What WV breweries could do better

While I’m tickled pink over the progress made by our West Virginia brewing community, that doesn’t mean everything is hunky dory. In a break from Brilliant Stream’s normal promotion of all the good things about WV beer, today the focus is on a number of things that could use improvement in 2019.

Last month, Brilliant Stream’s panel of craft beer geeks, homebrewers, retailers and bar owners contributed a list of things they would like to see improved. While most of these issues are well known in the brewery community, they are things that WV craft beer fans really want brewers to focus on. No real surprises here, but worthy of review.

Marketing

A lot of comments from panel members concerned marketing, or the lack thereof. It is certainly an area in which our breweries could a better job. Folks would love to see more consistently up-to-date brewery social media sites with more announcements of brewery activity. They want lots more brewery social events and beer release promos. Breweries all need a website with their hours, tap lists, beer descriptions, and directions to the place, etc.

Brewery websites need beer release and availability calendars so fans will know what is coming out when. These are great for planning visits.

Breweries need to do more events outside their own taprooms. For newer breweries especially, having a “Meet the Brewer” night with a tap takeover at popular bars can be huge for them as far as connecting with their target customers and obtaining feedback on their beer. If you do a tap takeover or beer release event, please bring plenty of beer so you don’t run out half way through the evening.

Several people suggested breweries should do more special beer release events and small offerings (firkins, etc.) at the brewery. When done well, these type of events can draw nice crowds where patrons not only come from hours away, but also increase spending in the taproom.

Distribution & Availability

Another common theme was the need for expanded distribution of WV beer, both in restaurants and on retailer shelves. A common lament from beer fans is you read or hear about a particular brewery’s beer but can never get that beer in the area you live in. This is going to be a tough nut to crack, since pretty much all of the breweries they are talking about sell every drop of beer they can make and don’t have the supply to send it out to more accounts in more areas of the state.

Another side of the problem is the fact that few WV breweries can or bottle their beer for distribution. Will Hyman, of Clarksburg expressed a common frustration with this, writing, “I would like to see more expanded distribution with bottling and canning. I want to enjoy their beer, I just don’t go out to bars very often and would rather enjoy at home.”

Matt Riggleman of Belington asked for more of another type of package. “I would also love to see more places get Crowler machines for a consistent to-go method for those of us who live in areas away from the breweries.”

Folks in the northern panhandle were frustrated that more WV brewery beers were not available there, while folks in Charleston and Huntington simply want to see more local breweries built in their cities.

Beer Style Variety

Another common theme among more experienced craft beer fans was the desire for broader style diversity and mastery. While we have certainly seen more diversity recently, they want more. Among the styles wanted were more types of barrel-aged products, more wild and spontaneous fermented beer, and more in-state collaborations.

They would love to see WV breweries be more creative and ingenious with pushing the bounds of craft beer. Jay Cipoletti of Charleston suggested using more WV-sourced ingredients. Bbers featuring native WV flora give drinkers more reasons to get excited about WV beer.

With all the WV distribution that national and regional breweries are getting here these days, folks feel more efforts are needed to give WV breweries a recognizable, distinctive image. Some wished WV breweries would quit being so conservative. We would love for them to find ways to differentiate themselves and their beer, possibly by creating a unique style or WV approach.

Beer Quality

It’s probably not a well-kept secret that WV breweries have occasional problems with beer quality and consistency. Maybe this group of more experienced craft beer drinkers is just more sensitive to quality issues, but a lot of them brought up this topic. A number of comments talked about the lack of consistency.

“Brew better beer,” one person wrote. “Some of the breweries in the state just have not surpassed that initial, essential hurdle.” 

Sometimes, the quality problem is not the fault of the brewer but can be blamed on the bar or restaurant operator. Matt Mullins, of Beckley, hit the nail on the head, writing, “Cleaning lines!!!  So often the taste profile gets completely lost through unsanitary beer lines…. that unfortunately is a huge issue in our state.” Brewers should make this a point of emphasis with their on-premise retailers.

Miscellaneous

Several of our craft beer panelists wish WV breweries would get more involved with local homebrew clubs and the American Homebrewers Association. Building these alliances not only brings more customers to the brewery but also helps build the local homebrewing scene.

While they don’t blame the breweries for the issues that still haunt our WV brewery/beer laws, craft beer fans do think the local brewing industry is now at the point that it could take a stronger leadership role in advocating changes. Folks would love to see a strengthening of the WV Craft Brewers Guild and its legislative program.

If local brewery taprooms are becoming the family rooms and community centers of America, then they need to have a little bit more of everything in hopes of being able to reach a broader audience than just beer lovers. Beer fans love to see indoor and outdoor areas at breweries for gatherings, games and play; good food and craft sodas; and breweries hosting community social activities and charitable events. Doing that is certainly a way to strengthen their position in the community and state.

Some folks hit on brewery hours of operation. People wish brewery taprooms would have consistent hours, which include weekends and evenings to make it easier for customers to plan visit.