Think of all the resulting community benefits when less beer is purchased & consumed...
-less alcohol addiction
-less alcohol drunkenness
-fewer alcohol DWIs
-less liver cirrhosis
-less liver cancer
-less spousal abuse
-less child abuse
-savings on medical costs
-savings on health insurance costs
-savings on medicare/medicaid costs
-less property damage caused by impaired driving
-savings on police productivity
-savings on incarceration costs
-savings on judicial processing costs
-less litter on the streets (cans & bottles)
-fewer days lost from work
-fewer days lost from school
-less chance of date rape
-less chance for youngsters to imitate the parents in drinking
-fewer hangovers
-less vomitting
-greater work productivity
-greater school/academic productivity
-more money saved that can be used for other charitable purposes, like helping to fight hunger
-more time to feel healthier, be more productive, think more clearly, speak to others without the stench of alcoholic breath, & use the money saved for helping mankind.
Bottom-line: Abstaining from alcohol is COOL & the new "green"!
Join the "COOL Revolution"!
AZ
of NY
@
Nov 29, 2008 23:24:21 PM
Salmon River Brewery
Im co-founder, co-brewer of a brand new start up brewery here in McCall, Idaho.
(salmonriverbrewery.com) We are a 7bbl brewery. (14 kegs per batch) Clearly our eyes are wide open with whats happening all around us in the economy. Without all the economic mess we'd be scared. But thats the stuff of life I guess. We'll take a big hit investment and credit wise if this operation cant stabilize. But, were doing this thing (and lovin' it!) and if our timing is off so be it.
I sure wish I could tell you the real life data of a operational mountain town brewery economically! At this point its all projections for us. We plan to open Jan.15th 2009. I can say that the large network of locals are at least verbally super positive about our project. One of our focus's is going to need to be promotions and specials. Were planning a "Recession Session" beer. Super killer deals on beers we have brewed that may not be selling as well that are taking up room in the tanks. Hopefully not ALL the beers! Ha!
Were going to tinker with price pointing our "Udaho Gold" Golden Ale lower than our "bigger" beers as well. This gets sticky however becasue we we still use the same amounts a water a little less propane, relatively less barley and hops. But it will still take the same amount of time to brew. And it still takes up tank space for the same amount of time.
But I think the author and the posters are right. Locally brewed beers are more expensive but not that much more expensive. And people really do covet the local feel and stakeholder kinduv feeling that can be generated at a local micro or pub-brewery. And local beer just like home brew is FRESH. And if good brewing practices are followed FRESH beer is simply way better than pasteurized and further processed beer. And it simply does not get any fresher than just down the street.
In the late 1800's and early 1900's there were 3500 + - brewery's in the United States. Today there are 1500 + - . Sure there are many different realities today. But I see that as room for growth. THINK globally ACT locally! Cheers!
Matt G
of ID
@
Nov 22, 2008 13:04:29 PM
Homebrewing
My wife gave me a brew kit for Christmas last year and I just bottled my 11th batch (aprox 2.25 cases per batch). It is the best hobby ever for me. Everything can be ordered on the net and I just wait for the UPS man to deliver.
I have been a micro brew drinker for years since I can't stand the mass marketed so called beers (flavered water). Now I have the best beers in the world. Family & friends all agree.
Richard E
of CA
@
Nov 21, 2008 09:11:10 AM
Re: Drinking Won't Slow Down
I agree with CT. I think the homebrew/microbrewery trend will continue to grow, despite the poor economy
.
The people who appreciate locally made/artisan beers aren't drinking a 12 pack of Budweiser every night. They prefer quality over quantity. They're not drinking to get drunk, as much as drinking for enjoyment/taste/appreciation.
Increasing interest nationwide in supporting organic farmers, community supported agriculture, yoga, vegetarianism, environmentalism and sustainability proves that people are tired of the status quo. They want to buy quality products and they're willing to spend the extra money for it.
I will continue to support homebrewers and local breweries. Life is too short to drink Budweiser.
Check out http://TedBrews.com for great recipes and info on homebrewing.
Yvonne
of IL
@
Nov 20, 2008 21:55:22 PM
Drinking won't slow down...
An interesting thing happened the last time the economy dipped a little. Business at my neighborhood beer and winemaking supply shop went up. The reason: homebrew can cost as little as ยข25 per bottle (I've made it for less!) and it can be every bit as good as pro-brewed. Just put in a little effort and drink like a Bavarian kaiser!
Furthermore, now that people understand that AB and the like only make beer as a way to make money off of their marketing, and that beer made to taste good, rather than to satisfy a focus group, is preferable they will continue to buy good beer. You will probably see a slowdown in ultra-premium bottles, but people will continue to buy microbrews of the more accessible sort. Instead of choosing the $10 six pack of artisan ale, they will get the $7 sixer of the brewery's mainline product. I think the big brewers will continue to see a decline, but micros are here to stay. If anything there might be a shakeout of the weaker operations, but I think the genre will stay strong.
CT Davis
of CA
@
Nov 19, 2008 23:00:25 PM
Layoffs in the beer biz....
Hah! You think that beer is immune??? Try Scottish & Newcastle laying off 90 people when bought by Heineken, then Heineken laying off more than 50 of their own, and Miller Coors doing huge layoffs, there are so many people who used to have kick ass jobs...almost every beer company is on a hiring freeze which is ridiculous because this is the time of year when people drink the most! They think they are saving money by laying off or not hiring but in reality it is only going to sink the business further into the ground. I can't wait to see how many layoffs are going to occur with the new AB Inbev deal....woo hoo! More qualified people out of a job. Merry Christmas!!!
Casey
of TX
@
Nov 19, 2008 12:49:20 PM
Beer
I drink local beers at home and always ask for local craft beers when I travel. It helps to make life a little more intreesting.
Paul,Guelph,Ontario
Paul
@
Nov 19, 2008 12:13:45 PM
On the other hand, you could do what I do...
I don't drink beer at all. The impact of the economy on beer sales effects me not at all and I don't really care. But, as a point of note, I don't waste my money on higher priced liquor when most of what I drink is mixed. Yes, the taste is better, but if it comes at a cost of twice what I would pay for the cheap stuff, I'll go for the cheap stuff. The taste isn't THAT much better.
Craft beers never interested me, but it goes without saying that if I were a beer drinker, and if craft beer is, by percentage, say half again as much as a cheap beer (or whatever the actual costs out there are between expensive and cheap beers, I really haven't a clue), I'd probably be drinking the cheap stuff.
This reinforces the notion that many of the people who are tightening belts will not buy expensive if cheap is available and will 'do-fer' now.
The writer has a point in that the economy will effect beer sales in some way, but it's less of a prediction than a semi-articulated guess.
Fatesrider
of CA
@
Nov 19, 2008 10:29:10 AM
No point in the article at all
Why don't you interview someone with a view or analysis on the subject matter? What a waste of time!
Knut Albert Solem, Norway
http://knutalbert.wordpress.com
Knut Albert Solem
@
Nov 19, 2008 06:38:03 AM
Complete Ignorant BS
Unless this article is just designed to get people arguing, it's complete and utter BS. Number one, the emerging craft beer enthusiasm is not a "trend", it's a renaissance. Before prohibition there were over 4000 breweries in the US. The big macro brewers saw to it (through lobbying) to destroy any ability for those brewers to reopen after prohibition so they could monopolize the marketplace. People aren't going to "forget" what great beer tastes like and go back to drinking yellow fizz. Don't forget it wasn't long ago you all drank wine out of a jug and had to be convinced that "real" wine came in a bottle with a cork. Now those same people scoff in disgust at any bottle of wine, no matter how high end, coming with a screw cap *gasp!* Number two, In economically tough times people may look for places to cut corners, but people retain an equal desire to feel like they're enjoying the finer things in life, they're just doing it on a more affordable level (looking for VALUE). This article mentions nothing of the thousands of wine and spirits drinkers that have replaced their over priced, low quality mixed drink for (by comparison) a very affordable high end beer. For ten dollars you can sulk in your rot gut liquor, buy a so-so bottle of wine (that you'd rather cook with) or you can buy the best beer in the world. That's called value. The only "trend" is that when the economy bounces back and people start splurging again, people may move back from beer to wine or their favorite cocktail. But I'm sorry, craft beer isn't going anywhere. I'd rather see the big macros go out of business, but they'd probably just cry to the government for a bailout!
AZ of NY @ Nov 29, 2008 23:24:21 PM
Matt G of ID @ Nov 22, 2008 13:04:29 PM
Richard E of CA @ Nov 21, 2008 09:11:10 AM
Yvonne of IL @ Nov 20, 2008 21:55:22 PM
CT Davis of CA @ Nov 19, 2008 23:00:25 PM
Casey of TX @ Nov 19, 2008 12:49:20 PM
Paul @ Nov 19, 2008 12:13:45 PM
Fatesrider of CA @ Nov 19, 2008 10:29:10 AM
Knut Albert Solem @ Nov 19, 2008 06:38:03 AM
of CA @ Nov 18, 2008 23:08:23 PM
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