Franconian Beer Message Board

This is my first-time post on this board but I have been lurking for a while.  I just spent the weekend visiting about a dozen craft breweries in the Minneapolis area of Minnesota.  It seems to me that the craft beer market in the States is definitely changing.  No longer is it about the beer but the experience.  There is also a huge ignorance among the average beer drinker in the States. They might have heard the terms Ale and Lager but have no idea what they mean.  We visited many places where the beer was extremely poor but the establishments were packed with people.

​People in the States are shifting to preferring everything local as apposed national or regional.  Even the mighty Walmart has been closing stores due to this trend.  A couple of the early and competent craft breweries in the area are Summit and Surly and they are losing market share to these awful startup places.  I feel the days of craft breweries like Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Boulevard etc being able to expand nationally are over. Mahrs will find it very difficult to crack into this market by any sizable amount.

​By the way, I will be in Franconia in mid-April and I am planning to spend some time at Mahrs.  I did enjoy the place and the beer last spring.