The pseudonym "Philo Vaihinger" has been abandoned. All posts have been and are written by me, Joseph Auclair.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

The decline of mass market beer

Budweiser vs craft beers

America has more than 4,000 craft breweries. 

Most American adults — 235 million of them — live within ten miles of a local brewery. 

And more than 40 percent of Americans 21 to 27 have never tasted Budweiser. 

They prefer craft beers (a craft brewer ships no more than 6 million barrels a year; Budweiser shipped 16 million in 2013, down from 50 million in 1988), which perhaps explains Budweiser’s current weirdly truculent commercials, such as this: 

“Proudly a macro beer. It’s not brewed to be fussed over. . . . It’s brewed for drinking, not dissecting. . . . Beer brewed the hard way. Let them sip their pumpkin peach ale.” 

And this: “Not small. Not sipped. Not soft. Not a fruit cup. Not imported.” 

Not cheerful. 

Last year, craft brewers, which are increasing at a rate of almost two a day, won 12.8 percent of the $105.9 billion beer market. 

And 2015 was the sixth consecutive year, and the twelfth time in 15 years, in which beer’s portion of the nation’s alcohol revenue declined as more Americans drink cocktails like the characters on Mad Men.

There are four reasons to drink mass market beer.

One is that there is no such thing as a craft light beer.

The second is that mass market beers are much cheaper.

The third is that craft brewers nearly unanimously and steadfastly refuse to put their beers in cans.

The fourth is the drastic overuse of hops in craft beers.

Budweiser, by the way, does not make the best or best selling light beer.

Miller does.

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