We know the names:
Stone Ballast,
Hangar 24,
AleSmith,
Green Flash,
etc. etc. the all the other ones you know that I know that you know.
These giants and more have landed Southern California firmly on the map for dare I say national recognition for quality beer. You’ll find these in shelves beyond just California in a market where if you see it time and time again you trust it. It’s the same psychological principle with regards to people known as the mere exposure effect. The first time you see a new neighbor, you think hopefully they’re not an axe murderer. But credibility sets in the more times you see them. If the beer was bad, it would be off the shelves by now; and if my neighbor was bad, I would be chopped up in his shelves by now.
The distribution nationwide for these giants is increased as a lot of them have been bought out by the some of the biggest names in the industry in some cases for a billion dollars. They’re not getting bought for a billion with a B to keep the status quo, but to scale. So as the main behemoths of beer vie for the hearts and tastes of yours truly, they spend tens of millions in distribution costs to make an imprint nationwide. Coor’s tastes as cold as the Rockies, and maybe you’re looking for that translucent water copy. Ultimately, people who know what they want go with what they want. For the rest of everyone interested in trying something new, or just turned 21 presents a whole new untapped market for the taps. Henry Ford told the press, “Customers can have any color of car they want, so as long as it’s black.” His cars were the only option in town for a while, and same with the case for limited beer selection from back in the day. Maybe gramps will only have Budweiser, and don’t let me see no Bud Light (nothing personal). Institutionalized to taste? Maybe. There’s always an emerging market, and companies do what they can to cater to the undecided rest of us.
These behemoths buy the biggest brands left, and transport product nationwide to be in every supermarket this side of the Mississippi. With all these companies throwing unreal money, how do the brewers make it? Someone like Stone focuses on their signature West Coast Style IPA flavor, same can be said for the Green Flash, or the other’s listed above to build around the taste profile associated with them.
That leaves a lot of real estate to your corner brewery, who isn’t so bogged down in trying new beers and getting immediate feedback. Your store isn’t going to fight Stone on that standardized West Coast IPA flavor, instead they focus on finding their own lane, to stand out with their flavor in their own way. Owning their own taste as opposed to being a copycat of a giant. I’d say we’re better for that, with bigger and bolder flavors from the David’s of the world. Not every time will the flavor feel falling in love for everyone, but as the market segments into more and more subdivisions, we get more and more different beers and one that connects specifically with you.
Again to go back to Henry Ford and Coor’s, there was a time when we didn’t have options, and a beer was a beer as long as it was cold. Now if you want a guava infused IPA, there’s going to options near you. As Southern has all the discretionary income paired with tens of millions of people, it’s easier than ever to find customers your custom beer connects with one off every major offramp, and a lot overlooking the Pacific. And we’re all the better for it.
Cheers.