Prying customers from the Bud/Coors/PBR bubble.

[DMBC]

Hello all!

We have opened a small craft brewery in a smaller town in a huge craft beer state (Montana). While there are some craft brew drinkers in town it seems that most of the local base is so wedded to the light American lager (gag) that they just won't give us more than one try. We have a light Blonde but even that doesn't seem to turn the PBR crowd on.

I know the golden rule is that we shouldn't try to compete with the big guys in terms of style but it seems that might be our only option. We haven't tried to lager yet commercially but that it an option. I also know that I am not exactly the best at making a "lite" beer.

Anyone have any ideas in terms of styles? What to do? Gimmicks?

Thanks in advance!

[brewmaster 2011]

Have you ever tried to brew a Munich helles? that style make me rethink lager beer.

[triple]

Micro vs Foreign owned.

Hello all!

We have opened a small craft brewery in a smaller town in a huge craft beer state (Montana). While there are some craft brew drinkers in town it seems that most of the local base is so wedded to the light American lager (gag) that they just won't give us more than one try. We have a light Blonde but even that doesn't seem to turn the PBR crowd on.

I know the golden rule is that we shouldn't try to compete with the big guys in terms of style but it seems that might be our only option. We haven't tried to lager yet commercially but that it an option. I also know that I am not exactly the best at making a "lite" beer.

Anyone have any ideas in terms of styles? What to do? Gimmicks?

Thanks in advance!

You might try promoting the alcohol content.
American owned and made?

[ChesterBrew]

Cream Ale -- an American invented style. Boo-yah!

[CedarCreek]

We are in a pretty much BMC area and our cream ale has been the transition beer for a lot of people. We have a lot of people that love the beer and really love the fact that it is made locally. These are the aspects you need to appeal to. Sure the craft beer fans that only want the biggest and the newest are not fans of it but it isn't a beer targeted for them. The truth of the matter is that sometimes you need a beer to appeal to people that don't already like craft beer. I also take the stance that I won't make a beer that I don't like and I drink our cream ale all the time. We did take a non traditional approach and use oats and rye instead of corn but that is really what makes it stand out.

[Bainbridge]

The truth of the matter is that sometimes you need a beer to appeal to people that don't already like craft beer. I also take the stance that I won't make a beer that I don't like and I drink our cream ale all the time. We did take a non traditional approach and use oats and rye instead of corn but that is really what makes it stand out.

Word. Now I really want to try that Cream Ale too...

[OneMoreBrewer]

Have you ever tried to brew a Munich helles? that style make me rethink lager beer.

Had one last night! Mmmmm!

What does it matter where your customers come from? (Bud/Coors/PBR) I think as long as you have a few brands that appeal to your target customer base, (local,distribution,export,ect) and you make them well, your customers may come from all over. I am sure we share many customers with local craft breweries, and I am sure we have converted many macro drinkers too.

[aorrick]

I used to brew in a small pub in a small logging town; largely a BMC crowd. I did well with that crowd with a Kolsch-style beer. I say Kolsch style, because it was only Kolsch in grain bill and hop schedule. I wasn't equipped, or selling beer fast enough, to juggle any yeast strain I wanted, so I was able to brew a pretty decent Kolsch with 1056 fermented at a fairly cool temp. I think 64 F. I started with a blonde ale, and brewed the Kolsch as an experiment. The first batch became our fastest selling beer, and it continued to be our best seller throughout my time at the brewery. Good luck.

[LuskusDelph]

You might try promoting the alcohol content.
American owned and made?

American owned and made is a good hook (perception wise, even if it is not a guarantee of quality any more).
But promoting the alcohol content is another story...to my mind, promoting it in that way cheapens the product image and suggests that the ABV is more important than flavor and balance.
Sadly, to some people it is more important. But that's for another thread (maybe one discussing rehab options )

The REAL solution is to do what many closed-minded small brewers aseem reluctant to do: hunker down and create at least one beer that would satisfy the local tastes. It'll test your brewing skills for sure, and bring in more customers to help your bottom line so you can keep brewing "the good stuff".

[tariq khan]

Make a craft brewed lager!

In my opinion pay attention to what the market is calling for while at the same time pushing the envelope with your other brands.
I spent 5 years at a suburban brewpub, 50% of our sales were Lager. It kind of drove me crazy at first but eventually sales of IPA, Porter, and seasonals started going up so I felt better about what we were doing. At least they were drinking our Lager instead of Bud Light. If we hadn't focused on that part of the market, we would have struggled big time. I think having a Kolsch style ale or Cream Ale will definitely appeal to many of these people but not enough. A lot of our customers started off by drinking our Lager then gradually moved on to our other more adventurous beers. I've had many conversations with brewers who are based in ideal locations like SanDiego, SanFrancisco, etc who have that high number of beer geeks who drink interesting beers but it's not feasible everywhere to strictly cater to them.

Just my 2 canadian cents!

T

[sjcarter]

RuskusDelph and Tariq Khan have it right - brew small batch, test the local market reception, then brew the bejeebers out of the one that the local market likes even if it's not strictly speaking what you want to do. At the end of the day, breweries and brewpubs are businesses and have to make money.

So long as your market is drinking your beer and not BMC, it's all golden.

[nateo]

At the end of the day, breweries and brewpubs are businesses and have to make money.

They probably should be treated like businesses, but it seems "vanity project" is a better description of most new breweries.

[RandR]

Brew a cream ale or helles. Or you can up the DMS on you blonde as I have found that in our studies with BMC drinkers, an increase in DMS in Bud light has resulted in improved selection. Not talking Rolling Rock levels here but just a nice faint DMS in the background. 60-70ppm range would be my first trial. Also would hit the streets and shake some hands and offer the first pint of the new BMC hunter beer on the house to those willing to try something new. Limited time only and see if you can't bolster some sales via good marketing and a comparable product. There is plenty of people who drink BMC because they have been taught to like it so you are competing with some of the greatest marketing minds in history. You best bet is to push the "LOCAL", "American"(not Brazilian),"Fresh","Honest" angles. Good luck.

[sjcarter]

They probably should be treated like businesses, but it seems "vanity project" is a better description of most new breweries.

I think, sadly, that you are 100$ spot on with your observation.

[nateo]

I think, sadly, that you are 100$ spot on with your observation.

I don't have any particular problem with vanity projects, as long as you're rich enough to afford them. I get concerned when I see people begging and borrowing from their friends and family to bankroll their vanity project, though.