12 billion – more than double!
– The future-cast indicates there’s no slow-down in sight, with projections of growth to $18 billion by 2018, growing three-fold from 2007.
So just who is drinking all that craft beer? The same research company indicates that most “new brew” drinkers are in the 25 to 34 year-old category. Overall, about 36 percent of all American beer consumers drink craft beer, but a whopping one-half of them are in that 25 to 34 year-old age group. Of the younger participants in a recent study, 43 percent reported craft beers deliver superior flavor, compared to just 32 percent of Baby Boomers in the study.
What’s the reaction to Craft Brewing’s surge in popularity by “the other” beer companies? They are showing an intense interest in developing their own small batch beers, tailoring them to specific geographical areas. Modifications in advertising, recipes, packaging, etc. are on the table, and to date, the more aggressive mainstream beer companies have experienced limited success.
