Brews on the Beach 2022

Beer Snobs of North Iowa – Unite!

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

When craft beer hit the scene in the 1990s, people weren’t sure what to think.  Microbreweries began to pop up across the nation, creating a new style of beer.  It was different.  New.  And exciting.  Not your run-of-the-mill beer selections.

It’s been rumored that many people drink craft beer because they like to try something new.  With craft beer, consumers can experiment with a diversity of beer styles and taste profiles.  The younger crowd especially enjoys craft beer and is most likely to be adventurous in what they experience.

Craft beer is generally made with traditional ingredients like malted barley.  More interesting and non-traditional ingredients are often added to shake things up with the flavor, separating it from your conventional beer flavor.

You could say the microbrewery phenomenon started with the home brewer.  You know the story… Dad gets home brewing kit for Father’s Day.  Dad tinkers with recipes and stirring and doing all the things to brew the perfect batch in his garage.  Dad then enjoys an ice-cold pint of his own beer in his own garage.

Dad feels like king of the world.

Well, not surprisingly, home brewing was how many of the first craft breweries started.  It just snowballed into something more.  Something bigger.

And most importantly… something delicious.

The target market for craft beer is typically “people who are looking for something different from the mass-produced, big-brand beers that dominate the market.”  They want that flavor and personality your ‘common’ beers often lack.  And they are willing to pay for it!

While it’s typically the older, more seasoned beer-drinking crowd who prefers the finer flavors, craft beer is wildly popular with millennials.

And we all know what happens when the millennials get ahold of something… it tends to explode into something huge!

By 2018, sales data showed that millennials bought about 34% of craft beer.  Baby boomers (born in 1946-1964) held strong around 20% and the Greatest Generation (born before 1928) accounted for 13% of sales.

While most beer drinkers enjoy the hearty flavor of beer, there is a social aspect of it as well.  New brewery in town?  Let’s get together and go sample a flight!  People love to see what they have and test out the waters (or in this case, the beer) to find their favorite.

With craft beer, the experience is often just as important as the taste.

And boy do you have the chance for an experience of a lifetime this Saturday, July 9th in Clear Lake! VIP admission is 12-4pm and general admission is 1-4pm.

Lake Time Brewery will hold their 6th annual Brews on the Beach.  Downtown City Park will be filled with beer snobs, tasting and sampling different craft beers from across the Midwest.

“We’re excited to have over 30 breweries represented,” stated Lake Time owner, Bob Rolling.  “There will be over 130 different beers you can try at this event.”

Whoa. That’s A LOT of beer!

Craft breweries tend to be very involved in their communities through philanthropy, product donations, volunteerism, and sponsorship of events.  Over the years, the Brews on the Beach event has given thousands upon thousands of dollars to various sports, music, and community groups.

This year, funds from the event will go toward community projects led by the Clear Lake Rotary Club.

You can purchase your Brews on the Beach tickets at https://www.brewsonthebeach.com/tickets.  But hurry, tickets are limited and there are just a few days before the event!

Not only do ticket holders get to enjoy delicious samplings from some incredible breweries, but DJ Adam Theiss will be playing all your favorite songs from the bandshell stage.  Music… beer… beautiful Saturday… seems kind of perfect, right?

Well, there’s more!  Food trucks will be set up around City Park for all the enjoy throughout the event.  Ritz Rings and Things, Black Dog BBQ, Nacho Daddyz Tacos, Egg-Cetera and Smokin’ Mana’s will have every kind of culinary delight your little taste buds could want!

One thing is for sure – craft beer is here to stay!  Brewers and business owners are plowing forward, innovating, and finding new ways to create the next generation of beer snobs.

To learn more about the many breweries attending this event, be sure to follow the Brews on the Beach Facebook page or go to www.brewsonthebeach.com.

Cheers!