Silicon Valley Beer Week is already underway! Having started on Sunday, July 28th, this festival highlights the best craft beers in the region. Delicious brews and bites can be found through Saturday, August 3rd. Cant you already hear the contented sighs? Actually, craft beer is becoming quite the trend. In recent years, beer sales have been dropping as craft beer and hard cider sales are steadily growing. This consumer trend suggests that the market of drinkers are willing to pay a little more for their booze if it has better flavor and quality. The New Yorker published an article and their interactive craft beer map last month about the amazing boom in the craft beer industry that is country-wide. Although California, and particularly Northern California boasts the number one spot for craft beer production, other regions are beginning to jump on board this trend.
What does this mean for the beer drinkers out there? Time Magazine claims that the dramatic increase in craft brewers is stimulating variety and competition. This means, better beer. The brews that make it have to be good because the consumer is too knowledgeable to accept anything mediocre. Instead, the new brewers have to explore new tastes and varieties, and we get to be the lucky tasters!
So what about those that dont like beer, craft or otherwise? What I find particularly interesting is that the growth in craft beer sales is lumped together with cider sales. As if they were the same thing. Ha. Even though craft beer is growing rapidly, it seems like cider may be the next big drink in the USA.In 2005, CC Mangers cider made its big debut in European markets and began the movement towards a larger demand for more premium alcohol like craft beer and even ciders. Reuterssuggests that the tiny cider industry may soon be a contender even for the wine industry. World-wide! Although rather small at the moment, the cider industry is having a profound effect with its various flavors that range from dry to sweet, clean to peaty. Such a range makes it a great substitute for wine when you are out at a bar with a bunch of beer drinkers. Plus, depending on what you like, there is a cider for you.
Having spent the last six months in the British Isles, I can safely say that cider is easily obtainable there and it is easily a drink of choice. Almost every pub I went into had at least two varieties of cider on tap. Personally, I prefer the Irish Bulmers or Swedish Rekorderlig varieties. The crisp dry flavor of a Bulmers Original does not hint at the idea of grown-up apple juice. This is a drink for an adult despite its popularity among a younger crowd. It is much harder to find these brands here, however, the USA has a number of cider brewers that are carving out their own place in the cider market. Food and Wine highlights a number of the top cider crafters right here in the states including Argus Cidery in Texas. This particular cidery specializes in sparkling hard ciders similar to sparkling wine.
Also exciting to note is the emergence of cider bars. If you happen to be in Seattle this weekend, you might want to check out Capitol Cider, the newest cider bar. One of the highlights of this bar is that it is completely gluten free! As cider frequently contains no gluten, it is a great alternative to beer for those with a gluten intolerance. What do you think, are craft beer and cider just fads? Or are they here to stay? In the meantime, if craft beer is not your thing, why not go out and try a cider this weekend? Otherwise, bring on Silicon Valley Beer Week!
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