Craft Beer Segment Grows as Premium Brands Slide-Milwaukee Journal
| Craft Beer Segment Grows as Premium Brands Slide |
 |
| Tuesday, 14 September 2010 07:08 |
The nation's largest brewers are facing some troubling long-term sales trends, but their smaller counterparts-craft brewers-are humming along.
That's according to industry consultant Bump Williams, who spoke Monday to a group of about 50 beer industry wholesalers, retailers and others gathered for a panel discussion at the Harley-Davidson Museum.
"I think the (beer) category is in trouble," Williams said at the event, which kicked off Milwaukee Beer Week, presented by GreatBrewers.com, which is affiliated with New Berlin-based wholesaler Beechwood Sales and Service.
Williams cited continued sales declines in some of the industry's biggest segments, including premium-priced domestic beers, such as Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Lite, and sub-premium brands, such as Busch Light, Keystone Light and Miller High Life.
Williams also said wine and spirits are "picking up steam over beer."
"That's a scary thing," he said.
Craft beers, generally defined as better quality beers made in small batches, accounted for just 4.3 percent of U.S. beer sales volume in 2009, according to the Brewers Association. The craft segment accounted for 6.9 percent of beer dollar sales.
But, while the nation's overall beer sales volume was down 2.7 percent during the first half of 2010, craft beer sales were up 9 percent during that same period, the association says.
Williams said the craft segment's strengths includes seasonal beers; variety packages, such as 12- packs that have three or four different beers from one craft brewer; 750-milliliter bottles, which resemble a wine bottle and emphasizes the pairing of beer with certain foods, and special, limited-batch releases.
The nation's five largest craft brands are Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Samuel Adams' seasonal beers, New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale and Shiner Bock, Williams said.
In Wisconsin, craft beers account for 8 percent of total dollar sales, Williams said.
The top five best-selling craft brewers in Wisconsin are New Glarus Brewing Co., Boston Beer Co. (which makes the Samuel Adams brands), New Belgium Brewing Co., Middleton-based Capital Brewery Co. and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., he said.
Along with Williams, the other panel members were Deb Carey, New Glarus Brewing president; Mike Stevens, president of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Founders Brewing Co.; Bill Tressler, owner of Green Bay-based Hinterland Brewery Restaurant, and Jim McCabe, president of Milwaukee Brewing Co., which operates Milwaukee Ale House brew pub.
Craft beer's appeal includes the story behind the beer, and where it originated, said Tressler.
"People want to know what's in it, and where it came from," he said.
Said McCabe, "There's a face behind craft beer."
Copyright (c) 2010, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |
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UNITING THE BEER COMMUNITY.
Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/13/2010 - 11:11am
With the launch of Beer Groups on GreatBrewers.com, beer enthusiasts can now engage in a community of local beer fans, discuss upcoming events, and be the first to find out about new, seasonal, and limited beer releases. According to Eric McKay, the creator of GreatBrewers.com, "traffic has grown exponentially since our February 2009 relaunch, but the site has lacked a real sense of community to accommodate our visitors. Beer Groups serve to provide that community."
The foundation for Great Brewers is built upon beer passionate wholesalers throughout the country that collectively represent more than 400 breweries and actively service over 50,000 beer retailers in 14 states. Within those states, there's a growing curiosity among consumers regarding what interesting new beers will be arriving, when they will become available, and where they can be purchased. Beer enthusiasts are also eager to learn about local upcoming beer sampling events, beer dinners, product promotions, "Meet the Brewer" events, and even beer industry job openings.
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Eric McKay: Judging the Great American Beer Festival After kicking off the second Milwaukee Beer Week tomorrow, I'll be heading to Denver and will have the distinct honor of joining some of the most distinguished members of the craft beer industry (with some highly discerning palates) as a judge at the Great American Beer Festival.
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