Category: Opinion

my humble and correct opinion

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The Firkin for May 2024

What makes a great beer bar in 2024? It is an interesting thought experiment. With the imminent closure of Seattle’s famous Brouwers Cafe, it is something to ponder anew.

Is it number of taps? Neighborhood? Festivals? None or all of the above? Or is it just the economy stupid?

To me, all of that matters, and any wise suggestions can be blown to shit by a generation that drinks less and doesn’t want to drink what their parents did, is to have the past – present – future on draft on any given day.

The past can be a cask ale or slow pour pilsner, the future can be all the IPA you can get in the door and the future, well that is the hardest part of the equation but also the most fun to play with. A few years ago, it may have meant pastry stouts or Brut IPA or sours (remember them?).

Having a retail component is crucial in my book, especially singles. It can be hard to convince someone to spring $20+ bucks for a four-pack but a pair of singles that gets me thinking. And if you can tell a customer that the beer they like is also to-go, you might just double the sale.

For you and other beer fans, other things may take precedence but I can help but think that as sad a closure is, it also means opportunity.

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Burton Unions New Home

Brewing history is important and that history includes both the knowledge and the equipment.  And earlier this month there was some positive news on that front as Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company has announced that they are taking some old Burton Unions and given them to Thornbridge Brewery and will also help with the set-up to get them going.

Burton-on-Trent was the Portland / San Diego and Asheville of its time. Basically the brewing town. You can go HERE to read all about Burton Unions.  (Firestone Walker used a modified tiny version up in Paso Robles.) Like most bespoke items, it was not modern day efficient and thus not being used by Carlsberg.

I have a feeling that Thornbridge will be able to make good use of the Unions.

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Changing the Lead Dog

News broke this month that James Watt has stepped down as the CEO of the embattled Scottish brewery, BrewDog.  How that will, if at all, the problems inside the company will play out but I fear since Watt will still be involved as “captain” and co-founder, while also serving as a non-executive director means that this is not a vast shift in direction.

But, maybe, this is just a first step of many that are needed at the once groundbreaking brewery. Until substantive changes are made, this beer fan is staying away from their beers.

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End of the Whale

Whale Hunting. It was a phase of craft beer that we remember either fondly or with white hot hate for people hiring people to stand in line for beers or those mercenaries who were only buying to sell.

Now pick your side before reading this short Punch article.

And we are back, with the hindsight of 20/20 vision, I would have put all the FOMO in a box and set my energies to selecting those beers that I wanted to hunt for vs the ones that if I tasted, cool, but that I wasn’t going to be out running for and then sat back and watched the show.

To an extent, I did that, I had a next best beer available mentality for the most part. But I did chase afield sometimes when I could have drunk local and done almost as well, if not better.

My other regret was not being strident enough in my denunciations of the re-sellers. I was clearly against them but I probably could have said harsher words and maybe even pranked them a bit as well.

My gut does tell me that craft beer whales will be back and I will get a second chance with it. Collecting is a unique American vice that never goes out of style, see Stanley Tumblers, see Bourbon now.

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Boise?

If I had to pick a state that The Bruery would add a location to, Idaho would not have made the list.  But apparently, this summer (or thereabouts) there will be a Bruery in Boise.

I would have thought that anywhere in California might be easier, or Las Vegas but Idaho it apparently is.

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Peel the Label – Ballast Point Capacity Shift

In brewing, it is important to be in the right size home when it comes to equipment, space and beer in the tanks.  It is the Goldilocks Conundrum.

I have been thinking about this since the news broke that Ballast Point Brewing had released its Miramar facility to a new owner and that they were going to determine what the best brewing size fit would be for them.  And while that hunt is under way, some beers will contract brewed for them.

But how does one know what capacity is needed?  And also be flexible enough for minor fluctuations up or down?  I theorize that it was harder back when growth was flying upward because as the accelerator is pressed, you don’t know when you will run into traffic. Not wanting to miss out on sales, you press down on the gas in the form of second locations and more tanks and more people power.  

Now, in opposition, is a bit easier to predict because the growth has flattened and you can see a truer demand than before.  A local brewery can figure out how to keep 6-10 taps filled while canning a bit and selling kegs when there is not a block long line out the door.  

But too big can be good overall as it provides contract homes for those breweries that are testing proof of concept or do not have the full funding needed for their own space so a little wiggle room is beneficial.

It is an interesting question and we will see in the next few years who played their cards right especially if Ballast Point turns a corner.

Peel the Label is an infrequent series with no photos or links. Just opinion.

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Tip of the Hat!

Russian River Brewing does some really cool things for the craft beer industry.  Their latest is….THIS

..which is just a cool way to help an up and coming brewery. An if Pliny is brewed on that kit, there are some good vibes coming from that for sure.

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Sports Bra Franchising

The Sports Bra the much lauded and talked about first women’s sports bar in the world, has announced plans to franchise and bring the brand to other cities.

Owner Jenny Nguyen opened The Sports Bra in Portland in 2022 and now with investment from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, best known as the husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, and his Ohanian’s 776 Foundation will provide the backing for the endeavor which will hopefully create more places where women’s sports can be watched which in turn might get more women’s sports broadcast.

image from the Oregonian

As a bonus, money from the investment will be re-invested right back into girls’ and women’s sports via the foundation providing even more of a positive feedback loop.

Maybe, a franchise will open here in Glendale!

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CCBG

Usually mergers and acquisitions occur and it is a net negative.  Especially when it is the big players in the beer industry.  A big brewery buys a small one and then proceeds to water down the product or distributors get bigger and bigger until they cannot service all the beer they have in their portfolio.

But the new Circle of Crowns Beverage Group Strategic Alliance is indeed that an alliance.  CCBG includes Inglewood-based Crowns and Hops, Fresno-based Full Circle Brewing and its sister brands Speakeasy Ales and Lagers and Sonoma Cider. All black owned breweries.

The two main prongs of the alliance are a combined sales force bringing not just one brewery but multiple to the table and second Full Circle will use their excess brewing capacity to brew Crowns and Hops beers which, I think, may change once the Inglewood brewery is up and running.

Owning your local market is quite important these days so the fact that each one is in a different sector of California will help as well. But the combined weight might just push growth so that these beers get more placement.