Beer Trends 2024

Trends don't really follow a 1 year plan...They don't change 1st of Jan and actually not even every year, or, I mean, is it a trend?

You can split them as Global or Local trends, Consumer or Products trends, Industry needs or Consumer needs trends,...it's very much about the dots you connect under your choice of focus lenses. No surprise there are so many difference between trend reports (except for the one copying others reports hmmm...)

I am often asked to put my beer lenses and talk about what I see as patterns. So below I have listed what I see as 10 top directions we could call trends in the beer industry or let's say materialization of trends, or even better: beer industry growing efforts that surfs on larger industry or consumer needs.

1. CLASSIC LAGER

The list is huge and their legacies are massive. Munich Helles, Czech Lager, Schwarzbier, Vienna, Kolsch (ok this one is an Ale in disguise),.... After all craft doesn't need to be a Triple Hazy IPA with hand picked Hibiscus. Craft is a mindset and consumers have noticed that these legacy styles done locally are really enjoyable! Access to plenty of lager dry yeasts, to quality ingredients, equipment and brewing education has certainly been an enabler!

2. EASY CRAFT

Building on the growth of classic lagers, the aspect of sessionability is growing in craft beer as much as wine and spirit. While consumers want to maximize their experience and will look for tasty and stimulating options they also want to stay in control and will favor approachable, accessible options. Might be more relevant at-home for your daily sip than on trade where bang for your bucks might play a bigger role. Session everything will complement classic lagers nicely.

3. ACCESSIBLE SOURS & SMOKEY

The 3rd point is not all that different from the 2nd but I wanted to single out these 2 styles as they certainly have a great opportunity ahead. Consumers crave for experience and love to try new things. Yet they don't need a 12$ blast that they will leave behind frustrated on the table. Being accessible is key. Slightly sour, slightly smokey are your best way to take consumers by the hand into a new world of stimulation's. Even gatorade is about to launch a "Sour" series while Mexican Mezcal (and even Smokey Pina shots from Absolut) are taking the shelves behind the bars.

4. NON ALC & HOP WATER

I mean, if you didn't hear about this one, it's time you follow me. Even if Juice and Soda brands are all adding alcohol to their legacy brands, the beer industry continues to expand the non alc options. Non alc beer never did the job really. Non alc Isotonic Weissbeer did, along with Citrus flavored NA in Spain. But that was 15 years ago in Europe already.

Now there's this wave of big beers still trying to offer "something that is nearly as good as the original at 0.0%" and Craft going for "non alc specialties at 0.5%", and that's a big deal. Non alcoholic IPAs, Stouts, Berliner.... you name it. A world of taste exploration without alcohol. Much more to come in that category, including all the untapped functional ingredients (nootropics, adaptogenics and friends). Note that I like to see Hop Water as a non alc beer when you just think about occasion and purpose! I made my first prototypes 15 years ago and .... well, I as the only one being excited.

Finger crossed everyone understand non alc can be risky and requires different food safety controls than your 13% bourbon barrel aged stout.

5. 19.2oz

The 19.2 USoz (which is 20 Imperial oz) can format is here. It's big and it's in convenient stores for 3$ filled with 8.5%abv beers. Compared to the 18$/4 pack of 16oz Hazy... I think one is growing, the other one is dying.

6. NEXT IPA

There will always be a next IPA. After the Brut IPA, the Sour IPA, the Black IPA, The Juicy IPA, the Oktoberfest IPA, the hop water IPA,... I mean, of course. The West Coast IPA is growing again, the XPA carves a space as an IPA that is not an IPA... So what's next? Could it be Fresh IPA ? More Sustainable IPA ? Botanical IPA ?

7. DESSERT BEER

Look I am still struggling to understand how Pastry Stout became a thing. It's sooo over the top. But look, dessert wines are growing big (Port, Sherry, Tokaji, Sauterne,...), Dirty Soda (think Coke, coconut cream and lime) is more than a Tik Tok Trend, to the point Coffee Mate has now launch a line of Dirty creamers...So yes, maybe the time for dessert, rich, sweet, big beers is now!

8. CZECH EXPERIENCE

Not sure we will see a Czech type pub experience in every town any time soon but it's there. Led by the likes of Cohesion Brewing or Bierstadt, the Czech poor is a very unique experience. You go to these breweries for these draught rituals, the Snyt, the Mliko... because beyond the beer consumers want to live a meaningful (and Instagramable) experience. Ignore the pub quiz Thursday for a sec... what other unique experience do you offer ? Sure we will see many very creative ideas reinventing bar offers! Just look at what coffee hubs are doing!

9. FLAGSHIP

My last 2 highlights are industry centric. Headwinds, inflations, ... the craft beer dream is suddenly realizing that craft beer is a business and if not profitable it's dead. Focussing on a few flagship brands, higher volumes, more efficient, sessionable is key to generate a steady revenue stream. Some call it the "Rent Beer", the one that pays the bills. Hey, it doesn't mean a bad beer in any way but it may not be your next Butterfly Pea Gose.

10. RTD & HARD TEA

You've been waiting for this one I'm sure. Following Hard Seltzers, everyone is changing gears to embrace these 2 hotter-than-hot categories. Is it craft? Does that fit the craft mindset ? Look, there's a ton of free capacity out there and there's a demand so ... why not. It may not be the Craft beer creative dream we have seen in the last 10 years but it's certainly a great opportunity to weather the storm. Have you seen the size of Harpoon brewery made Dunkin Hard Tea and Coffee ?

This is it for my top 10. It's actually quite specific as I said at the beginning. These are not trends in fact but materialization of some trends in the beer industry. If you're interested in the bigger picture, starting with consumer needs don't hesitate to reach out, I can help you see the forest and not just the tree and I can help you design a path for your brand through that forest!