In October I dug up a list of the best-selling “craft” beers in the country, according to Information Resources Inc. (the details). Now Brew Blog has the Nielsen numbers for the 13 weeks ending Dec. 1.
I thought it would be fun to compare them. The IRI figures are compiled for the Brewers Association, so don’t list brands such as Coors’ Blue Moon and Leinenkugel as “craft.” I inserted Blue Moon in my October list, but left out Leinekugel Sunset Wheat (now included).
Nielsen describes its numbers as “supermarket sales” while supermarkets dominate the IRI sample, although its figures include some drugstores and convenience stores.
Nonetheless pretty similar numbers. You can decide what they mean.
Although the current Samuel Adams seasonal is Winter Lager, the seasonal for most of the Nielsen period was Oktoberfest. I’m guessing the Winter Sampler packs are counted under variety packs. The Blue Moon seasonal would have been its Pumpkin Ale, now replaced by Full Moon Winter Ale, described on the label as an “abbey ale.”
| NIELSEN – LAST 13 WEEKS 1 Samuel Adams seasonal 2 Blue Moon Belgian White 3 Samuel Adams Boston Lager 4 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 5 Samuel Adams Light 6 New Belgium Fat Tire 7 Shiner Bock 8 Samuel Adams variety packs 9 Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen 10 Blue Moon seasonal 11 Red Hook ESB 12 Redhook Ballard Bitter IPA 13 Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat 14 Pyramid Hefeweizen 15 Leinenkugel seasonal 16 Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale 17 Leinenkugel Honey Weiss 18 Leinenkugel 19 Alaskan Amber 20 Deschutes Black Butte Porter |
IRI – FIRST HALF 2007 1 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 2 Samuel Adams Boston Lager 3 Blue Moon White 4 Samuel Adams seasonal 5 New Belgium Fat Tire 6 Samuel Adams Light 7 Shiner Bock 8 Widmer Hefeweizen 9 Samuel Adams variety packs 10 Redhook ESB 11 Pyramid Hefeweizen 12 Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale 13 Redhook IPA 14 Leinekugel Sunset Wheat 15 Alaskan Amber |
Odd numbers here, especially at the very top. How can SN Pale be one in IRI and number 4 in Nielsen?
Remind me, how do sales of imports compare to these? I’d be interested to see where beers from Britain, Belgium, Germany etc slot into this if you only included “craft beers” from those countries (i.e. you exclude the likes of Newcastle Brown Ale, Stella Artois, Beck’s etc).
Stonch, if you get into that, you’ll have people clamoring to remove American beers like Fat Tire and Sam Adams. It always appears obvious to the one doing the removals, but it’s often different from other perspectives. Not saying I don’t approve, or — God help me — that “all beers are good”, but it’s a sticky issue.
Lew is right. Many of the beers that interest us aren’t even a blip at this level. In fact, many don’t even sell in supermarkets.
For instance, when BrewDog arrives in the states next month it will be in maybe four markets and only liquor stores.
For comparison sake, remember that imports have a 21.3% share of dollar sales and craft 6.5%.
In the first half, IRI has Corona Extra at $235 million, with Heineken way behind at $144 million. Others include 6 Guinness $28, 8 Newcastle $25, 9 Becks $22, 13 Stella $18.
By comparison, SNPA was the top craft beer at $27.3 million. Fat Tire is at $13.3 – granted in only half of the country but still less than Wife Beater.
That shows you the power of – and marketing dollars behind – international brands.