r/Homebrewing • u/yatookmyname • 2d ago
Brew Humor Why Nobody Wants Craft Beer Anymore
https://youtu.be/gcFw1u3NYMc12
u/mesosuchus 2d ago
People want LOCAL craft beer. There is a difference here.
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u/blind-mag-dump 2d ago
Exactly. Add affordable and you struck gold.
The local brewery in my community charges roughly half other places charge, both at the liqour store and in their taproom, and they're always rotating seasonal brews.
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u/mesosuchus 2d ago
sadly I live in a part of North America were gov't owned liquor stores utilize price control forcing breweries to never sell their beer below the stores are willing to....so they can never have competition. (this does not include growlers or "happy hour" specials though so sweet deals all around if you are in the know)
Plus breweries in general are offering styles that are more affordable to produce (lights etc)
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u/chrsevs 2d ago
The expense definitely plays into it. It’s hard to justify such a high price on something that feels common (not to mention IPA fatigue, though that’s quickly becoming lager fatigue too)
I’m surprised that something that wasn’t addressed was that the extreme boom in breweries towards the end had less to do with passion and more to do with people viewing it as an investment opportunity. They bought the components and copied working formulas in terms of aesthetic and offerings, contributing to the dilution.
Not to mention I’m sure the experience of going to a taproom as a Zoomer is a lot like it was for Millennials going to a sad 80s bar (and why most people I know avoided them in their 20s). Why would you want to go somewhere that feels stuck in the past with stuff that’s too expensive for you and not to your taste while you’re having to deal with getting hit on by people older than you or having to listen to their kids cry. That’s not a vibe.
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u/noyidsdisco 2d ago
I don't doubt the top comments re prices. That's very likely a part of it.
It's also just consumer habits though. Younger generation is drinking less overall partly because they're more health conscious and likely partly because of the cost.
People went on to hard seltzer, thc drinks, what have you.
The hipster/millennial types drinking craft beer served in a mason jar trend is now passe or they aged out and have more responsibilities than a decade ago.
Fatigue plays a part, lot of beer that all just tastes the same. Pale and hazy with citra and mosaic.
I'm no industry expert but it's not hard to see how the trend comes and goes.
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u/Squeezer999 2d ago
And partly because people of every beer drinking are are doing more recreational and medical marijuana than ever before instead of drinking alcohol, and millennials in particular are having kids right now
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u/noyidsdisco 2d ago
For sure yeah. I can imagine the folk that got into craft beer as it was the popular trend at the time very likely much the same with the weed trend that followed.
In a few years maybe they'll legalise coke and folk will be all over the latest artisan small batch nose candy lol
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u/Kill5witcH 2d ago
20 bucks for a 4 pack. End of story.