BWS and Dan Murphy's specialists share their predictions for what we will be filling our glasses with in 2021.
All ale the innovation: Food inspired beer & sours
Hazy beer - beers with juicy aromas and flavours with a hazy appearance - and alcoholic ginger beer became increasingly popular in the second half of 2020, and the trend will dominate 2021 according to Endeavour Group’s Beer Merchandise Manager, Jarrod Holt (Endeavour Group is the parent company of BWS and Dan Murphy’s).
“Hazy and ginger beers are here to stay. Customers - even those who don’t traditionally drink beers - are loving these styles because they are full of flavour and low on bitterness,” Holt said, explaining their appeal.
Beer lovers have also started to discover sour beers, which - just as the name implies - are tart in flavour as a result of a brewing method in which wild yeast strains are added to the brew.
“We expect 2021 to be huge for sour beers, and I think we will be seeing lots of innovation in this space, with craft brewers using different ingredients as they come in and out of season to give their beers a point of difference, like lemon myrtle and kakadu plum,” he explained.
Another beer trend that’s set to take off is food-inspired beers. “Expect to see beers like bread beers, black forest or chocolate stouts on our shelves,” Holt added.
When it comes to cider, Holt says that in 2021 it’s all about experimenting with flavours and colours, with Apple Crumble Cider and Rosé Cider already starting to become popular among customers.
Seltzers & craft spirits
The rise in craft spirits, like gin and rum, continues.
Sales of Australian whisky doubled last year at Dan Murphy’s and accordingly, the drinks retailer has doubled its range to meet the increase in demand. Think Tasmania's award-winning Lark Distillery, The Gospel and Melbourne's Starward.
“Customers have started to discover that Australian whisky can compete on the world stage when it comes to flavour and complexity,” Jenkins explained.
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