Is Sam Adams Still a Craft Beer?

What do consumers look for in a beer?

It’s impossible to talk about the rise of craft beer without talking about the increasing variety of options. This, of course, means the proliferation of IPAs, stouts, shandies and more — but it also relates to flavor.

For decades, American beers were relatively uniform. Large breweries throughout the country processed millions and millions of similar-tasting cans, and consumers drank them up happily.

But, recently, beer has undergone a renaissance, and smaller breweries have carved out niches for themselves by producing rare, bold and creative flavor profiles.

And social media has become a hotbed for discussion about this growing variety.

When consumers post to social media about beer, flavor is a prominent discussion topic. But what can we learn more about their favorites? Well, going by social media conversations, coffee and fruit-flavored beers lead the way.

Flavors correlate with the words consumers use to describe beers. The word ‘bitter’ appeared frequently when describing beer, interspersed with adjectives like ‘sweet’ and ‘sour’. This discussion around flavor furthers the conversation to local brews and craft beer.

Craft my beer, please

Social conversations highlight the growing popularity of craft beers. As established earlier, craft beer took off as a prominent topic among consumers who appreciate local brews, inventive flavors and take keen interest in supporting local breweries.

Research done by the Brewers Association and Nielsen found that about a third of self-proclaimed “craft drinkers” said they “always or often” sought to buy a beer that they had never heard of before.

The discussion about craft beer isn’t just talk — social post volume about craft beer has risen with the number of operating craft breweries. According to the Brewers Association, as of 2016, craft brewers encompass 12.3 percent market share of the overall beer industry.

This sizable market share didn’t always exist — just six years ago, the number of craft breweries was less than ⅖ of what it was in 2016. The precipitous growth can be attributed to the rising consumer demand for unique flavors and support for local brewers, as mentioned earlier.

The rise and fall of Sam Adams

Let’s get back to craft beer’s standard bearer for a second.

Consumers today may associate craft beer with eclectic flavors and local brew pubs, but back in 1984, when it was first launched, Sam Adams essentially created the market for craft beer.

Right from the first batch of beer brewed in the kitchen by its cofounder, Jim Koch, to contributing 1% to the country’s total beer market, Boston Beer has come a long way. And, Sam Adams has grown too big to be called craft beer.

On paper, craft beer is classified as such if the annual production volume is 6 million barrels or less and if it’s ownership is independent from a brewer who owns or controls 25% or more stake in an alcohol-related company. In 2010, this production limit was raised from 2 million to 6 million barrels to continue accommodating Boston Beer in the club.

But as it grew more popular among a wider audience, Sam Adams was pitted against bigger mass market brands like Stella Artois, Coors Light and Heineken.  When we analyzed the five most discussed beer brands on social and sorted the conversations about them by common descriptors like affordability, high quality, and wide selection, Sam Adams emerged as a top contender in this category, but nowhere close to its craft beer cousins.

The beer is lauded by consumers for its quality and is sought by those seeking different flavors. The beer wins the crowd not only with its seasonal beers, but also gets a lot of mentions for having a wide selection.