Craft Beer History
Brewing craft beer has been a long-held tradition for centuries throughout European history, but breweries slowly crept over to the States as people migrated west. Because of prohibition and other various factors, craft beer breweries have trickled in and out of America over the past few decades, but in recent years the craft beer movement has expanded its reach in America and today’s breweries appear to be here to stay.
Craft Beer Growth and Statistics
A recent analysis provided by BrewersAssociation.org shows a 17.2% growth in national sales of craft beer for 2013. With 2,822 total breweries operating last year there was a reported 15+ million barrels of craft beer produced, that’s a 15% increase from 2012.
Like any great tradition, breweries have expanded and evolved over time. In recent decades, microbrewing has become a huge trend in the beverage industry. Unlike major breweries, microbreweries often produce craft beer on a much smaller scale. They also typically have a higher emphasis on the quality of ingredients they use in production and the overall signature taste and look of their product. Microbrewing has opened the door for “brewpubs” to open shop, which has ultimately created an entirely new avenue for the craft beer industry.
We can attribute in part the growth and expansion of Microbreweries in many regions to the support of local restaurants. Local restaurants help keep microbreweries in production by opting to serve their beverages on their menus. There are several states like California and Oregon, which have been proponents of the craft beer movement for many years. These states are very well known for their abundance of local craft beer breweries, but there are also states like Florida that are experiencing growth and demand. Florida is quickly becoming well known for their string of highly successful microbreweries. Some of the top breweries in Florida include Funky Buddha, Wynwood Brewing, Cigar City Brewing, Due South, and Miami Brewing Co.
Microbreweries Gaining Attention
Microbreweries, such as these, have won over locals by taking pride in their brewing process and using premium ingredients in their craft beer. They also appeal to a large demographic because many of them offer a variety of options. For instance, Wynwood Brewing currently has a porter, blonde ale, and pale ale, along with several special releases listed on their website at wynwoodbrewing.com. While Funky Buddha is offering “funky” creations like their Maple Bacon Coffee Porter and the Floridian Hefeweizen. An unfiltered German style wheat beer with aromas of banana, citrus and cloves. You can view more of their specialty craft beers at funkybuddhabrewery.com
What can we expect from the Craft Beer Movement
In conclusion, the reason the craft beer movement has moved so quickly through the United States and continues to flourish, is that the microbrewing industry caters to the region it is located in and draws from the local support of consumers and restaurants. All successful microbreweries, like any good company in any industry, get to know the local crowd and give the people what they want. We can only expect to see more growth in craft beer sales and new breweries.
If you’d like more information on how to open a brewery, brewpub or integrate local beers on your restaurant menu contact:
TRG Restaurant Consulting
info@trgrestaurantconsulting.com https://trgrestaurantconsulting.com
