Where’s the beer? When hops and malt play second fiddle

The changing world of craft beer | 2021 was a tough year for American craft brewers – between supply chain blockages, can shortages, competition from ever-new “Beyond Beer” drinks, shrinking retail shelf space, and, oh yes, that little problem of the pandemic. It’s truly a testament to the stick-to-it-ness of the brewers that the craft beer category, following a decline in 2020, accelerated to high single digit growth.

Siebel Institute commemorates its 150-year history

Services and education | As the Siebel Institute celebrates its 150th anniversary, it has much to look back on – right to its beginnings when a German immigrant saw an opportunity to offer services and education to US brewers. Over time, Siebel has grown into a leading institution for brewing education, defying industry consolidation, Prohibition and even its own financial troubles. Transformation and change have been part of its history, but there is one constant, though. As it evolves and progresses, it will always honor its legacy of providing the highest standards in brewing education.

Unprecedented times for brewing materials… plus a pandemic too!

Market overview | As 2022 begins, the brewing materials supply chain continues to face several challenges caused over the past two years, some related to the global pandemic, but several the result of non-pandemic related events. High market prices influenced by supply shocks in the face of strong demand have created a situation where it is hard to predict what to expect next, except we can be certain market volatility will remain well into 2022 and likely beyond. As Managing Partner for RMI Analytics, a market insights and networking platform provider for the brewing industry’s critical brewing materials supply chain, Brent Atthill gives an overview over the current situation.

Spotlight on flavourings

New organics regulation | The market share of organic products in Germany and Europe continues to grow strongly. From 2010 to 2020, sales in Germany grew by 249 % from EUR 6.02 billion to EUR 14.99 billion, according to Statista. The new Organic Regulation by the EU will impose stricter requirements on the composition of flavourings. What does this mean for beverage producers?

Challenges in a brave new craft world: From brewhouse to consumer (Part 2)

Creative approaches | Part 1 of this two-part article series outlined the new strategic challenges faced by breweries in the current craft beer environment to get their products from the mash tun and fermenter to the consumer’s table. While part 1 dealt primarily with conventional, primarily off-premise, and mostly “Three-Tier”-conform channels into the trade, this part 2 focuses more on creative, micro-targeted, or segment-target approaches, including online, to moving beer to market in today’s modern, rapidly changing alcoholic beverage environment.

The new business of business is … politics

Digital platforms | In today’s climate, political issues – from public health to energy supplies and road planning – have become hotly contested. Stakeholder groups are dragging business leaders into debates that have little to do with their commerce. Breweries too have entered into the fray, willingly lending their names to causes by brewing special beers and making donations. But this year’s events have shown how easily Twitter and Instagram can be turned into public pillories, destroying reputations and skewering business plans in their wake.

Challenges in a brave new craft world: From brewhouse to consumer (Part 1)

A rocky road | American craft beer had to face some serious challenges in the past ten years: the corona pandemic; the rise of alternative beverages; a shopping spree by Big Brewers; and a shift in consumer behaviour. Part 1 of this new two-part article series on the challenges in a brave new craft world deals primarily with conventional, mainly off-premise, and mostly “Three-Tier”-conform channels into the trade. The second part will focus on some of the more creative strategies breweries employ in their many struggles to do well in the modern and rapidly shifting alcoholic beverage retail environment. It will be published in BRAUWELT International 1 2022.

The future of on-premise: Perils, but many possibilities

A phoenix from the ashes | On a road trip this June along the East Coast of the United States, it seemed that COVID-19 was but a distant memory. At each stop, restaurants and bars were filled to capacity. Reservations were mandatory, and even then, having to wait to be seated was common. Seemingly overnight, OpenTable®, Resy, and other digital reservation apps became essential travel accessories. Apparently, things are starting to look up for the hospitality sector.

Beyond coronavirus: the future of supply chains

Troubles and changes | From bottle and can shortages to shipping delays and soaring commodity costs, the pandemic has strained brewers’ global supply chains. Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and a toughening of European legislation, brewers will need their ingenuity to adapt their supply chains in favour of greater localism.

The Australian beer market

Taxation and Japanese brewers | With a population of about 25 million [1], Australia is one of the least populated major beer markets. While it is far from the top of global beer consumption league tables, the country has emerged as a leading producer and consumer of beers in the Asia Pacific region. BRAUWELT International presents an overview of the Australian beer market and major players operating in the country.