Brewers pioneer brands where craft is king

摘要

Walk down a beer aisle in Oregon, and you'll be greeted with a stunning selection of craft brews. In addition to choosing between an IPA or a lager, you'll be choosing between a variety of colorful bottles and cans with names like "Local Logger Lager," "Tricerahops," and "Sprinkles." That's because in the Pacific Northwest, where the breweries per capita is higher than anywhere else in America, brewers have to stand out if they have any hope of competing. When being "local" is no longer enough, competitive Northwestern brewers are pioneering the standards for branding and packaging craft brews. While Northwestern markets, including the famed "Beervana" of Portland, are heavily saturated compared to most in America, they provide a valuable insight into the future of the industry. Craft brewing is on the rise in America. Research by the Brewer's Association shows a 10% growth in craft beer sales in 2016, despite 0% growth in overall beer sales. As the national market grows, the saturation seen in today's Northwest is on track to be tomorrow's national norm. Brewers and packagers looking to be prepared can look to the Northwest's mature market for a model of what to expect.