There is no denying that 2021 was an interesting year that followed an even more interesting 2020. It has had massive and above all, devastating effects on the craft beer industry. Although, far fewer breweries have ended up closing than initially predicted.
But we are happy to announce that it hasn’t all been bad news in the brewing industry. Many breweries have adapted and transitioned to new ways of doing business. They have increased their outdoor space and changed how their brews are consumed.
From the low and non-alcoholic beers to the smoothie beers, the industry is used to changing and chasing trends. With about 9,000 breweries in just the US, it's nearly impossible to keep up!
This is true unless you’re committed to continually tasting an unending number of flavors and styles. Luckily, the brewery industry is very much committed to growing, changing, and bringing new flavors and types of beer to your tastebuds.
Here are a few popular beer trends that are likely to remain more popular than ever this year.
Beer drinkers are now asking for lower alcohol or non-alcoholic beers. Whether this choice is driven by people who are wanting to maintain an active or athletic lifestyle, or those who think that it is a healthier choice, we can definitely expect to see more breweries making these brews.
Gluten-free beers are becoming more common as well. Breweries have experimented a lot with this in the past. But now they have been able to figure out how to make low and no-alcohol beer that actually tastes like beer. Better yet, it tastes really good!
Removing alcohol from beer has very much been seen as a way of stripping beer of its best asset- flavor. While other non-alcoholic brands may have failed to make a non-alcoholic beer that tastes like beer, there is now a huge range of non-alcoholic beer offerings that have raised the bar.
Now, there is even a huge range of flavors such as fruited sours, coconut stouts and hazy IPAs. The flavor of these beers is able to rival the alcohol-filled cans. Plus, the beer is now able to be fully brewed and fermented like normal before the alcohol is removed.
While the market for this type of beer was small, more breweries are now beginning to offer this option. It is certainly expected to increase in popularity over the next few years as we provoke a healthier society.
The rise of the seltzers has been no joke. In fact, sweet and fruity hard seltzers continue to rise in popularity. While this isn’t technically beer, many breweries are now making their own unique versions of seltzer to stay competitive in the market.
Previous trends show that there is always at least one sweeter alternative alcoholic beverage that is trendy. However, it is expected that seltzer will continue to sit on this throne for a long time to come.
Now, we get to take a look at a very popular creation that is rising up the ranks, fruity beer smoothies and beer ice cream! There is a huge chance that you live by at least one brewery that is making a fruity beer smoothie, push pop, sundae or other similarly named beer style. These beers are usually packed full of delicious, sweet adjuncts such as:
The wide array of flavors and colors in fruity beer smoothies and ice creams have quickly become popular in the beer world. Some breweries are even building their brand on the trending style.
The tides have changed in terms of craft lagers. While lager is one of the most brewed and consumed beer styles on the planet, it has a reputation for being considered boring by some craft lovers. So, hearing the words craft lager in the same sentence was a tad taboo - until now! Craft lagers are swiftly rising from the ashes and boasting in popularity in breweries everywhere.
There used to be a notion that Russian imperial stouts and barrel-aged stouts had to be relegated to colder months. Nowadays, this is no longer the case. Plenty of breweries around America are now releasing barrel-aged stouts year-round.
Better yet, they are packed with flavors thanks to a syrupy, thicker, stout base that evolves as it pulls flavors from the rum or bourbon barrels. Adjuncts such as vanilla beans, coconut and coffee are also added for full flavor. Barrel-aged stout is one of the beer trends that is expected to remain popular for a long time.
At The 5th Ingredient, we are passionate about craft beer and helping breweries. In our mission to help brewers brew more and brew better beer, we developed Beer30. Beer30 is all-in-one brewery management software designed for brewers, by brewers. Learn more about Beer30 or schedule a demo today!
