Beer Innovation Summit 2014

Beer Innovation, they say, is largely marketing bullshit.

But, perhaps, whilst it might be nothing more than clever use of bullshit to gain competitive edge, that might just be innovation in itself.

I'll let you ponder that one.

The key point made by the innovation skeptics is that there really isn't anything new in the beer world. Barley wines, oak cask aged beers, imperial stouts, mahousively dry hopped IPAs and even eisbocks have all been done before. Kegged beers, serving beers out of fancy bottles, more art than beer, or any other fancy, value added claptrap, is nothing new.

Indeed, as a brewer who would like to be innovative it becomes increasingly difficult these days to come up with ideas that really are new.

Never-the-less, I feel that microbreweries do tend to be more innovative. Even if that innovation is nothing more than exploring how a more diverse acceptance and broader appeal is developed. Even if the product is similar to what has been produced before, perhaps even many times, if it reaches a new audience, or if it enables consumers to accept a less homogenous range of products, then this is certainly helpful.

My own living memory is not yet half a century in length. It might be getting close, a fact I'm not entirely happy about, but there we go, at least it does enable me to draw on some experiences and empirical, if anecdotal knowledge. I'd like to be more certain about some facts before the start of my memory, and if I were not so busy I'd do some research. However, I feel I can hopefully generalise some historical accepted situations to help illustrate my thoughts.

The vast majority of beer sold in this country today is some form of 4% ABV fizzy yellow liquid. The differences, in my mind, are much more to do with branding than flavour. On the one hand it could be said that this is the case because this is what people want. Whilst this might be true, at least in part, I also have some reservations.

I often compare beer to wine, spirits and other beverages. I also feel very nervous about doing so, after all, beer should be able to compete on it's own terms. I still think it is important to look at where we can learn lessons from a broader market, and so avoid the pitfalls of accepting the status quo as an unmovable certainty.

Beer has become, as a general rule in the mass market, very narrow in it's product variation, quite a surprise considering beer's real versatility. In reality the general public think of lager, bitter and stout and not much more. They think that anything over 5% is just plain crazy, and yet those same people will drink wine at 13% or whisky at 40% plus. Why?

Then there is the biggest bug-bare of mine when it comes to beer. Beer is, in general it would seem, quite masculine. My exploration of why this might be the case has gotten me into quite deep water, which continues to bother me. However, whatever the reasons, it must be something that most readers of this blog would agree with me on; beer is still considered by the vast majority of the general public as a mans drink, and nice ladies don't drink beer. The fact this is so is quite wrong and disturbing.

I cannot think of a single food or drink that divides along gender lines like main stream beer does. Are hops such a violent repulsive flavour as to inherently and instinctively alienate females? I really don't think so.

The generally accepted view among beer enthusiasts is that beer used to be stronger and more varied than it is today. The narrowing down and masculinising of the beer market would seem to me to be partly as a result of mass production and associated marketing.

Equally, and I'm drawing very much here on anecdotal experience, people who prefer to consider themselves more sophisticated don't tend to drink beer. TV often doesn't feature beer, although I do notice this is an improving situation, but for sure, many beer writers recognise that getting work into main stream media is not easy. A key blame for this is that up-and-coming editors and media types couldn't possibly be seen drinking beer and are much more likely to hang out in trendy wine bars. This then relates to a bias towards wine within the main stream media.

Whilst not universal, wanting to be successful, or wanting to be seen to be successful, biases the ambitious away from beer.

I've been invited to sit on a panel entailed "The State of the Nation" at the up coming Beer Innovation Summit, where apparently "top beer writers and brewers will discuss the challenges facing the industry"

Last year I was amongst a number of people who criticised the PMA for not choosing various important groups to be represented in the speakers. To me, it was obvious that micro-brewers were missing. One could assume that I've now been elevated to the rank of either top brewer or top beer writer by the fact I kicked up a fuss last year. Or perhaps I'm one of the token minorities.

The other objection, which I'd have to admit I failed to notice until it was pointed out, was that it was a very male dominated line-up last year. This year our panel includes Marvarine Cole, which I'm delighted about. Equally, Sarah Barton, who has already made her mark in the industry by being proactive about inclusion of people irrespective of gender, will also speak at the summit. Emma Reynolds from AB InBev is also to speak. It does still seem to be male dominated however, so I'll reserve judgement until after I've attended.

For me, the most powerful form of innovation that could be brought to the table is that of considering how to engage those markets, or social groups, or age ranges that are currently turning their back on beer. We live in an age where more and more people are moving away from the old-fasion stereotypes of gender roles and class status.

I'm very pleased to be involved with the Innovation Summit, and I hope to provide a robust but balanced view from my part of the market. For me there is an ever increasing trend for younger people to never even starting to look at beer. Alcho-pops, spirits, wine and many other drinks are making off with our market share. A fresh look is always a good idea, even if it is just giving beer marketing bullshit that that is less gendered and enables a broader acceptance of variety.

What is Beer Innovation?

Further to my previous post about the Beer Innovation Summit, I've been thinking about what beer innovation actually is and how important it might be.

Many breweries like to think they are innovative. We’d like to think we are, to some extent, although to be honest we often feel like we are lagging behind and copying too much. But then, is there really anything new in the beer world?

Obviously there are some new things happening; spirit cask aging, strong beers, crazy freeze distillation, mixed up beer styles and many, many things. But aren’t these just variations on a theme?

The big multinationals come up with new things from time-to-time.  Widgets in beer cans to make the beer seem like draught smooth flow. Perhaps extra cold is an innovation only made practical by improvements in cooling technology efficiency. Perhaps putting the lime into lager, so that its ready to serve on draught, is a fairly clever idea?

As I move my business forward I have to consider what might be innovative enough to maintain interest in my products. Indeed, I’d like to expand my customer base. All of this requires a stimulation in our brand.

What I don’t want to do is just re-invent the wheel and call it innovation. I know we’ve been accused of copying in the past and I’m keen to try and avoid this where I can in the future.

But what does constitute real beer innovation? Perhaps the reader has a view that is different to what the “innovative” brewers believe? Perhaps the reader doesn’t think beer innovation is necessary at all. If so, how do we excite a new and youthful beer drinker? I can tell you one thing for sure, if we don’t innovate, even if the innovation is in the message rather than the product itself, beer will continue to lose appeal in the face of wine, spirits and RTDs.

The picture is of my Great Grandfather with his car. I’m not sure of the date, other than early 20^th century, around a 100 years ago. You may wonder what this has to do with beer. The motorcar has changed a lot in 100 years. However, they all generally run on four wheels, have some sort of energy to rotary motion converter and carry people about. The 100 year old car has some appeal to the enthusiast, but most people like the modern version. Indeed, most people who buy cars lust after newer models, even when the changes are slight.

Photography has also changed in this hundred years, silver nitrate is no longer the main compound that enables it to happen.

In a hundred years beer has changed a lot, but it is still a fermented alcoholic beverage made from grain. Most people like up-to-date brands; tradition and stagnant brands tend to fail.

I don’t know if my Great Grandfather drank beer. If he did I doubt the beer he drank would be of interest to most of the population today. However, I would like to own his car.

Beer Innovation

What does and doesn't constitute innovation in brewing is a debatable point. Brewing beer as strong as you possibly can, throwing in loads of hops, dry hopping, wood ageing and using crazy microbes are all things that have already been done. Mashing up styles or inventing brand new styles along with ever more funky packaging might all perhaps be innovative. Edgy PR campaigns and upsetting traditional establishments might be other innovative activities. The reader can form their own view as to whether this is innovation or not.

Be it innovation or be it just introducing ever more variety, it doesn't really matter. An increase of variety has occurred in the beer world over the last few years. It's good, I like it. Probably most of the beer enthusiasts I know would generally agree the UK beer scene is quite vibrant, even if some people don't like some of the stuff that goes on.

Personally I'd say it's the new and progressive breweries that are leading the way. For perhaps 10 years or so an explosion of beer producers who are making waves has shaken bigger players. I'd like to think Hardknott are part of this although of course there are many, many other notable breweries doing the same. The big boys are now starting to take real notice.

This is becoming increasingly evident by the effort of bigger, more established breweries. Many family brewers have joined in, perhaps of their own accord, or because they felt a real need to do so. Brewers like Fullers and Adnams have perhaps been ahead of the curve and engaged well with the more diverse market. Many of us would say this is a good thing. A switched on brewery salesman said to me almost 10 years ago that micro-brewing was certainly good for brewing as it keeps "the rest of us on our toes".

And here we see the most important thing about innovation. In reality the diversity is what is working, variety and interest. Our sector of the market is diverse, and I stress, it's a small market. But it is growing and this is why we now have a Beer Innovation Summit. Another clear sign of the big boys running scared.

I looked at going. It sounds like the sort of thing I might be interested in. I note that Pete Brown is speaking. That's good, I like Pete and he knows quite a lot about beer and what might, or might not be true innovation. Although I've heard him speak quite a lot and perhaps I know his thoughts well enough by now.

I thought there might have been a microbrewery making up one of the panels. I think perhaps Thornbridge is mentioned, and perhaps someone is speaking from this undeniable leader of diversity. I am not sure the rest of the speakers fill me with confidence at their huge knowledge of cutting edge beer.

I questioned this. I got this reply.

"The agenda is now set so there won't be any further speakers added. We may look more closely at the micro-brewing sector at next year's event, but for this event wanted to focus on the volume players in the beer category as they brew the products that most people drink."

That is right, they represent the volume players, the people who don't provide that variety, that innovation, if you like. The reply seemed a little arrogant and conceited. I feel there is an underlying tone of trying to avoid micro-brewers showing they are the ones that are indeed leading the way.

I'd like to go and take part in the discussions. I'm reluctant to go as I'd be too scared to speak out, due to feeling somewhat intimidated by these "volume players" Although, more likely, I'd start an argument and make yet another embarrassment of myself. I can assure the reader, I don't need to spend £195+VAT to make a fool of myself.

Thoughts?