With International Beer Day right around the corner we would like to take this opportunity to highlight the increasingly popular brewpub. The concept of combining breweries and restaurants has been around for centuries however; due to millennial trends brewpubs are taking the beverage industry by storm. Now you may be scratching your head thinking what is a brewpub? Or what is the difference between microbreweries and brewpubs? The answer may surprise you.
Microbreweries must produce less than 15,000 barrels per year as well as sell 75% of the beer off site.
Brewpubs are a combination of a brewery and restaurant that must sell at least 25% of the beer they produce within the restaurant/bar.
So, in theory, a brewpub could be considered a microbrewery if it produces less the 15,000 barrels a year and sells 25% of it on-site and 75% off site. However, to be considered a brewpub the brewery must be combined with a restaurant.
Microbreweries must produce less than 15,000 barrels per year as well as sell 75% of the beer off site.
Brewpubs are a combination of a brewery and restaurant that must sell at least 25% of the beer they produce within the restaurant/bar.
So, in theory, a brewpub could be considered a microbrewery if it produces less the 15,000 barrels a year and sells 25% of it on-site and 75% off site. However, to be considered a brewpub the brewery must be combined with a restaurant.
According to the Brewers Association there are 1650 brewpubs, 2397 microbreweries and 178 regional breweries in the United States. The state that produces the most craft beer per year is our home state of Pennsylvania. With only 178 breweries (112 which are brewpubs) Pennsylvania has produced just over 4 million barrels in 2015. |
To understand why brewpubs are successfully on the rise you must first understand the product driving this success. BEER! If you are not a beer drinker the world of craft beer can be confusing. To help clear some of the conundrum of craft beer here are some common terms you will hear often in the craft beer world which you may not understand.
- Hops: the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer. Hops affect flavor, aroma, and bitterness.
- Malt: barley or other grain that has been steeped, germinated, and dried, used especially for brewing or distilling and vinegar-making.
- Yeast: during the fermentation process yeast converts the natural malt sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.
- Lager: are any beer that is fermented with bottom-fermenting yeast at colder temperatures. Lagers are most often associated with crisp, clean flavors and are traditionally fermented and served at colder temperatures than ales.
- Ales: are beers fermented with top fermenting yeast. Ales typically are fermented at warmer temperatures than lagers, and are often served warmer. The term ale is sometimes incorrectly associated with alcoholic strength
- Belgians: traditionally being less bitter, using aged hops for a delicate hop finish, and boasting sweetish to toasty malt overtones.
- India Pale Ale (IPA): is a beer with several varieties of hops used at different times throughout the brewing process. IPAs often smell like citrus, pine, or flowers. IPAs tend to have ABVs (alcohol by volume) between 5.5 and 7.5 percent. There are three main styles of IPA produced today. They are American-style, English-style, and Double or Imperial. There are also plenty of sub-styles, including Black, Hybrid, Wheat, and Belgian White IPAs. Each style and sub-style has its own characteristics. In addition, many craft breweries have created their own unique twists on the classic. This proliferation means there is plenty of variety in what falls under the IPA label today.
- Independent craft brewers: less than 25% of the brewery is owned /controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member.
- Traditional craft brewers: has a majority of its beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional brewing ingredients.
- Barrel: A standard measure in the U.S. that is 31.5 gallons, it is a wooden vessel that is used to age/condition/ferment beer.
The beer industry has evolved tremendously within the last five years. The beer drinkers of today expect unique varieties, strong flavors and seasonal options within reasonable prices. This along with the growing popularity of creative-style restaurants have cleared a path for brewpubs to successfully flourish.
Advantages of Brewpubs
| Disadvantages of Brewpubs
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Much like every business, brewpubs experience their fair share of ups and downs. The multitude of potential advantages brewpubs possess can be misleading. Brewpubs success if heavily based on their ability to sell their beer. If the house-beer is not up to the customers’ expectations, chances are they will join the 46% of brewpubs that fail in the first three years. There is also a significantly larger cost to opening and operating a brewpub. From the equipment, to the experienced staff required, opening a brewpub could be double the cost of a regular restaurant/bar. It’s a difficult industry, but if a brewpub can survive the first three years the benefits will be well worth it.
International Beer Day is the first Friday of every August. It started in Santa Cruz, California in 2007. Since its inception, International Beer Day has grown from a small localized event to a worldwide celebration. International Beer Day has three declared purposes:
- To gather with friends and enjoy the taste of beer.
- To celebrate those responsible for brewing and serving beer.
- To unite the world under the banner of beer, by celebrating the beers of all nations together on a single day.
Happy International Beer Day!