Fruitful Endeavors

"Fruit in beer has long been a polarizing concept for beer drinkers, but now, it seems, brewers and consumers are taking fruit beers a bit more seriously—and the results have been world-​class. From tart berry–accented Berliner Weisses to fruit juice–enhanced IPAs, brewers are discovering innovative ways to complement and amplify flavor and aroma, with notes characteristic of those classic styles."

"Certain American hop varieties have been famous for their tropical, citrusy elements, and brewers have been drawing upon the actual fruits that those hops emulate for an entirely new drinking experience. “The fruited IPAs is where we’re really seeing some resonance,” says Julia Herz, craft beer program director for the Brewers Association, which represents America’s small brewers. “There are mango IPAs, pineapple IPAs—you get brewers talking about the [fruit-​like] character of certain hops. And then some are using fruits in place of those hops because they want that fruit-​like character.”

Featuring these fruity varieties at festivals, and promoting them, could drive traffic and increase attendance. The latest AudienceSCAN research reported 44% of Craft Beer Drinkers plan to attend beer/​wine festivals this year!

Sour Finds Balance

Some in the industry have said “sour is the new hoppy,” but it’s not like the former is going to replace the latter anytime soon. But sour beers have found a more-​or-​less permanent place alongside the IPAs of the world. Brewers are bringing a bit more nuance into their sours, opening the door to a much wider cross-​section of the beer-​drinking population.

“I think we’ll see balanced, well-​made ‘sour’ beers work their way into the mainstream,” says Garrett Oliver, vice president and brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery, author of The Brewmaster’s Table, and editor of The Oxford Companion to Beer.