What do craft beer drinkers really want?

The craft beer industry in New Zealand has established a strong base of consumers.  In 2018 there were over 260 craft breweries, employing about 2000 people. Some of New Zealand’s most popular craft breweries like the Moa Brewing Company, Behemoth Brewing Company, and Yeastie Boys export their products and New Zealand-produced craft beer ingredients are also exported.

Craft beer drinkers have been defined as those who prefer beer with complex strong flavours and are involved with craft beer culture. However, not everybody likes the bold flavours or price of many craft beers. Some prefer mainstream beer styles that are mass produced, use fewer expensive ingredients like hops, and are usually more cost effective – typically lagers or lightly flavoured ales.

With so many craft breweries, the craft beer market is becoming crowded. To remain viable, how can craft breweries produce beer with the flavours, mouthfeel, and alcohol content that consumers like?  And what beer styles should be in their product offering to capture market share?

This research explored the craft beer market to see if there are sub-groups of craft beer drinkers who have different flavour preferences and how important they rate being linked with craft beer culture.

The study recruited 120 male volunteers between 20 and 65 years old, to try six different beers: three craft beers, and three mainstream beers; a mix of ales, India pale ales and lagers. The beer selection was specifically chosen to give the volunteers a range of flavour intensities from hoppy and bitter to caramel and sweet. The volunteers described the beer’s flavour and rated how much they liked it. They also answered further questions about why they drink beer and their beer-drinking habits.

Besides separating craft beer drinkers from mainstream beer drinkers, the findings showed two sub-groups of craft beer drinkers: those who like highly flavoured and bitter craft beers, and those who tend to prefer a flavour closer to a mainstream beer, but who still associated strongly with craft beer culture. Interestingly all types of beer drinkers perceived the flavours of beer similarly, but their preferences for the flavours differed.

The findings show that craft breweries cannot produce just one style of beer and hope to please a broad spectrum of craft beer drinkers. Instead, they need to offer a mix of styles that include lagers, pilsners and extra pale ales if they want to appeal to the whole market and maximise sales.

Including a mix of styles in the product offering may also help attract more mainstream beer drinkers to the craft beer culture – as the lower flavour intensity craft beers allow for a transition phase as the drinker’s palate becomes accustomed to a greater variety of beer styles and flavours. The findings from this study will help craft breweries develop appropriate strategies to help grow the burgeoning craft beer market in New Zealand and overseas.

Journal Reference:Sara R.Jaeger, Thierry Worch, Tracey Phelps, David Jin, Armand V. Cardello. Preference segments among declared craft beer drinkers: perceptual, attitudinal and behavioural responses underlying craft-style vs traditional-style flavour preferences. Food Quality and Preference https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.103884