The Taproom (aka Anything and Everything Beer)

Djxfactor511 said:
One brewery (one of my favorites) near me started a $2M+ GoFundMe last month to stay open and another announced its closure at the end of the year. Dark times ahead of us I'm thinking.
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I’m friends with the owner of a successful brewery and the real moneymaker seems to be the food and other drinks they serve (they have a liquor license). The beer brings people in, but it can’t be the sole income. The other thing is not trying to grow/distribute too quickly, which has been the death knell of many breweries, big and small.
 
I think we are past the point of peak brewery. With the oldest of the millennials now over 40, they will have the same experiences the Gen Xers had: kids at home, mortgages and incipient health issues.

I expect fancy burger and pizza joints to also face decline. Some of the best pizza and burgers I’ve had recently have been at … breweries! I just can’t eat and drink like that much anymore. 🤦
 
Chicago just lost some major stalwarts (across beer and other hospitality) due to finances/rising costs of leases. Fancy pizzas included, @Angsty. Been seeing landlord disputes mentioned quite a bit recently on some pretty significant closure notices. The property ruling class isn't done with their squeeze.
 
Melt Face Molly Drop said:
People, like myself, just get tired of trying all the options and eventually settle on one thing that’s tried and true. I just don’t have time to sample anymore.
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Decision fatigue is a real thing. I’ve found that sometimes past favorites get cancelled and I’m adrift finding a new favorite. My go-to amber ale, Malt Shaker from Foothills Brewing, is no longer being bottled and I have yet to find a “good as” replacement.
 
Angsty said:
Decision fatigue is a real thing. I’ve found that sometimes past favorites get cancelled and I’m adrift finding a new favorite. My go-to amber ale, Malt Shaker from Foothills Brewing, is no longer being bottled and I have yet to find a “good as” replacement.
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Absolutely. Look no further than Anchor Brewing. I probably hadn’t had their brews for half a decade, yet if someone asked me if I liked them I’d say yes. But since I was busy trying everything else, I never had a chance to grab an Anchor Steam or whatever.
 
There's also the price tag on microbrewey beer. A pint of a local beer is way more expensive than the industrial beer on tap. And sure, there's a significant difference in flavor, but when push comes to shove your wallet will always make a decision. As much as I enjoy a tasty beer, a cheap beer wins most of the times.
 
It’s difficult out here for breweries as well. Lots of smaller ones folding, and a couple of decent sized ones had to go into administration and refinance the debt they had to get into during COVID.

Fancy beer drinking is something I do when I’m out. At home, I don’t really need to experiment, as I can happily drink what I call “supermarket craft” - good quality beer from National or local breweries at a decent price that I don’t need to make an effort to find.
 
Thackeraye said:
It’s difficult out here for breweries as well. Lots of smaller ones folding, and a couple of decent sized ones had to go into administration and refinance the debt they had to get into during COVID.

Fancy beer drinking is something I do when I’m out. At home, I don’t really need to experiment, as I can happily drink what I call “supermarket craft” - good quality beer from National or local breweries at a decent price that I don’t need to make an effort to find.
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I always find it ends up being the opposite. Getting people to go to a craft pub isn’t easy for a night out, easier for a couple of pints, so end up drinking Guinness or whatever the least offensive piss water on tap is if I’m in a lager mood. At home I can run down to the local shop, or drive 5 mins to the nice offy, and actually have a really large selection of craft stuff. Plus there is less of a drinking fast thing at home, plus cheaper to begin with, so can pay a little more per drink.
 
EvanBenner said:
Chicago just lost some major stalwarts (across beer and other hospitality) due to finances/rising costs of leases. Fancy pizzas included, @Angsty. Been seeing landlord disputes mentioned quite a bit recently on some pretty significant closure notices. The property ruling class isn't done with their squeeze.
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Metro closing hurts
 
Joe Mac said:
I always find it ends up being the opposite. Getting people to go to a craft pub isn’t easy for a night out, easier for a couple of pints, so end up drinking Guinness or whatever the least offensive piss water on tap is if I’m in a lager mood. At home I can run down to the local shop, or drive 5 mins to the nice offy, and actually have a really large selection of craft stuff. Plus there is less of a drinking fast thing at home, plus cheaper to begin with, so can pay a little more per drink.
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I’m lucky that I have a few pals that are into beer, so we go places that have good beer. Also, we have a few good brew pubs nearby which have good spaces for big catch ups.
 
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