NOW IN TUMUT N.S.W. & KINGSTON A.C.T.

The Rise of The Mid-Strength Beer

June 30, 2015

Over the past few years craft beer has soared in popularity, with consumers now opting for quality over quantity when purchasing their beers. This isn’t only in Australia, worldwide craft beer has been soaring, especially in the USA where the city of Portland, Oregon, has entitled itself the Craft Beer Capital of the World –fittingly the city has just received the title of “Best Beer City in the World” from Beer Connoisseur Magazine.

Along with the rise in demand for craft beers the demand for mid-strength beers has also risen, year on year; taking a bite out of the full and low strength segments of the market. This change in demand has prompted big brands like Carlton to strengthen their offering in the mid-strength market; replacing their “underperforming” Carlton Cold, 4% ABV, with a new mid-strength Carlton Cold, 3.5% ABV, citing customer demand and changes in drinking trends as their reasoning. So why is everyone deciding to lighten up?

Firstly there are the health benefits associated with these lower strength brews: they contain fewer calories and, of course, less alcohol. Beer calories can sometimes be called “empty calories”, and it is easy to see why our ever-more health conscious society would make this choice. In conjunction with the health benefits that this lower ABV offers people are also realising that a few lighter strength beers will have less of an effect on them the next day or, indeed, that evening.

It is also becoming fashionable to drink lighter. According to statistics low-strength wine is also growing in popularity across the nation, adding to the notion that, with alcohol, bigger no longer always means better.

Lighter brews are generally more popular in warmer climates however European style beers are growing in popularity all over the world, and the expansion of craft beer is also making these styles of beer more accessible to us all. With that said we would like to introduce a new seasonal brew of ours, please welcome the J.W. Pilsner! This bitter yet refreshing beer has been brewed to ensure an easy drinking smoothness that will compliment whatever climate you may find yourself in.

But hold on! I like my beer full of character and flavour, with a good bit of oomph. You know? Well don’t worry mate, a beer being mid-strength doesn’t necessarily mean that it’ll lose the character and full palate you’re finding in your current favourite brew. We recommend that you try one, not only may you be surprised by the flavour profiles on offer but you may also find yourself feeling better than normal on the morning after. May we also recommend to you that our new J.W. Pilsner is an excellent starting point