B ee rT re n d s and Night Shift Brewing ’ s One Hop This Time IPA Series . Some observers think that beer drinkers have grown a bit wary of the hazy IPAs that have been so popular and are looking for more of the hop-forward flavors of more classic styles such as West Coast IPAs .
That ’ s been the case at Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co .’ s tap room , located in Croydon , PA , says director of marketing Kyle Park . “ You ’ re getting that because you go out to a store and it seems like all you see are hazy IPAs ,” he says . “ Lucky for us , West Coast IPAs are part of our year-round lineup .”
Neshaminy Creek added a Mexican-style pale golden lager to its year-round lineup in May 2020 . Called Warehouse Lager , the brew launched during the chaos of the pandemic has found an audience .
“ It ’ s been nice to see that beer take on a life of its own and become a top seller here in the taproom ,” says Park . It also won gold this past spring at the World Beer Cup .
“ I think because beer drinkers and breweries have maybe jumped the shark with off-the-wall beer styles , people are now coming back to wanting a really nice , quality traditional beer style , and lagers fit that category ,” says Wyndee Forrest , co-owner of the Henderson , NV-based CraftHaus Brewery .
Neighborhood Restaurant Group ’ s Engert has seen the same trend . “ It ’ s a reaction to some of those sweeter , more newer styles ,” he says . “ And the biggest among those are crisp styles , but more specifically , pale lagers like helles , pilsner , but then also , crisp , refreshing ales like kölsch .”
Engert says there ’ s also been a renewed interest in nuanced lager styles like tmavé and polotmavý . Cask ale is making a comeback as well , he notes .
At The Whale Craft Beer Collective , which has four locations in North and South Carolina , the top seller is Whale ’ s Haüs Lager , brewed in collaboration with Fonta Flora Brewery out of Morganton , NC . “ People are coming in just to drink that beer because they know it ’ s the only place they can get it ,” says general manager Nathan Ormand . “ They are seeking more balance in their drinks instead of these full-blown , overly adjunct type of styles .”
I P AS N O T M I A
While IPAs may be fading a bit , they have built up quite a following in recent years and still remain popular . For example , at Austin ’ s Easy Tiger the top-seller is Electric Jellyfish hazy IPA from nearby Pinthouse Brewing , continuing its five-year reign as the number one beer in Austin , says beverage manager Stetson Strifler .
“ You pretty much have to have that on tap in Austin , no matter what kind of bar you are ,” Strifler says . “ I sell probably 140 liters a week .”
Jarrod Moiles , corporate executive chef and director of food and beverage for Pacifica Enterprises , whose properties include Draft in San Diego , reports that his top-sellers
The Whale Craft Beer Collective bar in Asheville , NC , aims to take the pretension out of craft and high-end beer .
CraftHaus has had success in the Las Vegas area with Sugoi , a strawberry mochi milkshake IPA .
Ted Fleming , founder / CEO of Partake Brewing in Calgary , Canada , says the audience for nonalcoholic beer has broadened into those who drink alcohol on occasion , but are looking for a healthier alternative — particularly on weekday occasions .
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