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
release was a Pilsner which was especially well received, and is now becoming one of our core year round beers.” Redhook also recently changed their bottle design to make it stand out more; an increasingly necessary tactic as shelves fill with more and more SKUs. Victory Brewing, an up-and- comer Pennsylvania (Downingtown) regional with a national reputation, saw the need to similarly shake things up. Like Redhook, they didn’t feel they had to go huge or crazy to do it. “All of our brands are growing, including the established ones,” said co-founder and president Bill Covaleski, “but we have strategically decided to invigorate our brand line- up with Headwaters Pale Ale.” it’s no secret that our fastest grow- ing items are Torpedo and our Seasonal program. People who have been drinking crafts for awhile really want to explore new flavors. They have much more sophisticated pallets and a vora- cious appetite to try bold new things.” Harpoon is seeing growth across the board, the company says, in local as well as outer markets. Headwaters is a drinkable pale that comes with the green halo of a brewery partnership with local water conservancy programs in each market. “It’s a buyer’s market out there,” Covaleski explained, “with con- sumers and retailers being given every reason — there are more new products entering everyday — to rotate and buy something new. There is no reason (other than packaging costs and marketing) for an established brewer not to ‘chum the waters.’” Matt Brewing of Utica, New York, is an established brewer; they’ve been around since 1888, although they’ve become a regional power in craft beer with their Saranac brand. Saranac Pale Ale, said Fred Matt, is the “horse” that pulls everything, but “seasonals are booming.” Matt throws plenty on the waters: they have winter and summer variety 12-packs with twelve different beers each. “Seasonals and variety packs are 46% of the [craft] business on the East Coast,” Matt stated. “If you’re not in that, you’re missing the market.” While New Belgium Brewing, of Fort Collins, Colo., isn’t quite as old as Matt, they’re celebrating 20 years in business this year. Their flagship Fat Tire keeps rolling on, but they added an IPA to their portfolio for the first time, and it’s exploded. “I can tell you Ranger IPA showed great growth for us,” said the brewery’s Bryan Simpson, “as it was the fastest-growing new craft brand of the year for the category and the second best- selling overall IPA.” Sierra Nevada is riding the same kind of success with their Torpedo Extra IPA. “We’ve seen strong growth across the portfolio,” said Whitney, “including some strong trends on our flagship Pale Ale. However, New Belgium Brewing’s flagship brand, Fat Tire, keeps upping its sales, while the company’s newer Ranger India Pale Ale has seen strong growth. Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • May/June 2011 • 47 “The adventurous nature of the consumer in this market is remark- able,” Deschutes’ Fish agreed. “Last year it was the super hoppy IPA’s, this year sour beers seem to be all the rage. What it will be next year, who can know, but the con- sumer is in charge now and that is something very new for the beer industry.” As many are putting it: the favorite beer flavor right now…is new. Hip Hop S ome brewers are completely comfortable with that idea; they’ve been doing new things ever since they started…and never stopped. If you guessed “Dogfish Head,” pour yourself a beer. Not only is the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, DE) packaging and distributing 34 different beers this year, founder — and omnipresent public face — Sam Calagione affirmed that they’re all equally loved. “We believe in celebrating the whole breadth of our portfolio,” he explained. “We put no more money and resources behind 60 Minute, our best selling beer, than