Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/30945
Top-selling craft beer Samuel Adams Boston Lager remains the company’s main focus, but it is continually producing a wide variety of different brews, including this new Samuel Adams Utopias, a barrel-aged beer that is 27% ABV and bottled in numbered, ceramic, kettle- shaped decanters. “It’s almost like there’s a new kind of music and every- body suddenly wants to listen to it.” Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has been playing for years, of course, but the Top 40 hit leader of craft beer is indis- putably Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Jim Koch, who’s been selling it for over 25 years now, said the flagship’s sailing strong. “We are growing in every segment of our busi- ness,” he affirmed, but noted that “Boston Lager is always our first priority. It brings more drinkers into the craft beer category than any other beer on the market, and it’s still my favorite beer.” It’s been a great time for the established craft breweries, markets that continue to grow for Deschutes. “We are very proud that our ‘home town’ cus- tomers continue to respond positively to the good things we are doing.” “We’re seeing organic growth in several mar- kets where we have been for many years,” agreed Bob Sullivan, VP of sales and market- ing/CMO at Boulevard Brewing, “including our hometown of Kansas City, the entire state of Missouri, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul region. We’re also seeing increased sales in some of our emerging markets including Dallas/Ft. Worth and the Austin areas.” (Like other Midwestern breweries, Boulevard’s solid success often gets overlooked by folks on the coast, but they may be getting to a break-out point.) The lesson? Local — whether from your town, or your state — is a strong hook again for craft, and growing stronger, especially for the new entrants to the category. Don’t take your local brewer for granted; there are lots of cus- tomers who want it because it’s local and familiar. Adult Alternatives A Sierra Nevada has seen strong growth in its flagship Pale Ale, as well as in its newer Torpedo Extra IPA and its seasonals. as they see growth in almost all segments and markets. “Our IPA, seasonals, mix-packs, Cider, and our 100 Barrel Series beers have all experienced significant growth in the last year, and they are growing in all of our markets,” said Rich Doyle, CEO and co-founder of the “other brewery” in Boston, Harpoon. “The outer mar- kets are doing well for us, especially Florida and Maryland — both are ahead of goal.” One side-effect of the discovery of craft by new cus- tomers is that brewers are finding that they can grow substantially in their home markets. “The biggest part of our growth the past 12 months has been in our core markets of Oregon and Washington,” said Deschutes Brewery president and founder Gary Fish. He noted that the Bend, OR-based brewery makes 40-45% of their sales in Oregon and another 25% in Washington, nother long-established brand, Redhook, is seeing that same kind of home mar- ket growth; brand manager Robert Rentsch noted that “The most exciting growth is right in our breweries’ backyards, particularly in Washington State, our largest market.” Yet Rentsch also pointed out that Redhook is seeing oppor- tunity in changing things up. “Seasonals have been doing great for us,” he said, a trend that applies across the market. “Our 2010 summer One of the older craft beers, Redhook has redesigned its bottle. Here’s a look at the pack- aging history of Redhook’s ESB. 46 • Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • May/June 2011