The Off Topic Topic

[derspiess]

Speaking of the craft brew trend, we hit a milestone in the US a couple months ago when combined craft beer sales surpassed Budweiser sales.  Craft beer is approaching an 11% market share, something I never would have dreamed of 15-20 years ago.

[lustindarkness]

I like beer, that is all.

[Capetan Mihali]

Speaking of the craft brew trend, we hit a milestone in the US a couple months ago when combined craft beer sales surpassed Budweiser sales.  Craft beer is approaching an 11% market share, something I never would have dreamed of 15-20 years ago.

I went to a real dive bar last weekend mostly populated by real hard-drinking middle-aged lesbians (this is Western Mass. aka "the Happy Valley," mind).  The interesting thing was not only that they had about an even split between microbrew and regular beer on tap, but that they priced all of them the same -- so $4.00 for Bud Light or $4.00 for Harpoon IPA.  That was new to me. 

(Of course, there was a cheaper option -- getting cans of sub-Budweiser beer for <$4 -- that was more popular than the drafts among the patrons needing something to back up the double well vodkas and whatnot.)

[derspiess]

I've seen some spots that charge the same for macro and some micro, but higher gravity brews pretty much always carry premium pricing.

What shocked me recently is when the wife wanted us to go to this new place called "The Punch Bowl" where you go with a few other people and order a bowl of punch at the bar that is mixed for you on the spot and share that bowl.  Very girly concept bar & I was praying that they had beer in some form.  Turned out they had 12 beers on tap, all craft, and all local. 

[Capetan Mihali]

I like them, but I'm not very good at assessing microbrews.  I feel like every time I go into a bar with a big selection, I end up choosing something kind of at random.  Well, actually I look for a pilsner and get it if its there; if not, then I eliminate the other lagers, eliminate the "weird" ones (flavored, mainly), eliminate the high ABV ones, and then pick from the big grouping of "__ ale" that remains. 

I guess my strategy is just to go by style; pilsner first (Kölsch sometimes, too); then I like the pale ales that are more "English-style" or have "bitter" in the name; if I feel a little weak or the weather is doing something, I'll go for a (regular/low ABV) stout or porter; after that it's more of a crap shoot, which is where I'd like to get a little sharper.  I think I've had some disappointments with "amber ale" and "blonde ale" and would avoid those...

[crazy canuck]

My favourite micro brewery is a ferry ride away and their production is small so it is hard to get at a store.  I have tried a lot of others but nothing really comes close to it.  So I suffer as I wait for them to brew their next batch.

[mongers]

My favourite brewery is 450 yards across the river from here.

[crazy canuck]

My favourite brewery is 450 yards across the river from here.

how strong is the current?

[lustindarkness]

My favourite brewery is 450 yards across the river from here.

how strong is the current?

I'm sure it is worse on the way back.

[mongers]

My favourite brewery is 450 yards across the river from here.

how strong is the current?

There are several bridges.

[crazy canuck]

My favourite brewery is 450 yards across the river from here.

how strong is the current?

There are several bridges.

Much less adventurous.

[derspiess]

I like them, but I'm not very good at assessing microbrews.  I feel like every time I go into a bar with a big selection, I end up choosing something kind of at random.  Well, actually I look for a pilsner and get it if its there; if not, then I eliminate the other lagers, eliminate the "weird" ones (flavored, mainly), eliminate the high ABV ones, and then pick from the big grouping of "__ ale" that remains. 

I guess my strategy is just to go by style; pilsner first (Kölsch sometimes, too); then I like the pale ales that are more "English-style" or have "bitter" in the name; if I feel a little weak or the weather is doing something, I'll go for a (regular/low ABV) stout or porter; after that it's more of a crap shoot, which is where I'd like to get a little sharper.  I think I've had some disappointments with "amber ale" and "blonde ale" and would avoid those...

For an unfamiliar place I either ask the bartender what is good or just order a flight and decide for myself.  And most places around here are great about giving you a free sample to help you decide.

Back in the day amber ale was my favorite and I still go that route if I want something that's well-balanced between malty and hoppy.  Blonde ales usually don't do a whole lot for me unless they do something interesting with the hop blend.

[derspiess]

My favourite brewery is 450 yards across the river from here.

Mine is 4,226 miles from here

But I do have seven really good breweries (with an additional two next month) within a 2 mile radius of here.

[Capetan Mihali]

My great-uncle was a salesman for Piels Beer.

[Barrister]

I think the fact Canadians prefer to drink cheap American beer over their cheap domestic alternatives signals that they should stop pretending to be a country and just join us already. 

That was a sad part of the map.   Maybe Labatt and Molson just split the market too much?  I'd think those together, plus other bad Canadian beer like Kokanee would easily overwhelm Bud.  Actually, I'd wage just putting Labatt Blue and Molson Canadian together would beat Bud.  (That's excluding the real gems of cheap Canadian beer, my two favorites: Labatt 50 and Molson Export. )

It's a function that both Labatt's and Molsons both sold out to foreign ownership.

Labatt's is now owned by Anheiser-Busch InBev.  While Labatt's Blue used to be their flagship beer, they haven't promoted it in years and years, instead preferring to promote Budweiser.  Blue used to be my favourite mass-market beer, and I suppose it still is.  But it's never promoted, and more importantly never discounted.

Now I can't find any exact statistics, but I might have thought Molson Canadian might be Canada's most popular beer (though I understand it's a non-factor in Quebec, quich might explain things).  It's owned by MolsonCoors, which also sold out to foreign ownership.

I believe the next most popular beers are Bud Light and Coors Light.

So in short, our major domestic breweries are all owned by foreign interests, and they generally prefer to market their international brands.

We do have some very good mid-seized breweries (Big Rock, Sleemans), and some fine microbrews that are domestically owned, but the mass-market stuff is all international.