4 minute read
The Times They Are A-Changing
BY DAVID NUTTALL
rewing lives in a constant state of flux. Evolution, change, expansion, progression, and B yes, even revolution, have always been hallmarks of the industry. However, the last few years have presented more challenges than anyone could have foreseen. Some of this is a result of the global COVID pandemic, but several factors were beginning to reveal themselves long before 2020. For a variety of reasons, breweries of all sizes have had to prove their resilience.
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Last month in Culinaire (Alberta
Brewing Starts Getting Noticed), we touched on how the growing variety of beers demanded by the public has influenced the supply of brewing’s basic ingredients. Still, there is much more happening at your friendly neighbourhood brewery.
Packaging
The first beer bottle to bear some semblance to what we know today appeared in the late 1800s and within 30 years, it had become the standard container for purchase. Even though cans became prevalent in the 1950s, their reputation as an inferior package and the vessel for lower quality beer kept them far behind bottles in popularity, despite their numerous benefits. Cans were also taboo on most restaurant beer lists, so were completely ignored (until 2002) by the first craft brewers who stayed with the 341/355 mL bottle or 650 mL bomber.
However, in recent years, we have seen a complete reversal of this practice in craft breweries, with cans now becoming dominant. Even the can itself is changing; depending on the market, the old 355 mL version is being upsized to the 473 mL variety. While the macro breweries still package more beer in bottles, the craft breweries stick to cans (except for some special bottle editions). Nonetheless, today even the larger producers are swapping out certain brands from bottles to cans. Likewise, the humble growler has taken a hit. During COVID lockdowns, due to cleanliness issues combined with closed restaurants and taprooms, the only way for breweries to survive was to package product for delivery or pickup. This compelled many to handcan their products (enter the crowler) as their growler bars fell silent. Now, breweries use hand canning, mobile canning units, or have purchased canning lines (but not, significantly, bottling lines).
Product Diversification
There was a time when breweries made beer and only beer. No longer. Now, many are transitioning into producing other products such as soda pop, non-alcoholic beer, and what are commonly branded as "hard" drinks; alcoholic seltzers, teas, sodas, and ciders. Sometimes these beverages are made in collaboration with distilleries and other manufacturers, while some breweries even package pre-made cocktails.
Much of this diversification was brought about by COVID restrictions,
which forced breweries to concoct as many products as they could to get through periods with no visiting customers. Now that people have returned to taprooms, they are requesting a variety of beverages apart from beer. It's no secret that the ReadyTo-Drink (RTD) category has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years, cutting into beer’s market share, so it makes sense for breweries to go after that segment.
Breweries have three choices here; make malt-based products, distill their own (which requires an additional license), or collaborate with a distillery. They have the canning facilities, while most distilleries do not. Also, if the product requires flavouring, breweries are adept at sourcing them.
During a seminar on RTDs at the recently held Canadian Brewing Conference, when attendees were asked how many already made RTDs, about 10% said yes. When asked how many planned to pursue producing them, the other 90% put up their hands. Expect more items beyond beer from breweries in the future.
Expansion From Within or Without
When a new brewery opens, it has a plan for what its market penetration should be. Depending on the size of its brewing system, it may intend to be a small and local, or possibly one that supplies a large political jurisdiction, like a province or state. Going for countrywide distribution is impossible for craft breweries in their infancy.
However, a new trend has emerged where breweries of any size may have multiple locations. Karl Strauss, Pizza Port, and Gordon Biersch are all examples of this in the United States. In Alberta, Brewster's started with brewing systems in all their locations, before centralizing their production in Calgary. We have seen Big Rock expand to BC and Ontario, and Wild Rose keep the pilot system at their Currie Barracks site while they constructed a second, larger facility in east Calgary. Blind Enthusiasm of Edmonton recently open another location called the Monolith, specializing in barrel fermented beers.
Just this year, 33 Acres Brewing of Vancouver opened up in Calgary, and will be brewing beers using local ingredients. Existing breweries are adding smaller pilot systems to allow them to brew experimental beers, or just smaller batches of several varieties, in order to keep up with the consumer's relentless expectation for something new and different. Other breweries are growing by adding more or larger equipment to expand production. Brewing is not a onesize-fits-all endeavour, so systems are available in a variety of sizes.
These are only a few of the advancements happening now. As breweries adapt to changing times and legislation, expect to see more developments. Stay tuned.
David has worked in liquor since the late 1980s. He is a freelance writer, beer judge, speaker, and since 2014, has run Brew Ed monthly beer education classes in Calgary. Follow @abfbrewed.
