The spice of life. Why mix pack success matters.

Just Tapped

"What's old is new again." That's a hackneyed old adage, but like all adages, it expresses a general truth. There's nothing new about beer packaged in a variety, mixed 12-pack, but it seems the good ol' mix pack is enjoying a day in the sun.

They say variety is the spice of life

According to the most recent IRI* sale data, craft variety is now the number three style of craft beer by dollar sales. IRI lists and measures 26 different craft beer styles: craft variety is one of those styles. This kind of data, IRI sale data, is best described as a measure of things going “beep” at checkout counters, but it also offers some insight into the market overall.

Hop Aboard! Craft variety is a bright spot.

• In 2022 craft variety realized 5.7% growth in dollars.

• For the four-week period ending January 28th, craft variety was up 7.3% in dollars.

• Over the same four-week period, craft (collectively) was down 2.1%.

• Last year, New Belgium Brewing’s Voodoo Ranger Hoppy Variety Pack realized 33% growth, which is just... wow!

Some of the larger players in the industry have noticed. Lagunitas, Founders, Bell's, Deschutes, Stone, and Dogfish Head are among the breweries that have either introduced variety packs or plan to introduce them soon.

What’s it mean? In a previous issue of The Taster Tray, we discussed a study conducted by smart psychologists, The Paradox of Choice. It explained how an overabundance of choice causes some folks (Millennials and Gen Z) to shut down. The information overload mesmerizes them into inaction. That observation relates to variety packs, especially when considering the dazzling constellation of IPA choices. The mix pack offers four different IPAs but just one simple choice. No paralysis.

The mixed 12-pack also satiates a desire for exploration. Our recent reader poll on the subject suggested that very few of you (8%) intend to sample new beers by gambling on an entire six-pack. Maybe diffusing the risk across four different three-packs is more palatable. With pint prices creeping up, maybe consumers feel the same way about committing to a pint.

Most breweries cannot shift gears with the snap of a finger and start packaging beer in mix packs, but bars and taprooms can quite easily offer curated, pre-selected flights of three or four beers. Perhaps that would eliminate the paradox of choice and also encourage exploration. Thursday Night Flight Night?

Would something like that help get the modern beer consumer back to the bar? Maybe. Seems like a low-risk gamble. It aligns with something else we learned in our recent poll about beer sampling: the largest majority of you (56%) said you will visit brewery taprooms to try what's new, which often involves flights of tasters.

We are curious to hear what you think about the popularity of mix packs. Send us some feedback. We read it all. Maybe we'll even share your thoughts on next week's Tray.

*Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) is an industry-leading, trusted analytics and market research company that tracks this kind of data.

Around the Web

• Only in Minnesota (because of the laws there). Duluth's Bent Paddle Brewing is opening a THC and CBD beverage lounge. The Cann-A-Lounge opens today at... wait for it... 4:20. (Story by Bring Me The News.)

• Archeologists working in Iraq recently unearthed a 5,000-year-old tavern and beer recipe. They hope it will tell us more about the lives of common folks in the world's most ancient cities. (Story by CBS News.)

Say What?

Feedback from last week, in their own words: “Good stuff ...as always.” - ks750cba@...

Dang, ks750, you're making us blush. We know we are not "always" good, but we sure do appreciate your feedback as we work to create something readers value and enjoy. Good or bad, leave us some feedback using the form below 👇.

Refer Somebody

Here's an easy way to do it. Copy your unique referral code below and paste it into a post or message on Twitter, FB, or Instagram. Text 'em the URL. That works too!

Feedback

This week's Taster Tray was composed by Kendall Jones.

This Week's Recommended Newsletter

It's not all about beer, just mostly about beer. When we discover an interesting, informative, or valuable newsletter, we share it here. You decide if you want to subscribe. I find Artificial Intelligence both fascinating and frightening. Probably best to understand a bit about it.