Beer-articles 913

According to Forbes, the fast-growing ‘NoLo’ movement (no and low alcohol) is driving the demand for alternatives to alcoholic beverages. It’s fortunate that we’re here with a much-loved spring mocktail for the millennials and Gen-Z’s who are generally drinking less. Data-approved! Buzz60’s Chloe Hurst highlights…

Beer and hot dogs are as patriotic as it gets. But when you open the cooler at your summer barbecue, you could be seeing fewer brews, with alternatives like spiked seltzers, canned cocktails, and hard teas stealing their space.

You can attribute this trend to the younger generation: The youngest cohort of legal-aged drinkers from Gen Z, which covers the ages from 21 to 26, are “drinking completely differently than any other generation we’ve seen before,” according to NIQ’s Kaleigh Theriault.

“They’re relatively new to their drinking, and when they are choosing alcohol, they are leaning toward those flavor-forward categories,” Theriault, an associate director of beverage alcohol thought leadership at the consumer intelligence company, told CNN.

Corona is hoping to attract Gen Z drinkers with its new “Sunbrew Citrus Cerveza” beer.

Beverages created by smaller companies are controlling the landscape. E. & J. Gallo Winery’s High Noon dominates the spirit-based cocktail category; White Claw from Mark Anthony Brands remains the top-selling spiked seltzer; and newer entrants, including punchier drinks that mix liquor with an iced tea or lemonade such as Surfside, a two-year-old brand, are rapidly gaining ground.

That’s a problem for Big Beer, which is dealing with flat sales, declining volume and a fickle generation of younger drinkers who are completely ditching the bottle or preferring anything but a regular beer.

In response, Miller Lite-maker Molson Coors Beverage Company, Modelo-brewer Constellation Brands and heavyweight Anheuser-Busch InBev are among the larger brewers expanding beyond beer and diversifying their portfolio with flavorful concoctions.

Fruit, in particular, has been a focus area because “it’s something that the consumer seems to be drawn to right now and they want to drink something really good,” Theriault said. “Those flavors offer that.”

Constellation turned to TikTok for inspiration for its newest beer, which is lightly based on the “Corona Sunrise” cocktail — a mixture of tequila, a Corona, orange juice, grenadine, plus a splash of lime juice. It has taken off on the video-sharing app, with the most-watched tutorial racking up nearly 14 million views.

Since it’s unlawful to sell a beer mixed with a spirit, Corona spun up its own version to hopefully appeal to younger drinkers: the “Sunbrew Citrus Cerveza,” which is brewed with orange and lime peels and blended with the same juices and mixed with a Corona Extra to mirror the sweet flavor of the cocktail counterpart.

“This new brew was created with the flavor-seeking Gen Z audience in mind, a group of drinkers known for their experimentation and mixing,” noted Saúl Trejo, director of brand marketing at Corona, in a press release. For now, the drink is only available in the northeastern US before possibly expanding nationwide depending on sales.

Sunbrew fits into Constellation’s portfolio with a few other Gen Z-angled beverages like Fresca Mixed and its malt-based beverages, Corona Refresca and Modelo Spiked Aguas Frescas, both of which also have fruity flavors and are selling well for the company.

TikTok has also influenced Molson Coors for one of its newest boozy beverages called “Happy Thursday.” The shtick? It’s a non-carbonated drink because “bloating that may come from carbonation is considered a top barrier” for younger drinkers and the trend of “decarbonizing” drinks is blowing up on the app.

The “smooth, bubble-free” drink comes in four fruit flavors, including strawberry and black cherry, and also meets another need for Gen Z since it’s low in alcohol content at 4.4% by volume. It also has bright packaging designed to “pop on social media,” the brewer notes.

Launched less than three months ago, sales and distribution are both growing and feedback has been “extremely positive” for Happy Thursday, the company said on its blog. The company could shed more light on its sales during its next earnings report in August.

Happy Thursday fits into the company’s strategy that began in 2019 when Molson Coors tweaked its name to encompass its growing portfolio of beverages besides beer. That now includes hard iced tea, energy drinks and its Simply Spiked lineup. Last year, it acquired Blue Run Spirits, a cult favorite high-end bourbon and rye whiskey brand, in light of US spirit sales surpassing beer sales.

“Suppliers, in order to stay relevant, have to evolve and follow where the consumer is trending — and right now the consumer wants flavor,” NIQ’s Theriault said about their pivots. “Innovation is really important in the alcohol industry and ensuring that innovation is tied to the consumer trends is what’s right for business.”

Canned cocktails and spirits-based beverages have also helped Anheuser-Busch’s bottom line in the US, especially in light of the collapsing sales of Bud Light. Its aptly titled “Beyond Beer” category is currently a $1.5 billion part of its global business and is helping attract younger, legally aged drinkers.

NÜTRL, a flavorful lineup of vodka seltzers, and Cutwater Spirits canned cocktails are two standouts. An Anheuser-Busch spokesperson told CNN that Cutwater, which has a collection of canned rum mai tais, vodka mules and tequila palomas, has “steadily grown dollar sales double digits for five consecutive years” and jumped an additional 23% in sales this year.

Still, it’s not all rosy for Anheuser-Busch, especially if a drink has the Bud Light name attached. Bud Light Seltzer sales are down 50%, according to trade publication Brewbound, outpacing a larger decline in malt-based seltzers as drinkers shift toward spirit-based drinks. The company launched a new advertising campaign in 2023 just a few weeks before the Dylan Mulvaney controversy derailed its parent brand’s sales.

Despite younger drinkers’ hesitance with buying beer and flat sales, Big Beer companies aren’t facing an existential threat. In fact, it’s the exact opposite, according to one expert.

“Young drinkers can now find just about any kind of drink in just about any kind of flavor practically whenever they want, and they get to choose from the most diverse collection of beverages that has ever existed — with and without alcohol,” Bryan Roth, an analyst for Feel Goods Company and editor of the alcohol beverage newsletter, Sightlines+, told CNN.

“These long-tenured and often historic companies are adapting to the market. What makes it particularly exciting is that consumers are more often leading the way,” he added.

The media is having a hard time nailing down the financial vibes of the youngest generation of consumers—Gen Z. You might see Gen Z described as financially unsure and insecure, knee deep in debt or even more spendy and carefree than the avocado toast generation that preceded them.

Despite the commentary, however, Experian data shows that by and large, Generation Z’s debt is increasing at the same rate as other generations’. As part of our ongoing review of consumer debt and credit in the United States, Experian took a look at the leading edge of Generation Z, who were between 18 and 26 years old in the third quarter (Q3) 2023. This analysis lays out some of the facts from aggregated Experian data, along with some context, to explain what’s happening in the wallets of younger consumers.

Gen Z isn’t falling into more debt than others, according to Experian data. Nor are comparisons to millennials at their age particularly apt, as 15 years ago the economic and credit landscape (both still reeling from the Great Recession) meant a different experience for both borrowers and lenders than what consumers face in the 2020s. Now, inflation and cost of living are contributing to increased debt balances—for Gen Z as well as for all consumers.

For some types of consumer debt, Gen Z balances are about half that of the overall consumer population. Even average student loan balances, a category you might think the youngest generation must have more of than other cohorts, is only half the U.S. average. (Think about how long and expensive grad school can be to explain the difference.)

It’s the big-ticket items, including a car and a house, that Gen Z can’t dodge. Among young consumers with an auto loan, the average balance of $20,305 is similar to the $23,792 national average. And among the few members of Generation Z who’ve recently bought their (presumably) first home, they’re carrying nearly as much mortgage debt as other homeowners.

The average FICO Score among Generation Z was 680 in Q3 2023. While this score puts them 35 points short of the national average credit score of 715, it lands them in the “good” FICO Score range, which starts at 670.

There’s no evidence, and little reason, to expect that one generation is more or less responsible with their credit than others, and that includes Generation Z. Factors that could cause average credit scores to drop are largely economically driven, and right now unemployment rates have been at or near the record low rates: less than 5% in nearly every state, and 3.9% nationwide. Unless unemployment rates somehow impact one generation more than another—extremely unlikely—there’s no reason to expect that one generation will zig while all the other zag.

However, that’s not to say the economic challenges each generation faces are the same—far from it. FICO Scores are a measure to assess risk, but not wealth.

As of Q3 2023, 86% of Gen Z consumers who have a credit score have at least one credit card, according to Experian data. And they’re beginning to use some of the credit extended to them.

Although inflation contributed to higher balances for U.S. consumers of all ages, the year-over-year increase is typically going to be greater for those starting from zero, as many Gen Zers obtaining their first credit card are doing. Even so, Generation Z’s balances grew just as much as other working-age consumers—millennials and Generation X. Consumers of any age who manage their credit responsibly can expect their credit limits to increase over time.

Gen Zers in the more populous states of California, New York and Texas carry higher credit card balances than others. And as rent continues to rise, it’s taking a larger bite of take-home income.

At least drivers have more selection in choosing their ride, as used car prices are falling, inventory levels are mostly back to normal, and dealers are offering incentives like low-cost financing for some new models.

A glance in the rear-view mirror, however, shows that car loans recently made are costing consumers more across the board. Car prices, and the cost of the attendant car loans often used to purchase vehicles, have still increased for all consumers in the past year, more or less equally across all generations.

Generation Z will need all the savings they can get, however, as auto insurance premiums continue to skyrocket. Insurance rates climbed more than 22% in the past year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, and inexperienced younger drivers are generally the costliest to insure.

Although more members of Generation Z are pursuing the trades, more than half of Gen Z have entered the realm of higher education, according to Pew Research data. And compared with other generations, Generation Z student debt is much smaller thus far. That will change in the upcoming years, as some continue advanced degree studies, a more costly education than pursuing an undergraduate degree.

Most Gen Z borrowers planning to pursue advanced degrees have yet to enter a program or complete their graduate studies. Graduate-level education is often more expensive and can result in more student loan debt than undergraduate education, with borrowers typically not on track to begin to repay until their late 20s or early 30s.

While the average student loan balances of Generation Z are expected to increase in the future, these consumers will have more tools to manage monthly payments from the very start of their repayments, unlike other generations before them. Once fully implemented, it’s expected that a combination of income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness programs for public service will help ease the burdens of education debt.

The way consumers spend their hard-earned money is changing for everyone, not just for Generation Z. (When’s the last time you wrote a check?) However, Gen Z is more keen than others to embrace electronic payments as well as new types of alternative credit that’s been cracked open by technological advances like buy now, pay later (BNPL) plans.

Generation Z is associated the most with BNPL, but their older brothers and sisters may be catching up. According to alternative credit provider Afterpay, three-quarters of both Gen Zers and millennials reported using buy now, pay later in the past month, versus only about half of Generation X.

Although some among the youngest consumer generation have bought a home of their own in the past couple years, mortgage payments are as high for them as they are for older recent homebuyers who likely have more discretionary income.

More likely, they rent. Some 70% of all rental households are millennials or Gen Z, according to Experian’s State of the U.S. Rental market report. Rental prices—where most young people first begin their financial journeys—are still increasing faster than the rate of overall inflation in most markets. One consequence: More young adults live with their parents or others (roommates) than they did 30 years ago, according to data collected by the Urban Institute.

As for Gen Z homeowners, many are facing additional challenges relative to other homeowners: higher borrowing costs. Nearly half are paying more than 5% annually in interest. Besides the larger monthly mortgage payments this implies, it also means that equity accumulates more slowly for these homeowners than others.

There is an upside, though. If mortgage rates fall far enough, there will be a ready-made market of Gen Zers willing to refinance their mortgages, activity that’s barely occurring today.

While mortgage rates and few homes to choose from are placing homeownership out of reach for many, regardless of age, reporting rental payments to credit bureaus could help a renter’s credit score in the meantime. As Generation Z are the generation most likely to rent, as well as most likely in need to thicken their credit file and potentially improve their credit score, having rents reported to credit bureaus is perhaps more important for those just starting on their financial journeys. Alas, adoption among property owners has been slow, and smaller landlords may not be as likely to report on time payments to credit bureaus.

If there’s one myth to bust about young people, it’s that they’re forever optimistic. According to a survey recently published by consultancy Deloitte, more than half of Gen Z report living paycheck to paycheck, and only 1 in 3 say the overall economic and social situation will improve in the coming year—a polite way of saying most don’t think things are getting better anytime soon.

Methodology: The analysis results provided are based on an Experian-created statistically relevant aggregate sampling of our consumer credit database that may include use of the FICO Score 8 version. Different sampling parameters may generate different findings compared with other similar analysis. Analyzed credit data did not contain personal identification information. Metro areas group counties and cities into specific geographic areas for population censuses and compilations of related statistical data.

This story was produced by Experian and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.

According to Forbes, the fast-growing ‘NoLo’ movement (no and low alcohol) is driving the demand for alternatives to alcoholic beverages. Luck…

Retired professional wrestler Hulk Hogan promotes his new beer, Real American Beer. He will be visiting St. Louis in July to further advertise the beverage. Video courtesy of Hulk Hogan.

Hulk Hogan co-founded Real American Beer, which is now available in Missouri.

Hulk Hogan already sells an array of products bearing his name or likeness: Hulkmania onesies, replica championship wrestling belts, and bright yellow bandanas emblazoned with “Hulk Still Rules.”

Now, he’s selling a beer, and Missouri stores are among the first to carry it.

Real American Beer is a way, Hogan said, to bring “America back together one beer at a time.”

Hogan said he saw an opportunity to enter the beer industry when Bud Light lost consumers over a 2023 marketing partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney that sparked a boycott by conservatives upset by the LGBTQ connection, and tanked sales.

“I see this open lane right now,” Hogan said. “This open lane is saying, ‘We’re American and America’s been waiting for this beer.’”

Industry experts, however, warn that breaking into the beer market isn’t easy, and celebrity-based products often don’t have a long shelf-life. The Real American Beer marketing leans heavily on Hogan’s personality and popularity.

Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, rose to fame as a powerful larger-than-life professional wrestler in the 1980s, and frequently competed in St. Louis. He’s a 12-time world champion and has appeared in movies, TV shows, commercials, and a video game. He was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame but was suspended for three years after recordings of him making racist comments surfaced. He apologized and was reinstated in 2018.

Real American Beer is currently rolling out to retailers, restaurants, and bars across the state before making a wider national rollout. And though consumers are turning away from beer overall, Terri Francis, Real American Beer CEO, said they believe the product can bring drinkers back to light beer.

Live in FL, MN or MO? Find Real American Beer near you with our new Beer Finder! 🍺📍https://t.co/0TvAnuAR5X

Get some, brother. pic.twitter.com/sFRngkrsIN

“There is plenty of space in the market to grow the beer industry,” said Francis, a former vice president of the investment and innovation group within Anheuser-Busch InBev. “What we would love to be able to say is that we were able to bring people back to the category.”

Dave Williams, president of Bump Williams Consulting, which analyzes the alcoholic beverage industry, said he’s heard of a few beer brands that have popped up in the wake of the initial Bud Light stumble, but none have made a notable splash in terms of size, presence or increased competition. 

“It is certainly an uphill battle for anyone looking to take a brand like Bud (Light) head on,” Dave Williams said. 

Bump Williams Consulting CEO David “Bump” Williams called Hogan’s “open lane” sentiment wishful thinking, given the scale needed to challenge a global brand like Bud Light. And, generally speaking, he said, celebrity products risk running aground if the brand relies too much on the personal association instead of building a solid business plan. 

Real American Beer will be available in 21 states by the end of summer, Francis, the CEO, said.

Hogan said his goal is for Real American Beer to become an industry leader that will eventually grow into a beverage company with things like non-alcoholic options.

“It’s middle America, it’s NASCAR, it’s wrestling, it’s country western, it’s purple mountains majesty, it’s the American flag. It’s God, it’s country — all of the above is what America is all about,” Hogan said.

Hogan will be in St. Louis on July 19 to promote Real American Beer. St. Louis was a significant player in the rise of WWE, often hosting championship events and airing television programs like Wrestling at the Chase via the St. Louis Wrestling Club.

Hogan said he remembers wrestling at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel as “insanity.”

“All the great wrestlers would come to St. Louis once a month and if you were on the card in St. Louis it was like being in Madison Square Garden,” he said. “If you got the opportunity to wrestle in St. Louis, that meant you were really something and you made it.”

Hogan said he is excited to return to St. Louis and meet his Hulkamaniacs. And he’s glad he doesn’t have to fight anyone.

“Usually, when I’m coming there I land at the airport and I’ll go check in at the Marriott hotel or something by the airport. Then I have to work out. I have to go wrestle,” Hogan said.

“But this time, it’s almost like I’m on vacation because I don’t have to get kicked in the head, I don’t have to work out and all I have to do is meet my friends, so I’m just really excited.”

Hannah Wyman – 314-340-8330

hwyman@post-dispatch.com

Retired professional wrestler Hulk Hogan promotes his new beer, Real American Beer. He will be visiting St. Louis in July to further advertise…

Whether you’re looking for an under-21-friendly option for your Fourth of July barbecue, or you decided to ditch alcohol but still want a soph…

He left to purchase a new lock for his 250-pound historic sign, but when he returned, it was missing.

Two Milwaukee beer sign collectors reported that thieves took their large and historic Schlitz beer sign that was displayed on the front porch of their building.

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The world’s best NA beer was awarded to an Oregon brewery at this year’s World Beer Cup.

The top non-alcoholic/NA beer at this year’s World Beer Cup was awarded to Black Butte Non-Alcoholic from Deschutes Brewery, in Bend Oregon.

World Beer Cup — known as the Olympics of the beer world — is presented by the Brewers Association. Judges blind taste-tested beers in more than 100 categories this spring in Las Vegas. Forbes contributors have previously written about many of the winning beers in the most popular categories including IPAs and pilsners. However, due to the massive surge in NA beers in recent years, NA is an increasingly competitive category and this year’s competition saw more than 140 entries.

Interestingly the winning beer is a non-alcoholic take on the brewery’s original Black Butte, a porter that helped make the famous Oregon brewery a success and is named for an extinct Oregon volcano. The brewery’s description notes flavors of coffee and chocolate and “a luscious creaminess and roasted finish.” The brewery also notes that the beer doesn’t just have fans, “it also has followers.” The NA version of this beer was designed to replicate those sought-after flavors and by all accounts, it’s done just that. Black Butte Non-Alcoholic has won more than 8 international NA awards including this recent win.

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Because the beer is NA, it ships directly from the brewery to most states, so most U.S. beer drinkers can give this a try if they want. In addition to Black Butte, which took the gold medal award in the NA category, two other beers medaled. Silver went to Soul Sour, by Athletic Brewing Co. in Milford Connecticut, and Bronze went to Night Strike, Leader Brewing, Palm Bay, Florida.

A small Florida NA brewery, Night Strike has been making big waves in NA beer circles since being founded in 2022. In addition to this recent award, it’s won previous medals at other prestigious beer competitions and earned mentions in national media. You can have the brewery’s beer shipped directly from the brewery.

Meanwhile, Athletic Brewing Co. is arguably the biggest name in NA beer and the brewery that more than any other put U.S. NA drinking on the map. The brewery’s Soul Sour, a fruit-forward sour brewed each year in honor of Black History Month. You can also order it online and be happy knowing that 100% of the profits from the beer are donated to causes that support BIPOC scholarships in brewing.

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The best pilsner in the world this year comes from Colorado.

Pilsner was one of the most popular beer categories at this year’s prestigious World Beer Cup, which is often referred to as the Olympics of the beer world. More than 600 pilsners were submitted across four subcategories, but only four pilsners took home gold medals.

These elite and crisp beers were selected by an expert panel of judges this spring in Las Vegas at the annual beer competition presented by the Brewers Association — an organization representing small and independent brewers. I previously wrote about German-style pilsners awarded at the festival, as well as several IPA categories and other Forbes contributors have taken a closer look at IPAs overall.

Even though the IPA still reigns supreme as the most popular beer style, pilsners are getting more and more attention, and are probably the most popular current beer style with brewers themselves. It’s not hard to see why. They are complex yet easy to drink, and pilsners really highlight a brewer’s skill because you can’t hide any imperfections behind loads of hop flavors or aroma. Plus with sub-styles ranging from German to Boehmian to American and more, different types of pilsners can appeal to different drinkers.

Here are the four pilsners deemed the world’s best for 2024.

The brewery describes Venga as a traditional Mexican lager “fermented cold with Mexican lager yeast,” and as a “light and easy drinking beer.” The brewery recommends serving the refreshing beer “Chelada-style with rimmed salt and a lime wedge.”

Named simply “pilsner” this beer “shines brilliantly gold with fluffy white foam,” and features “Aromas of fresh grass, spring flowers, with a touch of lemon zest quaffs from the glass,” according to the brewery. As I previously wrote: “Good news for Oregon beer lovers: This beer ships statewide. Bad news for the rest of us: It isn’t available for shipping outside of Oregon.”

Made with Moravian malt and Saaz hops this beer is all about creating authentic Bohemian pilsner flavors. Per the brewery: “The ‘bublina’ or bubbles in this beer are best experienced in Tubinger tankards from Czech side-pull faucets.”

Perfect for pilsner fans who want a little bit of hop bite, this hopped pilsner is clean and crisp with loads of Amarillo and Strata hops. You can find out more about 401K at the brewery’s website, though there’s no word if it also comes with a dental plan.

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service.  We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

So, how can you be a power user?

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.

As a local, Jim Greene is very excited about Disney Springs’ newest sip, SunShine Stroll Orange Pilsner — because it’s local, too. The beer’s July 1 release pairs neatly with the return of Flavors of Florida, which offers visitors to the Springs a taste of the Sunshine State.

Greene, general manager operations for Disney Springs, hails from Satellite Beach. SunShine Stroll Orange Pilsner, a light and citrusy offering, is custom crafted by Playalinda Brewing Co. from Titusville, an old rival city of Greene’s.

“We used to play them in football!” he notes with enthusiasm, but he reserves the bulk of his excitement for the beer itself — the refreshing result of years’ worth of visitor queries.

“Both domestic and international travelers ask about local beer all the time and ask, ‘What do you have that I can’t get anywhere else?’ We never had an answer.”

Now, they do — the Pilsner is a Disney Springs exclusive — and it joins the fourth annual Flavors of Florida lineup of more than 80 items, found at more than 40 locations from kiosks and fast-casual offerings, to storefront stop-ins, to fast-casual and full-service restaurants.

This hazy 4.5% ABV offering, with its touch of Florida orange, fits right in.

“It’s what you call a walking beer,” Greene says, and beginning July 1, visitors can grab a 16 oz. can or a draught at any number of outposts on property and walk it end to end. It will be sticking around after the summery event ends on Aug. 11.

In fact, the beer has even been incorporated into some of the festival’s offerings, such as the orange pilsner goat cheese dip (available at Jock Lindsay’s Hangar Bar) and crispy pork-topped St. Augustine datil pepper frites (at The Daily Poutine).

Over at Morimoto Asia, where past Flavors of Florida events have seen proteins like gator and frog legs giving folks a taste of former Executive Chef Yuhi Fujinaga’s penchant for thinking outside the box, this year’s take by Executive Chef Takeshi Ikeuchi speaks to something more familiar to most: Key West shrimp.

“He enjoys using this in his Cantonese-style cuisine,” says Fujinaga, now director of culinary for Patina Restaurant Group, “but also wanted to bring in his Japanese heritage by bringing in chilled soba noodles. They are infused with green tea, too, which is very unique.”

The dish also employs vegetables from local growers, such as carrots, cucumbers and purple daikon from small-scale, organic Sugar Top Farms in Clermont. This is an element the festival has been tapping into, Springs-wide, as the event has grown, says Disney Springs Vice President Matt Simon.

“It’s no longer just ingredients that are Florida-familiar,” he says. “We’re bringing in the farmers of our community and showing our guests, in a very special way, how to enjoy these flavors in a truly authentic way.”

Part of this is encapsulated in an all-new pairing series that will connect guests with their food and drink, says Michael Reiss, general manager of Disney Springs business relations and food and beverage.

The series will be hosted at The Edison, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, Paddlefish, Wine Bar George, City Works Eatery & Pour House and Jaleo.

“It’s one of those things we’ve layered in to give more options and value to the guests,” Reiss explains. “These will have a limited number of seats, with two events per location.” Tickets for these events, which span multiple courses and run from 1.5 to 3 hours, drop July 1 at disneysprings.com/pairingevents.

“It’s exciting for guests to be able to have this personal connection with the chefs in Disney Springs,” says Simon. “They’re such an important part of our story and what we do. And for them to be able to get together and have an amazing food experience that nobody else in the world can have.”

History, too, plays a role. As Florida is the birthplace of the Cuban sandwich, several venues will be doing takes, from the Tampa-style Cuban at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ to an Ybor City-style dog at B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co.

The beverage teams have been getting in on the fun, too. At Morimoto Asia, the orange shiso mocktail allows guests of all ages to get in on Florida flavors with a house-made orange shrub. Frontera Cocina has a Sunshine State margarita. Gideon’s Bakehouse‘s orange mocha nitro cold brew will be jet fuel to its queued-up fans while eet by Maneet Chauhan’s Sunny Days brings them back down, its ice pop-laden, whipped vodka delight is a cocktail in dessert disguise.

And of course, there’s that beer, the one Flavor of Florida that’s sticking around past Aug. 11.

“It’s here for good,” says Greene.

Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. For more foodie fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.

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If you drink beer—any beer—you’re probably familiar with the craft beer explosion that began in the late 2010s, and you likely fall into one of two camps: IPA warrior or lager loyalist. The great thing about a beer-related revolution is that there is no wrong side. Whatever your preference, cheers to you.

The brewery business is indeed a revolution by many counts. According to the Brewers Association, the number of breweries in the United States grew by 567% from 2003 to 2023—all while beer consumption, on average, was declining. For the first time since 1999, beer shipments fell below 200 million barrels in 2023, making it the lowest amount of beer consumed in the U.S. in a generation.

Like all revolutions, this began as a desire for change—as an overthrow of the old and the monopolistic. When combined, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors (formerly MillerCoors), two of the largest beer companies in the world, comprised roughly 72% of total beer sales in the U.S. around 2013. A decade later, that share dropped to 65.7% in 2023, with smaller brewers claiming a larger share.

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With a taste of the innovations and variety coming out of craft breweries, consumers are demanding a higher-quality product—and are willing to pay more for it. Over the last decade, between May 2014 and May 2024, beer prices have risen 21% overall.

But how can you determine the best craft beers in an increasingly crowded market? If you’re curious about the most popular beers in the Volunteer State, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated beers in Tennessee using ratings from BeerAdvocate. A maximum of five beers per brewery were included.

Read on to plan your next local beer tour!

– Rating: 4.15 (40 ratings)
– Type: Brett Beer
– ABV: 6.20%
– Brewery: Yazoo Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.33 (10 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 6.50%
– Brewery: Xül Beer Co.
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.12 (902 ratings)
– Type: Smoked Porter
– ABV: 9.00%
– Brewery: Yazoo Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.2 (30 ratings)
– Type: Sweet / Milk Stout
– ABV: 6.50%
– Brewery: Southern Grist Brewing Co.
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.17 (50 ratings)
– Type: Imperial IPA
– ABV: 7.90%
– Brewery: Southern Grist Brewing Co.
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.17 (52 ratings)
– Type: American IPA
– ABV: 7.50%
– Brewery: Southern Grist Brewing Co.
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.3 (15 ratings)
– Type: American Imperial Stout
– ABV: 13.20%
– Brewery: Blackstone Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.27 (22 ratings)
– Type: Wild Ale
– ABV: 5.90%
– Brewery: Yazoo Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.4 (12 ratings)
– Type: Wild Ale
– ABV: 6.00%
– Brewery: Yazoo Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.31 (20 ratings)
– Type: Quadrupel (Quad)
– ABV: 10.00%
– Brewery: Tennessee Brew Works
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

| Check out more lists and rankings from across Tennessee →

– Rating: 4.2 (114 ratings)
– Type: American Imperial Stout
– ABV: 13.20%
– Brewery: Blackstone Brewing Company
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.22 (69 ratings)
– Type: Saison
– ABV: 6.30%
– Brewery: Blackberry Farm Brewery
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.24 (50 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 8.00%
– Brewery: Southern Grist Brewing Co.
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.27 (45 ratings)
– Type: Imperial IPA
– ABV: 8.30%
– Brewery: Southern Grist Brewing Co.
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.21 (530 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 6.00%
– Brewery: Bearded Iris Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.24 (213 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 8.20%
– Brewery: Bearded Iris Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.27 (75 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 6.80%
– Brewery: Bearded Iris Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.28 (149 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 7.50%
– Brewery: Bearded Iris Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.33 (252 ratings)
– Type: New England IPA
– ABV: 8.20%
– Brewery: Bearded Iris Brewing
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

– Rating: 4.36 (218 ratings)
– Type: American Imperial Stout
– ABV: 12.20%
– Brewery: Wiseacre Brewing – Broad Ave OG
– Read more on BeerAdvocate

⏩ Read today’s top stories on wkrn.com

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.

A number of years ago, Foster’s ran a commercial claiming that its brand name was “Australian for beer” and that, along with the fact that Paul Hogan (aka Crocodile Dundee) once served as a pitchman, helped to cement the idea in American minds that it really was the premier Australian beer. Down Under, however, they’d probably laugh at the notion, since if the island-nation-continent has an unofficial beer, it would be far more likely to be XXXX than Foster’s. Unlike Foster’s, which is produced in such far-flung locations as Manchester, England and Fort Worth, Texas, XXXX is Australian born and brewed in Brisbane since the late 19^th century.

Even though the name might sound like an extra-raunchy porn movie — either that, or the Most Interesting Man in the World double-fisting his signature Dos Equis — XXXX’s moniker actually has a more mundane meaning behind it. The letter X was originally meant as a quality rating, somewhat akin to Amazon stars, and the first beers produced by the Castlemaine Brewery managed to garner three of them. In 1893, however, the brew had improved sufficiently to earn a fourth star, so the brewery changed the name to honor the accomplishment (Pabst Blue Ribbon has a similar origin story.)

Read more: Kopi Luwak Is A Very Expensive Cup Of Poop Coffee

The XXXX brand today offers several different lager-style beers, among them XXXX Dry, XXXX Bitter, and XXXX Summer Gold (the last-named also available in lime and mango flavors) as well as the nonalcoholic XXXX Zero. Top of the chain, however, is XXX Gold, a beer that was the number two seller in all of Australia for 2023 — and in a 30-pack, no less. (Guess which beer didn’t even make the top 10? Fosters may actually be Australian for “meh.”)

As to why Australians love XXXX beer, we can’t speak for all of them, since around 27 million people are living there and it’s possible that some prefer to stick with Milo, a Nesquik-like chocolate drink, while other non-beer drinkers would rather Tim Tam Slam a cup of coffee. To be honest, we can’t really speak for any of them since we’re not Australian ourselves, nor can we render an American’s take on the brew since it’s not imported to this country. (Or anywhere else.) From what we do know of it, though, it seems to fall into the category of what you’d call an “easy drinker” — only 3.5% ABV, and with a slightly sweet, not too bitter flavor and a decent amount of fizz. IPA-sipping hipsters are clearly not the intended market for XXXX, but it’s been a best seller since it launched back in the 1990s so it’s doing just fine without the endorsement of craft beer snobs.

One sign that XXXX may be the quintessential Australian beer is the fact that in some quarters it is literally synonymous with the country, or a close facsimile thereof. In Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, which spans 41 books and also spawned a number of movie and video game adaptations, “The Last Continent,” which is clearly based on Australia, goes by the name of Fourecks.

Not only does XXXX have this literary legacy, but it is even more strongly associated with sports since it’s been sponsoring the Queensland Maroons rugby team since 1991. The annual National Rugby League State of Origin series between the Maroons and New South Wales is one of the country’s premier sporting events, kind of like a Super Bowl where the same two teams play every year, only without Taylor Swift dating any of the players (yet). XXXX, of course, is the de rigeur brew for Maroons supporters during the series, and at other times as well, After all, no true fan would be caught drinking a Toohey’s because this rival beer brand sponsors the NSW Blues.

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Wednesday’s game between the New York Mets and New York Yankees was forced to go into a brief rain delay. Luckily for Mets fans, one famous figure found something to do to help pass the time.

With heavy thunderstorms rolling through Queens, McDonald’s mascot Grimace could be seen chugging a beer as a sea of fans on the Shea Bridge cheered him on.

pic.twitter.com/JG50CGnKPG

Grimace has become quite the good luck charm for the Mets in recent weeks. Since throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on June 12, the Mets have put together an 11-2 record.

The contest ended up being delayed for over an hour, but Mets fans didn’t seem to mind too much as they were being entertained by Grimace’s antics. The Mets went on to beat the Yankees 12-2, taking the latest Subway Series.