The year is coming to an end and while many will be looking back at the past year, I love to look forward. Considering everything that has happened in the past few years, I’ve come up with my list of Craft Beer Predictions 2019.
It’s a short list of what I think will happen in the craft beer world over the next 12 months. While predicting the future isn’t easy, it is fun to attempt to guess what fun changes will occur in the craft beer world.
But first, make sure you check out my Craft Beer Predictions from 2018. As you’ll see, I was really close with a few and others . . . well, let’s just say I’m not a mind reader.
After reading up on the past, let’s jump into what I think will happen in 2019.
Craft Beer Predictions 2019
The Brut IPA Isn’t The Next New England IPA
We’ve loved the progression and wide adoption of the New England IPA over the past few years. It is a style that has captured the attention of beer lovers and has proven that it is here to stay. And now many are wondering what the next hottest trend will be.
Could it be the Brut IPA? This latest iteration of the IPA is quite trendy at the moment and is getting a lot of niche attention. This IPA is the opposite of the juicy, hazy IPAs as it is very dry like a Brut Champagne.
I don’t think the Brut IPA has the ability to gain enough popularity to be the next big thing in craft beer.
But I could be wrong as this style has captured the attention of large brewers already. For example, New Belgium is distributing a Brut IPA. This may push it further than I’m expecting. But I think most of us will continue to seek out New England IPAs far more often than its ultra dry counterpart..
Sweet Beers Continue To Change Craft Beer
Craft beer fans love the continual evolution of what beer is and can be. Years ago, just adding fruit to a wheat beer was considered extreme and non-traditional.
Today, brewers are pushing the limits even further to evolve craft beer. Giving the customers what they want has produced beer that is continually sweeter and sweeter.
And while I could focus on the Pastry Stout trend, it isn’t just these beers that are overly sweet. New England IPAs are often designed to focus on the sweet fruit flavors of beer while minimizing the bitterness. And we can’t ignore that both the Berliner Weisee and Gose are rarely made without large amounts of fruit added to them – providing a sweet and tart profile.
There’s no denying that this is what customers are demanding and breweries will continue to make beers that satisfy our sweet tooth. However, the question remains if 2019 will be the years when customers feel it has gone too far and transition back to more balanced beers or if we will continue to demand more sweetness than ever before.
The Big Guys Push Back
There are a handful of craft breweries that paved the way for the thousands of breweries we have today. These are companies like Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Stone Brewing. They put in the hard work when craft beer wasn’t popular and getting a bar to give you a single tap handle was considered a victory.
As craft beer grew, many of us have forgotten about these brands and rarely drink their beer. Beer is a competitive industry and many of these breweries have struggled to complete against local and regional brands. There are countless stories about weak sales and reductions in their workforce.
2019 will be the year that many of them make moves to recapture the attention of craft beer fans. This will be done by strengthening their position on shelves at retailers and possibly even working to drive more lower cost beer options into the market. Volume and aggressive pricing are two areas when smaller breweries can’t compete.
In addition, they will also seek to be more active with new beer styles. We’ve already experienced some of this as many of them have now offer a New England IPA. But they were late to the game with this style. In the future, they will be much faster on developing new styles and getting them to the market so they can be part of the evolution of craft rather than reacting to it.
Cincinnati Craft Beer In 2019
I can’t end this article before peeking into the crystal ball to see what my local craft beer scene will experience in 2019. And I predict another great year but there will be some changes along the way.
Yes, we will have more breweries open but we’ve come to expect that. And we are probably even at risk of seeing a closure or two (even though I hope that doesn’t happen).
I think the real story will be how Cincinnati breweries will fight to engage consumers. The reality is they are all fighting for a similar group of customers. Taprooms will continue their endless pursuit of hosting events as many nights a week as possible. From trivia to food pairings, they know that more people show up when there is something to do while drinking a few pints.
Furthermore, packaged beer sales will be a point of focus. More and more breweries are canning their beer which means more options for consumers. This is great as long as every brewery is able to sell enough to justify the cost of canning. With large brands taking up most of the retailer’s shelves, the local brands will be fighting hard to maintain the shelf space.
And taproom releases aren’t selling out as fast as in the past. This is a concern as the breweries count on quick turn around to recapture their investment and fund the next project. For those still doing special releases, I foresee changes in how they promote releases as well as the frequency of their releases. The breweries that can market well, create hype, and control the number of releases will be the most successful in moving their product.
Final Thoughts On 2019
Coming up with my Craft Beer Predictions 2019 list isn’t easy. Since I do not work in the industry, it is easy to misinterpret many aspects of what is happening or the motives of the business owners.
It also forces me to realize not everything in the industry is good. For example, I see no indication that 2019 will be any better for inclusion. The craft beer world hasn’t found a way to expand outside their current demographics.
In terms of growth, 2019 should be a year that shows more growth but at a much slower rate. While this may appear to be bad, I believe that it is much healthier for the industry if growth slows to a more manageable pace.
I’m optimistic about 2019 and can’t wait to see what amazing beers we get to try as well as the experiences tied them. Because beer is more than just something we drink, it is something we experience together. Cheers to 2019!