(I couldn't figure out how to upload the pdf so I pasted the content here)

Greetings Mike – I very much enjoyed your How to Write Non-fiction:

Essays, web copy, and more Skillshare course and got a lot out of it

that I will apply to my writing.

I took the course because I am a Hudson Valley NY journalist covering

Beer | Food | Fun monthly for the last 6 years for Halston Media

(newspaper, 25k readers) as well as electronic distribution (instagram,

facebook, email). Archive

I really love this job especially the writing aspects which covers

industry topics, trends and reviewing/profiling Breweries I’ve visited

and I would like to improve my writing.

Your feedback GREATLY appreciated!

Draft & article below

 

Draft

The State of Craft Beer

Quote - crossing borders? Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated

State of the Beer Union

I’m obviously biased not just from my creation of these appealing narratives but I really

enjoy good beer.

Brewery Openings/Closings

Beer Aficionado

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEldVBbxRW5/?igsh=MTNoMDdubHdsNG11bw%3D%3D

Too much fast growth

399 close last year

335 opened!

9500 in US

Not all equal - marketing, better beer, savvier

Top of mind

Less special, more normal

2010 - Econ recovery - not work normal job

Up, up, up.. - more leway to be meh

Beer Aficionado

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEldVBbxRW5/?igsh=MTNoMDdubHdsNG11bw%3D%3D

Too much fast growth

399 close last year

335 opened!

9500 in US

Not all equal - marketing, better beer, savvier

Top of mind

Less special, more normal

2010 - Econ recovery - not work normal job

Up, up, up.. - more leway to be meh

 

Final Article

The State of Craft Beer

"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated" - Mark Twain

 

Fellow Beer Journalist Dave Infante writes in Vinepair “The country went from

around 1,500 breweries in 2010 to around 9,500 in 2020, an astonishing uptick well north of 500 percent”. Unsustainable. Then this past year, those stats changed direction: 355 openings and 399 closings.

 

I connected with Hutch Kugeman, Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Head

Brewer & Instructor and President of the New York State Brewers Association

“This is mostly a sign of an industry that has reached maturity. The fact that our exponential growth lasted this long is a testament to the hard work of the people in our industry!”

 

Changes are afoot and here are some drivers of those changes:

Economic factors, like lower interest rates a decade ago, made opening a brewery easier and lessened the pressure to brew exceptional beer.

 

Canned cocktails & seltzers: the breadth of alcohol consumption mediums greatly expanded leading to more drinking at home and not in a brewery.

 

TOO MANY CHOICES: Even KBM gets befuddled in the beer aisles with

hundreds of options to choose from and I sense that drives folks, myself included, to default to simplicity. I’ve been on a kick for Lagers (aka Beer That Tastes Like Beer) for awhile now. While I still love experimenting with new styles and flavors, my go-to is a crisp, well-made lager.Cutting Back: In today’s world there are myriad non-alcoholic choices paving the way to flavorful alternatives.

 

So where does the industry go from here?

Existing Breweries, Hutch: “I encourage breweries to focus on the things that

made them successful in the first place: quality, innovation, providing an amazing customer experience.”

 

New breweries: “It’s a challenging business… be passionate about beer but good

business practices, great hospitality, and meeting your customer’s needs are equally important.”

 

Stay tuned, I vow to keep my finger on the pulse (pint?) of this transitional

period.

 

Cheers!

e: TheKatonahBeerMan@gmail.com

i: Instagram - TheKatonahBeerMan

f: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562463028000

w: website - https://thekatonahbeerman.wordpress.com/