In case you missed it we added a load of new beers this month – here’s a selection of the best sellers in July
I’m not sure if it’s the belting weather but this has been the biggest seller of the month so far. A brilliant collab between our very own Weird Beard and Port Street Brew house in (Manchester) and Lervig (Norway). Frog is not too heavy on the fruit and the gooseberry is subtle and slightly bitter. Behind that there is a solid classic modern pale ale flavour with a tart tang and a smooth an somewhat creamy finish. Classic summer suppin’. We are down to our last case of this so grab your while you can.
I can’t lie the other beers shifting in rapid fashion in July have also been Weird Beard-tinged. Little Things has made a return and has been a solid favourite while Cardinal and Darkside have been steady Centennial has been lapped up by you. One of our personal beers of the year – super strong and with the front flavours of melting Refreshers it’s great to have it back!
Another newbie filling the boxes has been this untraditional offering from Walthamstow. It’s the only beer they do but it’s sooooo good. So so easy to drink this is a must-try for lager fans and beer fans in general. “Clean and crisp “is an often over used term but this is exactly that. But it has a grassy freshness that really lifts it and marks out out as a brilliant beer for this weather. Again another top notch beer for sinking in the sun.
Last but not least are the Bianca Road range. A really interesting set of beers here and doing well. There’s a definite modern edge to them but they are very understated and hold lots of nods to classic styles. They’re not quite punch-you-in-the-chops out there in terms of tasting notes but seem more than happy to sit there and deliver strong and perfectly balanced styles. One to watch out for.
Cheers for buying beer, listening to our rambles and being awesome in general.
Oli
Founder, Craft Metropolis
Craft Beer has always prided itself on being a fight against mass-produced breweries that have traded quality for quantity. However as craft beer has gained popularity, once independent micro-breweries are growing into international multi-million pound businesses. Brands like BrewDog are now setting their sights on reaching the same heights as the very brewers they once fought against – even though they may not admit it. What’s more is those very same mass-produced multi-national breweries have now clocked on to the craft beer market, and are starting to brew craft beer of their own, or how they market as “craft beer” anyway. So is BrewDog now sacrificing quality to take a seat with the big dogs?
BrewDog started brewing in the UK back when craft beer was seen as a small obscure trend that would at best turn into a quirky niche. They used shock tactics, a ballsy carefree approach and smashed through all expectations, managing not only to become the biggest producers of craft beer in the UK but also managed to bring craft beer into the mainstream. You could argue that they were perhaps what Nirvana was to the Grunge movement, they brought the movement to the masses, whilst being shunned by the movement itself for being too mainstream.
BrewDog remains very popular amongst the general public however writers of craft beer such as, Jack Peat have been highly critical. In the London Economic Jack wrote a pretty damning article about Brew Dog where he criticised the brewery for capitalising the words “craft” and “punk” against the very ethos they represent, citing an incident where they forced to change its name for using the word “punk” in its name as they owned the trademark to the word.
It’s not the first time that BrewDog has made a questionable legal dispute with an article in Beer Today discussing how a small independent craft beer bar by the name of The Wolf fell into conflict with brewery over the use of its brand Lone Wolf. Jack goes on to point out the irony that whilst BrewDog shaped and defined what British craft beer is, it now destroying the very meaning of what “craft” is and is instead joining the multinationals of whom they set up to fight against.
However whilst many craft beer enthusiasts continue to criticise BrewDog, BrewDog themselves continue to maintain a fight against the multi-national breweries that acquire small independent breweries. On their website’s blog they wrote an article about the sale of Camden Town Brewery to AB InBev arguing that this would result in a drastic reduction in the taste and quality of the beer, maintaining a strong stance towards the independence of craft beer which Renegade Brewery applauded.
Despite BrewDog’s impressive growth they remain an independent brewery that is philosophically devoted to craft beer and although their taste may be viewed by some as more generic and now mainstream without them the beer scene in th eUK and the flavour of the beer we love wouldn’t be what it is today. They found a way of selling craft beer to the mass market and everyone copied to some extent. But now as a larger company themselves they need to be more honest as to where they are and where they are going. No more faux-punk. To truly take their brand to the next level it’s not about sales (they will come) but they need to seize the power they have created and remain an important ally against the multi-nationals that have little interest in craft beer other than the lucrative profits it delivers. BrewDog’s ethos will continue to be questioned as they adapt to being a larger brewery that once prided itself on being small, but their commitment to good quality beer will never end.
In this month’s craft beer news roundup we discuss the latest news and trends within the craft beer industry. It appears craft beer is starting to hit the mainstream as supermarkets continue to grow their inventory and range of craft beer. Imported craft beers are starting to make an impact on the British craft beer industry with several breweries launching in the UK. With breweries constantly popping up and demand for craft beer at an all-time high the UK continues to see a growth in the craft beer market.
Supermarkets add to their beer range
Supermarkets are starting to really catch on to the craft beer movement with the beer shelves increasingly being covered with craft beer. ASDA has now added 100 craft beers, to their shelves it has been reported that craft beer will take over 10% of the beer space that is currently being covered by larger beer brands. Asda’s ale and craft beer buyer Hywel Evans stated that “With the craft beer movement gaining speed, we hope these changes will help Asda become a real destination for craft beer drinkers – both those familiar with the products and those just entering the category.” This trend has also caught on to ASDA’s competitors with Co-Op, Waitrose and Tesco all increasing their stockings of craft beers. Tesco and Waitrose have seen booming craft beer sales, with Waitrose reporting sales up 33% year-on-year and Tesco seeing annual growth of 40%.
Imported Craft Beer Continue to hit the UK Market
More international craft beer breweries are setting their sights on the UK market as UK importer, with Morgenrot adding Spanish craft brewery Cerveses La Pirata to their range of craft beer. Commercial director John Critchley stated;’ “After witnessing first-hand consumer feedback to the beers at Craft Beer Rising, we knew instantly that they had a place in this competitive UK craft beer market and we look forward to unleashing them on the rest of the country.”
The trend of UK importers partnering with international breweries can also be found in the United States and Chile, with Californian Stone Brewing and Chilean Rothhammer both launching in the UK. Stone Brewing UK’s importing partner James Clay expressed his delight of their newly found partnership, proclaiming Stone Brewing’s IPAs as modern classics. Stone Brewing executive chairman Greg Coch expressed his excitement about launching in the UK stating that, “craft beer continues to grow in Europe and as the UK has an established craft beer market”. Stone Brewing is importing its beer to the UK via its brewery in Berlin however Rothammer’s import partner Trilogy Beverage Brands has partnered with Petainer to transport its beer from Chile to the UK using PET packaging which allows it transfer alcohol around the world for a fraction of the cost of the more commonly used kegs.
The UK Craft Beer Market Continues to Grow
The British Craft Beer Market is in full swing; new breweries are opening every month in the UK, UK breweries in general are pushing forward with massive expansion plans and larger breweries are retaining their position by launching their own craft beers. A recent article in Business of Drinks, argued that the market for “Great Beer” and “Craft Beer”, is starting to see real growth where dramatic increases in sales are being achieved throughout the UK. And it appears the UK is not unique in this manner with Russia and Brazil particularly witnessing large growth. What’s interesting is that whilst craft beer is continuing to grow in popularity, alcohol consumption continues to decrease which seems to point to the argument that consumers are opting for a quality over quantity approach to alcohol.
Just a very quick blog post to wish all our much appreciated customers a very merry Christmas and a brilliant New Year. 2016 has been a bit of a brute in one way or another – so here’s looking to a rosy and productive and fun 2017.
From a Craft Metropolis point of view we are now into our second year of online trading now and still standing so that’s something – and one in the eye for 2016! Personally I’ve never been so busy, had a head full of ideas and reminders or been so challenged in every way. It’s certainly been a harsh but eye-opening learning experience. What I do know is I love craft beer world and selling craft beer almost as much as trying it and drinking it! If it’s one box of ale for the festive period or a lifetime of amazing beer posted to your door – we want to thank you one and all for helping us through another 12 months of beer related fun. Onwards and upwards into year two but it’s not with dread or worry we step into 2017 it’s with excitement – it has to be.
Thanks again to one and all who have helped, supported and added anything to our passion for better beer.
See you in 2017 beer lovers!
Step 1
We trawl the globe tasting great beer
