Lotte Peplow, American craft beer ambassador in Europe for the Brewers Association, looks at the current brewing landscape in the US as the pandemic subsides (with thanks to Bart Watson, chief economist, at the Brewers Association, for his insights), and highlights an opportunity to sample high-quality American craft beer in the UK this month.
Photograph: Nic Crilly-Hargraves
In America, as of April, multiple data sources suggested that total bar and restaurant sales had returned to their 2019 levels. The US Census Bureau’s advance retail sales estimate for April 2021 was 2% higher than April 2019 and showed average velocity up 4% in the week ending 1st May, versus the comparable week in 2019.
But while sales levels may be returning to where they were, the reality on the ground is very different and suggests that many of the changes brought about by the pandemic, such as delivery and to-go sales, will persist or even shift permanently going forwards. Breweries may see packaged beer remain a more significant percentage of their on-site and on-premises distributed sales mix relative to draught. It’s a little too early to predict at the moment, but may grow larger if data could be captured on bundling food to-go with beer from your local brewery or having it delivered. We might see more retailers invest in to-go programmes and a longer-term move towards packaged sales.
This pattern is replicated in the UK where more routes to market for American craft beer have been created since the pandemic began, such as via online retailers like Beer Hop, Beer Merchants, Beer
Bruvs, and the Cascade Club. It is now easier than ever to purchase fresh American craft beer through e-commerce platforms.
In America, we may also see production differences in keg mix as we’re already seeing a longer term shift from half-barrel kegs towards sixtels (a sixth of a keg of beer, holding 5.1 gallons), and we’re likely to see more changes in the future. Data shows the average number of taps remains lower than it was during the pandemic with a corresponding rise in velocity.
Brewery operations are likely to shift in the coming years, not just because of changes to on-premises visits, but more generally due to the increasing consumer desire to get what one wants, when one wants it, at the click of a phone. There are plenty of potential changes and new opportunities for both brewer and consumer.
Try fresh US brews at London Craft Beer Festival
Meanwhile, in the UK, beer lovers have an opportunity to sample a range of UK-rare, fresh, exceptional American craft beers, flown in by the Brewers Association especially for beer festivals in the UK this summer. Some 27 breweries pouring around 80 different beers, in packaged format, will be available at London Craft Beer Festival. Many beers have never graced these shores before and the festival will be the only place to sample them.
There’s a style and strength to suit the most discerning of palates, from non-alcoholic gold medal winners to 15.7% ABV quadruple oatmeal Russian imperial stouts! Breweries include:
Anderson Valley Brewing Co
Baxter Brewing
Beards Brewery
Belching Beaver Brewery
Bell’s Brewery
Cigar City Brewing
Deschutes Brewery
Fifty Fifty Brewing Co
Firestone Walker Brewing Co
Fremont Brewing
Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co
Heretic Brewing Co
Hoppin’ Frog Brewery
Maui Brewing co
Melvin Brewing
Nebraska Brewing Co
New Holland Brewing Co
Oskar Blues Brewery
Port City Brewing Co
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co
Springdale Beer Co
Stone Brewing Co
The Bold Mariner Brewing Co
The Virginia Brewing Co
Two Roots Brewing Co
Upslope Brewing Co
Warped Wing Brewing Co
American craft beer is also available throughout the UK in bottle shops, independent retailers, supermarkets, pubs, bars, and restaurants. More information at brewersassociation.org
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts.
The BA represents 5,400 US breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers.
The BA organises events including the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience, Homebrew Con, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week.
The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine, and Brewers Publications is the largest publisher of brewing literature in the US.
Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association and the free Brew Guru mobile app.
