monday links

Walken (or walk-on) cooler at Dark City Brewing (RIP) in Asbury Park, New Jersey

The link.

The paragraph:

But can the likes of (Christopher) Walken really pass on the pub-going habit? The youngest generation of drinkers have proven their penchant for nostalgia and a keenness for the analog age in other areas of the economy. Whether they’re thrifting clothes from a decade of their choosing, buying the latest print magazines to leaf through, or patronizing a vinyl listening café, Gen Z has already put consumer dollars behind pre-digital products. While retail sales of alcohol are declining (meaning people are drinking less at home), spending at bars is still strong.

The link.

“We think the toughest challenge in the beer and art business world like ours in 2025 was going up against the all-consuming digital devices and the media on them that intend on isolating people and alienating them to each other,” (Dave) Bartman said. “We need safe and compassionate gathering spaces and real-life experiences now more than ever as an act of resistance to the alternative.”

From a story in Ashland.news. Credit for pointing it out to the Celebrate Oregon Beer Newsletter.

The link.

The paragraph:

I can’t be too critical of these because they’re both jolly nice beers with not a thing wrong. It is evident, however, that they’re for the supermarket, and have a crowd-pleasing, low-common-denominator factor about them: created to the spec of someone who wears a suit rather than overalls. To be expected from Marks & Spencer, I guess.

The footnote:

At the American Hop Convention, brewing panelists were asked by one attendee about new styles or new releases on the horizon. “If it is beer flavored beer it comes from the brewing side. If it is not, it comes from the marketing side. (FW’s) Michelada did not come from the brewing side,” answered Firestone Walker brewmaster Matt Brynildson.

The link. I hope this link works for you, because it comes from a Bluesky thread. Two paragraphs because they are short.

You’ve got a company that’s expanding wildly and injudiciously across the planet. Expanding just to expand because it is foretold in their business plan that they must expand.

This happens because Craft Beer is a cult. You remember the Craft Beer Jesus? Well, Berlin doesn’t.

Expanding wildly and injudiciously. Sound familiar?

The link.

The paragraph:

“You can choose completely how you define your company, how you run it, what you stand for and how you communicate that to consumers,” (Brewers Association CEO Bart Watson) said, calling those elements the most defensible sources of differentiation for small producers in the years ahead. In a period of instability, Watson added, community and trade associations can provide support and coordination, but long-term success will depend on how clearly individual businesses define and communicate why they exist and why they matter.