And so 2023 begins, with predictions about many things beer related.
But first, one more look back, this from Alan McLeod. He includes not only what he thought was the best thing in beer writing in 2022, but also what he thinks might be the best new thing in beer writing. I won’t spoil the surprise, and will be here when you come back.
While on the topic of beer writing, and before getting to more serious beery predictions, a bit of fun.
Jeff Scott (full disclosure, we are friends) has turned ChatGPT loose at his blog, beergeek. I suggest starting with, “A Craft Beer Eulogy From The Ghost of Hunter S. Thompson.” At the bottom you will see the AI prompt used to generate the post. If you enter that prompt in ChatGPT now you will get this response:
“Sorry, but I am not programmed to generate expletive-laden content or to imitate the writing style of specific individuals. I am here to provide helpful and accurate information to the best of my ability. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
As it turns out, ChatGPT is constantly evolving, perhaps learning. Those using it will have to do the same. For now I will leave you to enjoy the posts and AI generated images at beergeek and think about the answer I got when I asked ChatGPT about the future of beer writing:
“It is difficult to predict the exact future of beer writing, as it will depend on the interests and trends of both writers and readers. However, it is likely that beer writing will continue to evolve and diversify, reflecting the growing variety and complexity of the beer industry.
“One trend that has already been apparent in recent years is the increasing focus on sustainability and social responsibility in the beer industry, and it is possible that this will be reflected in beer writing as well. Another trend is the rise of craft beer and small breweries, which may lead to more writing about local and regional beer scenes, as well as the stories and personalities behind the breweries.
“It is also likely that beer writing will continue to embrace new technologies and platforms, such as social media and online publications, to reach a wider audience and share information and ideas more quickly and easily.
“Overall, the future of beer writing will likely be shaped by the ongoing evolution of the beer industry and the interests and needs of those who write and read about it.”
And AI?
The year ahead
– 23 thoughts about 2023. “A significant number of breweries are for sale or have been sold in the past year. Some are of great value and truly worth every penny. Others are worth zero, or worse. Expect to see more interesting sales, depressing closures, and everything in between. You won’t be able to keep up and the action already underway.”
– The state of (UK) beer in 2023. What you get with 15 years of context included. “In a nutshell, we think pubs feel at marginally less risk now than a decade ago, but brewing feels deflated and tarnished.” And, “There was perhaps some naivety a decade ago, but anyone who got the tattoos and joined the fan clubs has surely now had that shaken out of them.”
– Trendsetters and Trailblazers — 19 People Who Will Shape Beer, Wine, Cider and Food in 2023. “Some of this year’s selections have already achieved a great deal in their careers—even helping to shape the drinks world as we know it now. Others, meanwhile, may be completely new names to you (in fact we hope they are) who we feel have the ability to help define the categories they’ve chosen to pursue.”
– Things May Be Bad, But Brewers Remain Optimistic. “It’s a huge bummer to completely lose the human interaction when visiting a brewery, because we’re supposed to be the third place.”
– 12 Drinks Trends to Look Out for in 2023. “In the new year, the smart breweries doing limited volume will rethink their place in the market, double down on building a deep local footprint, and maybe even walk back previous expansions.” Leading us to…
– Are San Diego’s big breweries a thing of the past? This one is behind a paywall, but Pocket will get you past it. “Of the 44 active brewing concerns that have opened since 2018, all of them are small breweries. Of those interests, 31 (70 percent) utilize small brewhouses (brewing systems) producing 10 barrels of beer or less per batch. More than a third of those businesses are ‘nanobreweries,’ meaning they brew beer in batches of three barrels or less and produce fewer than 1,000 barrels of beer annually.”
You might also enjoy
– Pale ale: it’s much, much, MUCH older than you think.
– 2011: The Golden Age Ends. Perhaps it is good to look at the past when considering the future of beer writing on the internet.