When the craft brewing revolution began in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, the very notion of a full flavored beer brewed without adjuncts such as rice and corn was enough to create a noteworthy product that the initial consumers would seek out. I’m not saying that the initial craft breweries coasted on this alone and didn’t have to work hard to grow their organizations, but I am saying that new craft breweries cannot take the same approach. Craft beer is no longer a novelty.
The same can be said for the big or extreme beers. Once standard craft beer became more common place, these beers became the novelty, the outstanding, the exceptional. However, in the last few years more and more extreme beers have become available to the consumer. What once seemed extreme may now seem pedestrian.
New start up breweries cannot rely on the formula used by the craft brewing pioneers or the extreme breweries that came after them. So what will the next formula for success be? It will likely be something very different. Equinox Brewing is taking the beer education approach. A friend of mine is exploring the idea of brewing exclusively for golf courses. What are some other experimental brewery models? Which experimental model will be the next to take off?
Beer as a center for community seems to be a pretty strong focus I see a some breweries taking. Here in Fort Collins, New Belgium puts on several large events throughout the summer. Many of the events are only tangentially related to their beer/brewing. All of the events however, focus on developing a community of people who are interested in brewery and the society of people who form around it. Odell brewing has a similar outreach, though on a smaller scale. They recently expanded their tasting room and regularly host local musicians and other events.
Given the huge number of options for any beer consumer, breweries need something more powerful than a gimmick to gain and hold customers. No fancy new brew, extreme factor, or advertisement is as effective as a bunch of great memories of friends and good times associated with the smell and taste of a beer from your favorite brewery.
“A friend of mine is exploring the idea of brewing exclusively for golf courses.”
Not a bad idea, but this makes me wonder: why hasn’t a big brewing company come out with “a beer for the golf course”? For instance: Corona is what EVERYONE drinks on cruise ships and the beach. Not because it tastes better in those locations, but because it’s been marketed that way. The golf course just seems like a niche that hasn’t been filled. Golf cart ladies should be toting around 6-packs of “Mulligan” or “Bogey Makers.”