Spirit Cruises January 2023 Leaderboard

Brewly Noted: Brewing Trends at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival

by Nathan Solheim on Oct 6, 2014 in Beer
Brewly Noted: Brewing Trends at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival

When the Great American Beer Festival began in 1982, there were only a handful of attendees and craft brewers. In 2014, more than 3,500 beers from over 700 breweries were served in the convention hall, and organizers announced plans to increase those numbers in 2015. There’s no question, the GABF is the undisputed champion of beer festivals. But, things have changed. A lot. Here are some trends we noticed from this year’s festival.

Girls, girls, girls. For years, the GABF was a pretty dude-centric affair. But just from casual observation, many more women are picking up the craft beer habit—and participating in the GABF itself. The Brewers Association, which stages the GABF each year, says that young women of ages 21–34 now account for 15% of total craft beer volume.

The South is rising. Craft brewing in the south lagged behind the rest of the country for a good, long time. But now, top-notch breweries are opening up below the Mason-Dixon line with relative newcomers Wicked Weed of North Carolina, Funky Buddha of Florida and Devil’s Backbone of Virginia garnering rave reviews. Mix in trendsetters like Georgia’s Sweetwater, Florida’s Cigar City and Arkansas’s Diamond Bear, and plenty of other smaller operations and it looks like the south is catching up.

Sour on. Sour beers continue to grow in popularity as drinkers continue to demand more and more funkiness in their beer. Belgian and German sour beers continue to show up in brewery line-ups and there are some breweries now that focus entirely on sours.

We still love hops. The most popular judging category at the 2014 GABF (and in the past) was American-Style IPA with 279 entries. That means Americans’ thirst for hops is far from being unquenched. By comparison, the second most popular judging category—Herb and Spice Beer—had 150 entrants.

German style. As we walked through the GABF this year, there were plenty of breweries—big and small—attempting more German styles: lager, Oktoberfest, bock, doppelbock, gose, altbier and others. German styles take a bit more time and attention to brew, so beer lovers could be looking at more adventurous brewers or improving brewing techniques.

Until next year...

Photo © Brewers Association


Tags: Beer, Festival
Recent Articles
spacer

Feedback

How are we doing? Tell us what you like or don't like and how we can improve. We would love to hear your thoughts!

*Name:
*E-mail:
*Suggestions:
 
2025 Is a Breakout Year for Philadelphia's Bar Scene - Here's Why

2025 Is a Breakout Year for Philadelphia's Bar Scene - Here's Why

Philadelphia's thriving beverage industry is being lauded with several accolades...read more ›

by Alisha Miranda Apr 6, 2025
Secret Garden Pop-Up Speakeasy Launches at Philadelphia Distilling

Secret Garden Pop-Up Speakeasy Launches at Philadelphia Distilling

Celebrate spring in style this April with Philadelphia Distilling at Botanicals in Bloom - a secret garden spe...read more ›

by Michelle Cryder Apr 2, 2025
The Drink Nation Presents: The Home Bar Project

The Drink Nation Presents: The Home Bar Project

Have you ever dreamed of having an amazing home bar, filled with bottles you actually use and the tools you need to execute a fine crafted cocktail? E...read more ›

by The Drink Nation Nov 14, 2014
SPONSORED
Spirit Cruises January 2023 Desktop Bottom Rectangle 1
Emmett: Inside Look at the Cozy Grandma's House Inspired Cocktail Menu

Emmett: Inside Look at the Cozy "Grandma's House" Inspired Cocktail Menu

From Executive Chef Evan Snyder and partner Julian van der Tak comes Emmett, a Levantine-Mediterranian bar and...read more ›

by Michelle Cryder Mar 25, 2025
Local Winery Spotlight: Vox Vineti Wines

Local Winery Spotlight: Vox Vineti Wines

Ed Lazzerini says his goal is clear - to make world class wine in Pennsylvania. From the taste of it, he is well on his way. ...read more ›

by Drink Philly Nov 21, 2020
Philly's Best Happy Hours: Almyra's $7 Cocktails, $8 Tuna Crispy Rice, & $8 Flaming Cheese, 7 Days a Week

Philly's Best Happy Hours: Almyra's $7 Cocktails, $8 Tuna Crispy Rice, & $8 Flaming Cheese, 7 Days a Week

This week's installment is all about Almyra, a modern Greek restaurant and bar in Rittenhouse Square that tran...read more ›

by Michelle Cryder Mar 18, 2025
Canada's Next Level Response to Tariffs Removes All U.S. Wine & Spirits From the Shelves

Canada's Next Level Response to Tariffs Removes All U.S. Wine & Spirits From the Shelves

Part of Canada's response, their retaliation, to the tariffs imposed on Canadian goods coming into the U.S. ha...read more ›

by Lew Bryson Mar 17, 2025
Philadelphia Craft Ice Co: Inside Look at the Ice Elevating Philly's Cocktail Scene

Philadelphia Craft Ice Co: Inside Look at the Ice Elevating Philly's Cocktail Scene

Philadelphia Craft Ice is the first artisanal ice company in Philly focused on elevating the quality of cockta...read more ›

by Drink Philly Mar 9, 2025
Franklin Mortgage Launches Pop-up Flower Shop & Speakeasy for Flower Show, March 2-8

Franklin Mortgage Launches Pop-up Flower Shop & Speakeasy for Flower Show, March 2-8

The Franklin Mortgage in Rittenhouse is transforming their entire space into a pop-up flower shop featuring a ...read more ›

by Drink Philly Feb 25, 2025
The 12th Annual Philly Bierfest Celebrates the Rich History of Brewing German-Style Beers in Pennsylvania, February 22

The 12th Annual Philly Bierfest Celebrates the Rich History of Brewing German-Style Beers in Pennsylvania, February 22

The German Society of Philadelphia's 12 Annual Bierfest returns February 22 with a selection of over 50 German...read more ›

by Michelle Cryder Feb 18, 2025
SPONSORED
Drink Nation Home Bar Project Bottom Rectangle 2
View all Articles

Sign up to get weekly drinking news, bar reviews, events and more sent directly to your inbox!

Close