Craft Beers Find a New Market

In a recent article about the shortage of hops, we quoted beer expert and author, Tom Acitelli who wrote in The Wall Street Journal “American beer stylistically is now the envy of the drinking world.”  Proving his point, there’s news about American craft breweries opening up in Europe.  This is an amazing feat considering that as recently as 10 years ago, Europeans were still laughing at the quality and style of American beer.

According to the Brewers Association, a trade group, U.S. craft beer exports have increased six-fold over the past five years from 46,000 barrels to more than 282,500 barrels in 2013.

A San Diego company, Green Flash, is the first company to make beer in Europe through a deal with a 140-year-old Belgium brewery, Brasserie St-Feuillien.  Green Flash will brew and sell West Coast IPA for distribution in the Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the U.K.  Production is overseen by brewmaster Chuck Silva.

Even more bold and brave, another Californian company, Escondido based Stone Brewing Company is investing $25 million in refurbishing an old gas works in Berlin that will house their brewery, restaurant and store.  They plan to market their beer throughout Europe.

Another European joint venture is between New York’s Brooklyn Brewery and Carlsberg Sweden making new beers that are distributed throughout Scandinavia.  Brooklyn Brewery continues to export its U.S. made beers to 20 countries.

As the old saying goes “What goes around comes around” and it is inspirational to see the students, the U.S. craft brewers take on their teachers, the Europeans with their fresh, exciting and dynamic styles of beer.