2017 The Year in Beer

Per the Brewers Association (whose job it is to promote independent craft brewers) there are now over 6,000 breweries in the U.S. That's 700 more than a year ago and double what we had just four years ago. Supposedly 83% of drinking age adults live within ten miles of a craft brewery. If you live in places like Portland, San Diego, or even Grand Rapids that number might be dozens.

There are over two dozen breweries in Sonoma County now. It seems the biggest growth is now in tap rooms featuring lots of craft beers. Santa Rosa, in the middle of Sonoma County, has a dozen or so breweries. A couple years ago one publication actually named Sonoma County as the beer capital of America for a combination of proximity to breweries and the quality of the beers.
            

The line for the annual release of Pliny the Younger triple IPA
at Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa

                  
Besides those numbers what's happening with beer styles? Sours, brett beers, imperial stouts with additives like chocolate, coffee, cinnamon and peanut butter have increased in production. Gose (best described as a lemon sour) and lambic (funky sour) styles are catching on. A lot of this is about brewer experimentation and consumers seem to be quite willing to give them a try.

Many spokespersons for craft beer still cry about Big Beer, mostly InBev (Budweiser), buying independent breweries. It's no secret Big Beer sales are taking a hit because of craft beer so it makes perfect business sense. What doesn't set well is you'll never see the owner on the label and you never know what influence Big Beer will have on the formerly independents.

Some of the fear is not unfounded. Often corporations plan on expansion. Will the same hops in the quantities needed still be available? Will breweries like Lagunitas and Ballast Point still be making the same beer? Budweiser actually brews some of the beers from Goose Island and Elysian at Bud plants using Bud equipment and staff.

So what's up for 2018? More buyouts? Probably though that seems to have slowed a bit from a couple years ago. Of more interest is possible style changes -- a possible change back to lighter beers. Session IPAs have had mild success. Maybe more Pilsner styles or hoppy pales (which kind of blur the line between pale ale and IPAs). More lager style beers. Luckily for all of us there are lots of different beers so there is something for everyone.