Craft beer industry posts double-digit growth, Boulder's Brewers Association reports By Alicia Wallace, Camera Business Writer Posted: 07/29/2013 12:36:10 PM MDT Updated: 07/30/2013 07:28:20 AM MDT Lindsay Kleinsasser enjoys a pint at Oskar Blues' Tasty Weasel Tap Room in Longmont this past March. (Jonathan Castner / Camera file photo) The craft brewing industry is sustaining its torrid growth pace by notching double-digit gains in sales and volume for the first six months of 2013, according to a report released Monday by the Boulder-based Brewers Association. Dollar sales and volume for craft brewers -- defined as "small, independent and traditional" -- were up 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively, through June, according to the nonprofit trade association. During the same period last year, sales and volume were up 14 percent and 12 percent, respectively. If the pace continues, it would be the fourth consecutive year of double-digit sales and volume growth for the industry, which has seen volume sales increase every year since 1969 and dollar sales grow since 1997, officials for the Brewers Association said. "To sustain double-digit growth year after year is not to be taken for granted," said Julia Herz, craft beer program director for the Brewers Association. "But the craft beer revolution is on." The sales growth comes amid a continued swelling of the craft brewing ranks. Through the first half of 2013, there were 2,483 craft breweries in operation in the United States, a more than 20 percent increase from the first half of last year. Additionally, there were 1,605 breweries in planning at the end of June. The brewery boom has been felt locally, with new operations popping up throughout Boulder County. Four weeks in operation, Louisville's Twelve Degree Brewing has been four-and-a-half years in the making. "Craft beer fans like to sample and experiment, so I think the idea of lots of small breweries -- each with its own personality and style -- is a very good thing," Jon Howland, Twelve Degree's founder, said in an e-mail. "I'm a big fan of Belgium's beer culture and that's the situation over there. Almost every little town has its own brewery and, in many cases, more than one. "It's really exciting to see this happen in the U.S." Craft breweries account for 98 percent of U.S. breweries, officials for the association said. "More breweries are currently operating in the U.S. than at any time since the 1870s," Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association, said in a statement. "With each new brewery opening, American craft brewers are reinforcing the (United States') position as the world's most diverse brewing nation." Overall beer sales fell 2 percent through the first six months of the year, according to the Brewers Association report. Leading the craft segment's charges are the continued growth among established brewers within the industry, Herz said. "The majority of new brewers are not at the volume yet," she said. Longmont's Oskar Blues Brewery, the largest brewer in Boulder County, on Monday reported a 38 percent growth in volume for the first half of 2013, outpacing the craft industry by 25 percentage points. Fueling the growth was the opening of a Tasty Weasel Taproom and brewery in Brevard, N.C., said Chad Melis, an Oskar Blues spokesman. Oskar Blues opened the additional brewery to increase capacity and to more easily supply the East Coast. The boom in new craft brewers can help all within the industry, Melis said. "I think there's increased competition, but for us I think we're still a pretty small industry," Melis said. "As more and more people are opening up breweries, we're able to tell our story through other people ... I think it's continuing to draw attention to quality beer."
Maiden Beer?!?!!? sick...... gotta find that. 4.8% is fine for the summer. Sierra Nevada Torpedo has been on sale, so it's been in the fridge, but sometimes I want to drink beer without getting oo fucked up..... that's usually the night cap beer.
Tried these out recently. Rogue Morimoto Soba, pretty good. Rogue Morimoto Imperial Pilsner. $18 for this bottle. Very smooth.
Good. Maybe all these Busch-corpo breweries will get the hint that alot of people are tired of the swill they call beer and will improve their product instead of their commercials.... I know, wishful thinking. btw..... PSA. DO NOT buy that Lukenkiegel (sp?) Summer Shandy. I stopped by the gas station the other day, grabbed 2 on the way home..... it SUCKED. Tastes like someone squeezed lemon juice in a mich Ultra. Didn't even drink the 2nd. All I wanted was to sit on the couch with a beer. i was pissed....
I bet it's tasty, but I can't afford 18 bucks for a pint and a half of beer..... that's like JETS game prices
That's why I had my gf buy it. lol. Pretty new local brew. Good summertime/BBQ/kick back at the beach beer. Crisp. Really enjoy this beer, too bad can't get in Hawai‘i If you like Hoppy beers, look no further Pretty decent local style Porter brewed with Kona Coffee
looks good.... haven't seen the Aloha before. Kona makes some good ones too...... that Koko Brown is TASTY. 2 years, coming back from there (flying standby) my flight got canceled, so I had to sleep at the airport. (Didn't want to ask my buddy's wife to drive down from the North Shore, then back in the morning) I went into the Kona Restaurant for dinner / beer and sat at the bar. The bartender asked me if I wanted a "Big Braddah" size after giving me a sample of the Koko for the 1st time.... I pointed to the bench outside and said "See that wooden bench? Well that's my bed tonight". "Oh Brah, you're probably gonna want a few." "Yes sir...." Never seen that Sierra before either..... hmmm. Their "Ruthless Rye" is awesome.
Damn that sucks brah, but that Kona Brewing spot at the airport is pretty good and actually not all that pricey. Btw they changed the name to
Always heard the Fat tire was good but never had it....... went grocery shopping today and Publix had their beers buy one get one free.. (2, 22oz bottles for 4 bucks!) I got 2 fat tires and 2 others they had. I guess it's new to FL as it has a special "2013 Florida "cruisin into the sunshine state" thing on the label..... stuff's good. I'm going back tomorrow to stock up the other was an IPA, and a 7.8% Ale :drunk: random: when I go to Hawai'i I usually end up drinking better beers than I do at home, simply because of the price. The cheap schwag I'd drink here after surfing to save $ costs as much as the good stuff at FoodLand (and the good stuff is same as FL / mainland prices...unlike everything else in the store??? )
Dude it's right next to two of my favorites, Lagunitas IPA and Harpooooooooooon. Fitz Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
Ha ha, so you want rocket fuel? Try this and see how you fair..... :wink: Strength of this is off the Richter scale On Wiki... ........and Lemmy Although Motorhead now do there own beer too with quite a catchy little name.... Motörhead Bastard Beer
I'm a bartender at a bar in Blacksburg, VA and we usually have 12-13 craft domestic beers on tap at all times (we have 15 taps total, but we keep Yuengling and Lionshead on tap at all times to please your average joe). We have a few staples that hardly ever change (Bells 2 Hearted Ale is on pretty much all the time) but the rest of the taps rotate. A keg usually lasts a few days depending on the beer so we probably average about 45 different craft beers on tap each month. It's pretty fucking awesome. My boss is excellent at selecting the beers and getting the best of the best, as well as those hard to find, rare, craft beers. He always keeps it fresh and tries to get something new each time My favorite beers in tap right now are Breckenridge Regal Imperial Pilsner. I rarely like Pilsners and its hard to find one done correctly. Allagash Bourbon Black Stout Here's our current draft list: On Tap 8/20/13 Breckenridge Regal Pils Bell's Oberon American Wheat Ale Duck Rabbit Brown Ale Allagash Bourbon Black Stout Ommegang Belgian Independence Day Double White Ale Terrapin Oaked Big Hoppy Monster [aged one year] Fox Barrel Blackberry Pear Cider Southern Tier 2XIPA Founders Nitro Oatmeal Stout Rogue XS Dead Guy Ale Sixpoint Mad Scientist #14: Grätzer Smuttynose Gravitation Quad Bell's Two Hearted Ale Yuengling Lionshead Pilsner
Here in NE England we have an up and coming brewery - MORDUE, they are now producing some really fine award winning ales. So if you get the chance try and sample some of these... Mordue Brewery
