Recently the Sacramento Bee broke the news that Anheuser-Busch InBev is bringing an outpost of Golden Road Brewery from Los Angeles, CA, to the corner of L and 19th streets. While there may still be plenty of room for breweries in the market (currently 58 active), I liked the quote from Cassie Dickman of the Sac Bee:
“Breweries have to be willing to adapt to changes in the market, evolve with consumer tastes, have a solid business plan that includes marketing, finding the right location and being able to come to the industry with a product that’s ready to impress the customer.”
A quick study of Sacramento breweries shows storytelling efforts at both ends of the spectrum, from clearly-defined brand voice to marketing as an afterthought. When big beer increases competition at the hyper-local level, it’s even more important to communicate who you are and what you stand for to allow for customer discovery.