“Beer has been a remarkable success story in recent years.”
It depends how you define success. Pubs closing rapidly, less people drinking out and at home. Not the best business model to achieve longevity in.
“The number of breweries in Greater Manchester has grown by more than 200% since 2010 and more continue to open their doors each year.”
Ah, we are defining it like that. I admitted last year I was surprised that none of the breweries in Manchester centre had combusted yet (the ones that actually got going in the first place that is) – but I’m thinking by the end of 2018 we’ll see the first one but that will be because of personality issues leading to bad business decisions rather than it being a crowded market place.
Still the way we are drinking is changing, hence the rise and rise of the brewery tap, I am still surprised it manages to sustain so many feeding off the same teat.
“A big part of this success is the perceived ethos of craft brewing. These small-scale, independent producers are often viewed as a backlash against the status quo, and attached to values such as social awareness and inclusion.”
Bubble Alert – Perceived indeed it is. Leaving aside what makes a good status quo and a what makes a bad status quo but its something akin to when democracy gives the “wrong” answer.
I am aware of awareness.
But when it comes to craft brewing and inclusion I just think of this…
“This discussion will look at whether craft brewers doing enough to justify this perception and ask if more can be done to engage with the wider community and have a lasting, positive impact on society.”
The ones doing enough to justify this perception are the ones that want to sell it and use it as an additional marketing gimmick. Most of the other brewers just get on with their chosen jobs, because that is all it is. A job.
“The panel will include Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who has worked to involve the region’s businesses in his campaign to tackle homelessness, and Jenn Merrick, the former Beavertown head brewer and founder of Earth Station, a new community brewery being developed in East London.”
Nothing to difficult for Andy, got to keep it simple, play to the converted. Maybe you’ll visit the North Stand at the LSV soon. All the best.
Another fabulous chin-stroking, glad-handing, bubble-inflating “discussion.”
Thanks for reading.
Well said – glad someone’s willing to puncture the smug self-satisfaction of the beer bubble.
Thanks Mudgie. If you read this can I request you try and push bloggers to review the EU directive known as Article 13 (and Article 11) and contact their MEP’s to oppose it/them.
I think it’s difficult to knock Manchester Beer Week and it’s organisers; more power to them for taking it on. I do find it hard to go along with the idea of craft brewing as some kind of noble pursuit though and think a few have let the mask slip a little bit recently.
I would never knock the work that goes into the beer week and myself and Connor have had many discussions about many things related to beer (and rugby league) but there will always be aspects that I will find interesting from a positive or negative point of view; the heritage/history talks being the former, any form of manifesto being the latter.
Yes I agree. People get into things for different reasons; I’m sure there will be something that interests most people.
Someone didn’t get an invite!
Seriously though, you’d be good on one of those beer panel debates as a balancing element. Someone influential, please arrange this.
You labour under the assumption people read this blog.
Thank you for the input as usual though, if it weren’t for the fact I generally have to be in beer to deal with public situations, let alone debates, added to the love of my own privacy/anonymity, then it is a wonderful idea.
Why not write a book about the beer world then?
Ticks all boxes of getting your voice out there whilst maintaining anonymity.
Just a thought.
Because there are enough people making money for old rope via the beer world without my input. I have some morals.
[…] This is one of those pieces where you have an internal debate about whether you wish to write about something or not because this only exists inside a very small world, for now at least and this one world is the beer bubble […]