Administrative note: No aggregation of links here the next two weeks, with more blackouts likely to follow as summer travel begins. My intentions are good when it comes to contributing to The Session #146 Friday. Not quite a promise. Speaking of travel, there is packing to do, so briefly . . .
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“We’re all getting kind of fatigued by the headlines like, ‘Is Craft Beer Done?’ And I can’t say for sure, for everyone. I can say definitively, for a good number, that it’s far from that. There’s still some optimism and growth.”
— Neil Fisher, Weldwerks Brewing
From Finding Growth and Taking Risks in 2025 and Beyond
I pulled that quote because the story most repeated by news outlets was the release of the annual craft brewing industry production report. Production was down four percent. Five hundred and one breweries closed and 434 opened, so there were fewer breweries operating at the end of 2024 than the beginning. But there were 9,680 making beer as 2025 began. More have already opened, although more have also closed.
MORE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Trump’s Return to Power Has Been Bad for the Beer Business. Because why should beer be any different. A quarterly beer business report card from VinePair.
From Bluesky
Two taprooms in heavily-touristed areas, beer production for draught and small-pack around the country. A distillery. And it's still "cash-flow insolvent". What does it take to make money at independent brewing these days? www.irishtimes.com/business/202…
— The Beer Nut (@thebeernut.bsky.social) April 17, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Gearing down. It has been 31 years since Brian Dunn and his ex-wife, Tara, founded Great Divide Brewing. Earlier this month, Wilding Brands acquired Great Divide. “We could keep doing this for another ten or twenty years if we needed to. I had reached a point where I didn’t want to do it another ten or twenty years,” Dunn says. More entrepreneurs who started breweries in the 1980s and ’90s are reaching a certain age. They will have decisions to make.
CONTENT WARNING
On Alcohol, Suicide, and Depression in the Beer Industry. Pellicle posted a content warning at the top of the story, and it has been widely circulated on social media with the warning included. The headline tells you why. This is not a story that should need a catchy quote to draw you in, nor one you should enter without considering the warning. But there is this fact: Research shows about 80 percent if workers in the US hospitality industry, including beer, have indicated experiencing mental health issues at some point during their careers, while the rate for the general population is around 25 percent.
ALWAYS FOR PLEASURE
At the Pub, German and Austrian Style. What makes a Wirsthaus special? “It’s the rusticity of some places, the homey décor of others. Wirtshäuser come in all shapes and sizes. Still, you’ll notice family resemblances. They all have a certain feel, an atmosphere of cozy comfort.” And based on the photos, wood. Lots of wood.
Old Beer, New Beer: Impressions of Timi?oara. Boak & Bailey on the road. “We’ve never heard anyone say ‘You simply must try this delicious lager from Romania . . .” And the packaged variety that turns up in UK corner shops looks rather like a supermarket own-brand budget brew. But, guess what? We were impressed.”
Convergence. Jeff Alworth writes, “People are drawn to crisp, dry, effervescent beers, as well as beers with the saturated, fruity flavors of American hops. It was almost inevitable that we would see a convergence of lagers and hoppy ales.” Like two weeks ago, to this I will add that Bob Kunz and Tim McDonnell of Highland Park Brewery may or may not have invented West Coast Pilsner, but it appears that Kunz was the first to give it a name. Their Timbo Pils pretty much embodies the style. Last October, Timbo won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival . . . in the American-style Pale Ale competition.
Bluejacket Midwest Condensation Czech Style Pale Lager. This post would have made a great addition to The Session #145: Critique not criticism. I am, however, left wondering what the story is behind “Midwest Condensation.”
Grilled Beer Brat and Beer Can Chicken Pringles. Made in collaboration with Miller Lite. I feel compelled to share these two sentences with you. “Pringles describes this flavor as having a ‘smoky grilled brat flavor’ with ‘notes of black pepper, caramelized onion, and brown spice,’ along with the signature hoppy flavor of Miller Lite. But if I’m being honest, it kind of tastes like a dessert hot dog.”