Along with my 2013 Predictions, I’ve decided to add some recommendations for Ontario craft breweries as well. These are either a) things hard to quantify, or b) things I don’t think will happen this year but should. No scores will be kept.
- Great Lakes: Pick an IPA and run with it. Make it available year round in bottles or cans – I could care less. Keep experimenting with the style, but have a main brand.
- Amsterdam: Throw a party for Tempest that is along the lines of Dark Lord Day. Make it only available one day a year, have Golden Tickets for people to win special bottles and hype the shit out of the beer. I know it sounds weird from a business standpoint to only sell a beer one day a year and it probably won’t make as much money, but it’ll create one hell of a mystique around it. If the Westy craze taught us anything, it’s that rarity and scarcity can cause people to do crazy things.
- Black Oak: Get something in the damned LCBO other than the Pale Ale and Nut Brown!
- The OCB: Start some public awareness campaigns. Let people know how the Beer Store affects smaller breweries. Tell people how the multinational corporations affect legislation. Send out press releases like the Brewers Association did talking about Craft vs Crafty. Make people aware of the issues facing your members.
- Grand River and King: I think it’s time for a new beer. You make great beers, but introducing the occasional new product would give people something to talk about.
- Cameron’s: Make the RPA a year round offering and drop one of your four core brands. Do you really need a lager and a cream ale?
- Bars with cask beer: Start advertising the dates of when the casks were tapped.
- All bars and breweries: Take a long look at your glassware. Ask yourself, “Is this the best glass for the beer?” If the answer is “No”, make it a New Year’s resolution to change that to a “Yes”
A Year Of Beer! 