Monday beer links: Why we shouldn’t be surprised if 500 breweries close

MONDAY BEER LINKS, MUSING, 08.15.2016

Craft Beer’s Looming Crisis.
[Via The Daily Beast]
Phil Olson of Longman & Eagle — The Gray of Pay-to-Play.
[Via Good Beer Hunting]
The Awkwardness of Middle-Aged Breweries.
[Via Beervana]
Sam Adams’s Secret Weapon For Winning Back The American Craft Drinker.
[Via Fast Company]
Four stories that remind us that brewing is a business. There are a ton of takeaways, but I pick this from Lew Bryson (Link No. 1): “… the change will be a correction, and the surviving brewers will have the opportunity to grow into large national brands. Unfortunately, we could lose as many as 500 breweries in the process, though eventually the industry will emerge even healthier—just like it did the first time around.”

To which Brewers Association economist Bart Watson had this to say on Twitter: “Some interesting points. 500 closings would be 11-12% of 2015 brewery number. Actually pretty typical 3-yr rate.”

Richard Boston on beer – archive.
If all that business talk wore you out here is a welcome respite. It is Richard Boston’s first Boston on Beer column from 1973, and it is just lovely. Consider this: “What was apparent from my rapid survey was the high general level of interest and awareness on the part of beer-drinkers. For many years they have sat on their high stools at the bar in a state of deep lethargy. Doubtless this state was induced by the beer, and perhaps the reason for their new alertness is that the beer isn’t doing its job properly. At any rate, they’re waking up, they’re looking around and drinking their beer, and they’re not uncritical of what they’re seeing and tasting.” You can read more from Boston by tracking down a used copy of Beer & Skittles. [Via The Guardian, h/T Boak & Bailey]

Hop Tourism: It ought to be a thing.
I endorse the idea and suggest you plan on being in Wolnzach for Volkfest (just getting going this year), remembering that the hop queen is always picked the Tuesday of the fest. [Via DRAFT]

Building a Brewery, Chapter 2: The right tools for the job.
I’m not sure how I missed Part 1, but suggest you catch up (like I am). Oakhold Farmhouse Brewery gets a mention in Brewing Local and Caleb Lever, who wrote the story, somewhat more. He understands yeast and fermentation far better than I do and introduced me to Laurens Bass Becking’s tenet that, “Everything is everywhere, but the environment selects.” [Via The Growler]

Fieldwork Changed One Thing and Discovered an NEIPA.
Coincidentally, Mike Karnowski at Zebulon Artisan Ales gave a fascinating presentation on West Coast and Northeast IPAs Saturday at the Asheville Homebrewers Conference. It included a lot of how. But as any hop scientist I’ve talked would say, the why needs a lot more study. Until then it is best to be skeptical about suggesting a relationship between murky and yeast viability. [Via BeerGraphs]

MOVING ON TO WINE

How Do You Make a Wine That Costs $3.50?
“Where does that come from? Think what must be in there! Think how much the people who actually make it must be paid!” [Via Punch]

FROM TWITTER

Because you might have been wordering what Boak & Bailey look like.