It looked like the high-alcohol beer was about to disappear. Drinkers focused more on session beers designed to be consumed en masse without causing serious intoxication. Others focused on reconstructing old recipes or creating the most unique flavor combinations possible. It seems that the “big buzz” beer is not yet gone and may be making a comeback at a nearby liquor store. Even the big boys are springing into action now, and it has nothing to do with “winter warmers.”
It’s a mixed bag
It has been an interesting year for beer sales around the world. Although the market has grown more than 2%, the demand has not increased. Growth appears to come from developing countries eventually entering the market, rather than renewed interest within already developed countries. For big brewers, this is a problem, especially for Bud, who has seen a long and slow decline in popularity (much to the joy of craft beer lovers). Not that anyone wants to see the “King” fail, but it’s nice to know that craft beer has had such a huge impact on people’s drinking choices.
Bud has actually lost significant ground recently, dropping 9% in terms of retail sales in 2012 alone, and that doesn’t factor in the cumulative losses the brewery has experienced over the last decade or so. However, things could be turning for Bud as they follow the lead of the craft brewers and try to turn the tables.
The company’s most successful beers to date include the relatively new Platinum line, which is its ultra-premium beer. Now, they’ll add another premium option to the list: Black Crown has been given the green light and should be in the hands of beer drinkers in 2013. Black Crown is a definite take-off of vista craft beer, where high-alcohol beer is brewed. . they have been around for a long time.
Now, don’t think this is going to be an ultra-high octane brew. Bud can’t have the guts for that. Rather, it will be around 6% ABV, in contrast to the 5% ABV offered by regular Budweiser. It will offer a few other distinctions as well – the beech wood’s aging and a different finish will set it apart from the watery fare the brewery is best known for. That said, Bud isn’t the only one who sees higher ABV as key to improving sales and it remains to be seen if this will be enough to rekindle interest in brewery offerings.
Brewmeister Brewery begins Armageddon
Brewmeister Brewery outside of Scotland (a country that has a history of extreme beers anyway), has announced the debut of the strongest beer in the world. The company’s new Armageddon beer stands out above the competition in terms of alcohol content – it’s 65% alcohol. Brewed with “freeze fermentation,” which leaves the strongest alcohol content behind, the beer will sell for around $ 52 per bottle (yes, per bottle). Sales to the US are only available through the company’s website, so you won’t be able to pick up a bottle locally, no matter how wide the selection is at your preferred supplier.
Brewmeister isn’t the first Scottish brewery to create a beer that will get you 0-drunk in a split second. BrewDog made international headlines with their super strong beer served on a dead animal (stoats and squirrels). Called the “end of story,” this beer helped fuel an ultra-strong brewing trend around the world, and Brewmeister could do the same.
Sam Adams dethroned still packs a big punch
Of course, we can’t forget the king of all craft breweries in the US – Sam Adams regularly puts out a super strong beer called Utopia (actually a variety of beers, released every two years). This year marks the beer’s 10th anniversary, and Sam Adams has released his selection a year earlier than normal to mark the occasion.
At 29% alcohol, it lags far behind Armageddon in terms of alcohol content, but costs considerably more per bottle. That doesn’t mean it won’t be an incredibly popular thought (and the fact that it’s available in the US is a definite bonus). If you want one of these limited edition beers, you will have to act very fast (and be extremely lucky). Sam Adams is only releasing fewer than 15,000 bottles, each of which has a suggested retail price of $ 190.
New Belgium is in the act
New Belgium’s Lips of Faith beer offerings have been praised across the country, and will also come out with a new high-octane blend in late 2012. Working with Brewery Vivant (of Michigan), the two options are Biere de Garde and Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout. The former is available at 9% alcohol and the stout weighs 10%, both of which are pretty high (though nothing in the range of Utopias or Armageddon).
Why the new focus on high octane beers?
With session beers gaining so much popularity lately, it is understandable that the reasoning behind the new strong beers is a bit murky. Actually, it is likely to be part of a trend that will be seen in the world of brewing for some time to come. As session beers predominate, those looking for something stronger will gravitate towards options like those listed above. As they get tired of high alcohol beers, the popularity of session beers will increase once again.
One thing beer lovers can really look forward to today is that both the high-alcohol and low-alcohol varieties will be widely available from a wide range of breweries, including large breweries and craft brewers. Variety is what the beer world really needs – a break from the big beer-controlled world of yesteryear, and that’s exactly what is happening.
Whether you prefer world-ending strong beers, ultra reserve offerings, or something that packs a decent punch with lots of flavor and character, there are more options than you might think.
Poto Cervesia,
Dustin Canestorp
