Are Your Drinking Habits Changing?

By Alex Russell on August 17, 2015 in Food

The Craft Beer Movement

It used to be the case that any pub you went to only had beers from the big breweries on tap – almost all of them lagers. These days, craft beers of all sorts are popping up everywhere.

Much of it has been driven by IPAs (Indian pale ales), although a lot of places will also serve really interesting but not incredibly popular drops, such as sour beers. There are loads of craft breweries popping up in Sydney, particularly in the Inner West (Batch, Young Henrys, Willie the Boatman and many others), and many drinkers are happy to try something new each time.

The advantage of trying these beers on tap is that you can try a schooner of one, and then try a different one for your next beer. Some bars also offer tasting paddles with smaller glasses.

Wine

Wine is a little different to beer. Once a bottle is open, whatever is left spoils within a few days (unless you use expensive systems like Coravin). Wine bars and restaurants are less likely to serve less popular varieties, or more expensive wines, by the glass. Wines by the glass also tend to be a bit more expensive , as sometimes the bottles aren’t finished and the remnants need to be thrown out. Higher prices by the glass help cover this cost.

Despite this, I’ve noticed quite a few bars and restaurants serving less popular styles by the glass in an effort to get customers to drink these wines: wines that aren’t made from Shiraz or Sauvignon Blanc; wines that aren’t from the more popular regions, like the Barossa; wines that are made differently and push the envelope. This is a risk for these bar and restaurant owners.

Despite this development, it seems these establishments are still covering their costs, because at least some consumers are trying these wines. I wonder if these are the same people who drink craft beers?

Similarly, some venues are willing to serve expensive wines by the glass. Not many consumers will pay $150 for a bottle of very good Burgundy, but sell it for $30 per 150mL glass and all of a sudden you’ve given a whole bunch of consumers the chance to try a wine they otherwise couldn’t.

This is a risk lies with the establishments, but it’s also a point of difference from the other venues that only open their cheapest wines by the glass to minimise losses. Hopefully you can appreciate what these risk-taking businesses are doing, and, better still, hopefully you’ll support them and give them a go.

Have your habits changed?

Do you drink craft beers, or do you stick with the one beer, or one style of beer, that works for you?

Are you drinking wines made from different grapes? Wines from lesser-known regions? Or are you sticking to a tried-and-true formula, be it a region, a grape type, or even the same wine each time?

Let me know on Twitter. You can find me under the handle @OzWineGuy.