Beer Tourism Research Articles

Tapping into flavourful journeys: a systematic review and application of craft beer tourism frameworks

PurposeThere is a growing interest in investigating craft beer tourism and consumption experiences as different destinations seek to position unique attributes and cultures in their culinary offerings. Yet, in this space, factors that have triggered the creation, management and marketing of craft beer tourism remain implicit. The purpose of this paper is therefore to present a systematic literature review of craft beer tourism, apply a conceptual model of craft beer gastronomy tourism and, in turn, provide strategic imperatives for the sector moving forward.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive search for craft beer tourism in hospitality and tourism literature was undertaken using a combination of Google Scholar search terms as well as institutional library databases. Then, following the steps proposed by Xiao and Watson (2019), articles were sorted into themes before determining their appropriateness to be included in a systematic literature review.FindingsBased on prior research, a Craft beer gastronomy tourism model is proposed. This model was found to provide a macro perspective of the craft beer tourism literature and was applied using the systematic literature review. It was found that not many of the papers fit the three-step process, and a fragmented relationship between craft breweries and tourism was observed. On reviewing the theories and frameworks used, it was found that there was not much consistency with the majority using frameworks and concepts. Furthermore, most studies were undertaken from the perspective of a single region or homogenous samples, with few offering cross-sectional comparisons. The most common methods of the papers were surveys and interviews, with a majority being cross-sectional.Originality/valueThe systematic literature review has led to the development of a novel conceptual model that highlights the current focal areas but also gaps that inform future studies and managerial implications.

Reconstructing the microbrewery taproom experiencescape through narratives in online travel reviews: A case from Houston, Texas USA

The number of craft breweries on the American landscape has grown exponentially over the past several decades. The literature on craft beer and beer tourism has grown accordingly. Yet, visitors’ experience of the craft brewery taproom remains an under-examined aspect of this literature. O’Dell (2005 ) proposed the idea of examining the landscapes of experiences, or experiencescapes, including the physical and social spaces that allow for the co-creation of experiences. The concept has increasingly been used to examine culinary, gastronomic, and wine tourism experiences. Thus, this exploratory study begins to address the gap in the craft beer and beer tourism literature by reconstructing the experiencescape of craft brewery taprooms from visitor narratives in online travel reviews for microbreweries and taproom breweries in Houston, Texas (USA). The study employs thematic narrative analysis to identify the components of the physical and social environments of the brewery taproom that comprise the experiencescape and contribute to positive, memorable experiences. Findings indicate that consuming the craft beer product is only one part of the taproom experiencescape; breweries must consider the taproom experience holistically. Opportunities exist to facilitate a more conscious experiencescape design to engage visitors’ senses for more immersive and memorable experiences.

Provenance representations in craft beer

ABSTRACT This paper explores the value of provenance representations in the marketing and promotion of craft beers, which have seen an increase in sales in recent years. A cross-comparative analysis of qualitative data from the labels of 118 craft beers in Wales (UK) and 124 in Brittany (France) identifies an abundant use of cultural representations, especially language, symbols and folklore. Findings point to the value of craft brewing in supporting local economies through social terroir, and consumers’ connections to place, which promote social and economic sustainability, and could be harnessed through marketing strategies to stimulate local beer tourism.

Rural Craft Beer Tourism: Consumer Attributes And Regional Economic Impact

The main objective for this study was to collect baseline data to analyze the economic impact of the craft beer market and craft beer tourism in the southern Illinois region of the US. To determine the economic impact of the craft breweries in southern Illinois, data were analyzed using an IMPLAN input–output model from the nine counties where the 18-member Southern Illinois Beer Trail (SIBT) association reside. Additional data were collected from a convenience sample of visitors to a destination brewery in southern Illinois. Results of the economic impact model indicated total consumption of beer, malt liquor, and nonalcoholic beer was about $100 million in 2016 with foreign exports of $1.3 million. In the nine counties, the total local brewery output was $19 million. For the destination brewery, females, Gen-Xers, singles, higher education, and loyalty had higher log odds of revisiting the brewery. The craft brewery industry has among the highest employment ripple effect in the economy when compared to industries such as winery and full-service restaurants. Visitors and locals were statistically different in several respects, notably visitors constituted five times the direct and indirect economic impact effects as compared to locals. Results indicate distinct opportunities for members of a craft beer trail to work collectively and "tap" into the reputation of a destination brewery to promote and attract visitors to a regional craft beer tourism market.

Conceptualizing meaningful tourism experiences: Case study of a small craft beer brewery in Thailand

An experience-driven conceptualization to understanding craft beer tourism is explored through the case study of a small brewery in Thailand. Adopting a four-pronged qualitative research design, the study reveals how the combined values of staged experiences, co-creative experiences and transformative experiences, and certain pre-conditions (i.e. traits of the tourism provider and categories and motivations of the tourists) that foster those experiences can lead to meaningful tourism experience of a single tourism destination. The study contributes to social exchange theory and positive psychology in tourism, while offering practical guidelines for tourism stakeholders involved in the development and promotion of tourism experiences. •The potential and capability of small tourism destination in driving meaningful tourism experiences. • Meaningful tourism experiences through staged, co-creative and transformative experiences. • Innovative and transformative leadership of tourism providers as drivers of tourism experiences. • Applying categories and motivations of the tourists in designing tourism experiences. • Designing and managing holistic tourism experience is key to destination management.

Applications of Experience Economy in Craft Beer Tourism: A Case Study in Thailand’s Context

With Thailand as a context, this study explores the applications of Pine and Gilmore’s experience economy framework in two forms of craft beer tourism, namely brewpubs and festivals. A three-pronged qualitative research design is used wherein data was collected through observations, interviews (n = 26), and netnography (n = 203). The findings revealed that both forms of craft beer tourism implement four dimensions of the experience economy in different measures. Esthetic and escapist dimensions benefit from natural, scenic settings and a man-made environment. In addition, they advance the framework by proposing the dimension of entrepreneurship, which orchestrates the entertainment and education elements that enhance tourists’ experiences. The application of the experience economy framework is a useful strategic approach for craft beer tourism which can be applied in niche or special interest tourism, while also providing a significant influence on destination marketing and sustainable development.

Creating Opportunities for the Development of Craft Beer Tourism in Serbia as a New Form of Sustainable Tourism

Beer may not be the oldest alcoholic beverage, but it is definitely among the most popular alcoholic beverages in Serbia today. The authors conducted a survey in 2019, during three major beer festivals, on a total sample of 542 festival visitors. The authors set the goal of the research: sensory preferences, habits, knowledge of the beer production process and a healthy lifestyle influence the choice of beer type, in respondents older than 18 years. Further, the goal was to investigate the extent to which craft tourism can be developed in Serbia, and to be an aid in sustainable tourism development. SPSS software, version 26.00, was used for data processing. Descriptive statistical analysis determined the average values for all items from the given research groups. The authors considered that, for determining the group of factors, which may have the strongest predictor power in predicting beer choice, the best results can be given by Binary Logistic Regression. The logarithm of chances, chances and probabilities has also been determined whether in some future period all festival visitors over the age of 18 will be chosen for craft beer instead of factory beer. The obtained results show that visitors mainly consume craft beer, and that sensory tendencies play a leading role in preserving and creating quality, as well as attracting regular consumers and visitors to craft tourism. The importance of the research is undoubtedly seen in resolving the existing doubts about the quality of beer and creating a craft tourist market in Serbia. In addition, the research can improve the measures around the creation of a recognizable identity of the Serbian beer festival, on the wider tourist market.

The Influence of the Growth of the Number of Microbreweries on the Use of Farmland and on the Cultivation of Hops in the Czech Republic: A Case Study

The purpose of this study is to express the perspective of development of the hop field area in connection with the growing number of microbreweries and the popularity of special beers in Czechia. Czech beer is a concept all over the world, it comes not only from 45 large industrial breweries, including world-famous breweries from Pilsen, Prague or České Budějovice, but is also produced in more than 480 small breweries (microbreweries), many of which are traditional family businesses. With a consumption of 141 L per person in 2018, the Czechs are among the world’s largest beer consumers and they have already surpassed even the Irish and Germans. The research performed confirmed the validity of the hypothesis about a slight positive effect of the growth in the number of microbreweries and the production of special beers on the extent of the hop field area in Czechia. In addition to the interpretation of new beer styles, this article also discusses the emergence of new aromatic hop varieties, the development of beer tourism and new sales opportunities for hop growers.

МОЖЛИВОСТІ РОЗВИТКУ ПИВНОГО ТУРИЗМУ В УКРАЇНІ

The article describes the current state of development of beer tourism in Ukraine. In particular, the theoretical aspects of the development of beer tourism are studied: the ambiguity of approaches to the interpretation of the concept of beer tourism is pointed out; the subspecies of beer tourism are singled out and the main components of the beer tour are indicated in terms of their difference from other types of tours. The main variants of classifications of types of beer as the main product of beer tourism on the following signs are described: according to GOST 29018−91; GOST 3473-78, depending on the mass fraction of dry matter in the initial wort and the method of fermentation (the so-called international classification of beer). According to opinion polls, the key parameters of a typical portrait of the average beer consumer, and, consequently, a potential customer of a beer tour are given − gender, age, place of residence, consumer wealth, volume and location of consumption, preferences on type, price and packaging of beer. The economic indicators of the beer industry in Ukraine in the last decade are characterized: the causes and consequences of the beer crisis in Ukraine in 2013-2014, the activities and portfolios of beer brands of key players in the beer market of Ukraine − corporations SUN InBev Ukraine, Carlsberg Ukraine (Carlsberg Ukraine), Oasis CIS («First Private Brewery») and Obolon. The possibilities of craft brewing in Ukraine are analyzed, a brief description of the key craft breweries of Ukraine (VARVAR, PRAVDA Beer Theater, Collider, Tsypa Brewery, Bierwille, White Rabbit, Andrii’s Craft Brewery, K&F Brewery) is given. The information on top locations of beer tourism by regions and the main beer festivals and events of the country is systematized. Problems and perspective directions of development of domestic beer tourism are defined. It was found that the scale of beer tours in Ukraine is not well studied, however, with proper organizational work, beer tourism and, accordingly, beer tours in the country can significantly replenish the amount of tax revenues to local and state budgets, which will lead to effective policy and business revival. activity that will affect the national economy.

The attitude of Czech university students to beer consumption from microbreweries

The questionnaire survey was focused on the relation of university students of generation Z in the Czech Republic to beer from microbreweries. The survey involved 1,103 respondents from among Czech university students. 1,004 respondents complied with the survey conditions (they had to belong to university students and consume beer). Although 98% of beer consumed in the Czech Republic is from industrial breweries, it has turned out that the proportion of students who consume beer from industrial breweries and microbreweries is almost the same. As for beer from microbreweries, students prefer classic beers of the Pilsen type. So far, these do not circulate in beer tourism in larger quantities. The respondents agree that beer tourism will compete successfully with wine tourism. For beer tourism to develop successfully, microbreweries must also offer catering, accommodation, and other services; beer baths are in high demand at present. The economic benefits of microbreweries are in several areas – they integrate into tourist destinations, use local raw materials for beer and food preparation, create new jobs, enhance abandoned breweries and contribute to the development of rural areas.

Craft Beer Tourism in Thailand

The craft beer movement and craft beer tourism are a new global phenomenon that has reached various parts of the world. However, the literature on craft beer tourism mostly focuses on traditional origins of craft beer in Western countries—the US, Australia, and European countries. This research note illustrates how a study of the Thai craft beer movement and craft beer tourism could contribute to the existing body of knowledge. The consumption of non-Western people in non-Western places has been underrepresented in the literature of food and beverage tourism. The craft beer movement has spread to Thailand via urban middle-class Thais who brought the passion for and knowledge of home brewing from the West to Thailand. Brewing lessons, brewery visits, and craft beer events/ festivals have functioned as community building activities for Thai craft beer enthusiasts as well as the main craft beer distribution channel. Craft beer consumption continues to grow despite the Thai alcoholic production law that prohibits home brewing. For future studies, different craft beer tourism activities in Thailand should be analyzed for 1) the adoption of the experience economy framework, 2) the formation of the consumption community, 3) the roles of various stakeholders who differentially contribute to and benefit from craft beer tourism activities, and 4) the role of foreign tourists in the development of craft beer tourism in Thailand.

Possibilities for Developing Beer Routes in Slovakia

The last 30 years of brewing history in Slovakia were the most turbulent ones. They were influenced by the liquidation of some beer production as well as privatization, integration and acquisitions of global beer producers. As a reaction to the uniform taste of beer produced by the global producers, numerous small craft breweries emerged in Slovakia trying to return the specific beer taste to the regions. Their importance may also be involved in the development of popular beer tourism through beer routes in addition to the fragmentation of the Slovak brewing industry. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the potential of Slovakia for the development of beer routes. The examination and assessment of the possibilities of creating beer routes in Slovakia required considering the historical context first, and then establishing a database comprising the list of craft breweries in Slovakia and the list of places where beer festivals are organised. Correspondence with the President of the Association of Small Independent Slovak Breweries was used for this purpose. Such a database was then verified, supplemented and compared to the database developed by our team based on information from field research, telephone interviews with thirty representatives of breweries, and an analysis of websites of Slovak breweries. The database was further transformed into space, using a map of isolines (equidistant) expressing the mutual distance of the craft breweries. In compiling the results, dynamic-comparative methods and cartographic presentation methods were also used. All together, we identified 70 craft breweries and proposed three beer routes thanks to their spatial distribution.

Izmir Craft Beer Trail

Craft beer tourism is a type of special interest tourism, which is increasing in popularity in parallel with the growing interest and curiosity for novel, experimental, small-scale and artisan types of beer and related themes. As such, trails are gaining popularity, which integrate the opportunities to explore new tastes, methods of production and experimentation around craft beer and also complementing elements of food pairings, stories and heritage, shopping, places and landscapes around craft beer. These trails offer a more complete tourism product as well as a stronger sense of place, memorable tourist experiences and therefore opportunities for destination branding and overall promotion. In this context, an explorative field research has been conducted, possible participants have been identified and interviewed. As a result, the model for a craft beer trail in Izmir has been proposed and mapped, to include the places that produce and serve craft beer and related products, urban landmarks, accommodation and transportation, and a scheme for its management is presented. The trail is proposed to embrace and promote the natural and cultural landscape, social life, craft beer related and general cultural heritage and overall tourism attraction of Izmir, ultimately branding the city as a prominent craft beer destination. Additionally, the trail should provide product diversification as well as a means to increase occupancy rates and ease tourism congestion.

The application of enduring involvement theory in the development of a success model for a craft beer and food festival

PurposeThe purpose of this research paper is to examine whether enduring involvement theory plays a role in predicting craft beer and food festival visitors' experience of the festivalscape. Though craft beer and brewing is a growing area of research, there has been limited studies and theory application in this area. Around the world, craft breweries are increasing in number and producing more unique styles of beer as the demand for craft beer increases. Craft beer consumers visit many of these breweries and are attracted to craft beer festivals in which they can sample multiple local, regional, national and international craft beers.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodology was used based on data collected at the site of the festival. Researchers collected 204 useable surveys from visitors attending the North Miami Brewfest in North Miami, Florida, USA. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the relationships among enduring involvement, festivalscape, satisfaction, revisit intention and word-of-mouth.FindingsThe results revealed that enduring involvement is significant in predicting all four factors of festivalscape (food/beverage quality, convenience, facility and festival staff). The festivalscape factors facility, food quality and festival staff predicted festival attendee satisfaction which in turn predicted both revisit intention and word-of-mouth. However, the festivalscape factor convenience did not influence satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors surveyed only one festival in one region in South Florida. Further studies can survey multiple festivals in multiple regions to increase the generalizability of the research model. Enduring involvement theory could be applied to other niche areas in hospitality and tourism in the future (in addition to craft beer tourism).Practical implicationsCraft beer festival organizers should appeal to craft beer clubs, breweries and publications to attract those with a commitment to the craft beer industry to their event. People with an enduring, lasting commitment to craft beer are more likely to have a positive experience of the festivalscape at the event. Lastly, festival organizers should focus on the festivalscape factors facility, festival staff and food and beverage quality to influence satisfaction at the event.Originality/valueThis project applies enduring involvement theory in a festival setting. The research is further unique by adding enduring involvement as a predictor of festivalscape experience.

Motivation, Behaviors, and Travel Activities of Beer Tourists

This article explores the demand side of beer tourism, in particular the characteristics of travelers motivated by beer experiences using a survey of American leisure travelers (N = 562). Travelers motivated by beer (called "beer tourists" or "beer travelers") can be considered a distinct market segment. They take part in both food tourism (e. g., taking a food or beverage tour) and many general tourism activities (e. g., attending major events, attending performing arts events) at a higher rate than other leisure travelers. This fits within cultural omnivore theory, and beer tourists can be considered "cultural omnivores" participating in activities not solely related with their primary travel motivation. While traveling, beer tourists also reported spending 42% more per day on food and beverage than other leisure travelers, indicating their value to destinations. Practical implications for destinations include cross-marketing and promotion, as beer-motivated tourists spend money across a wide variety of experiences. Theoretical implications are also discussed.

Development of small breweries and innovation in the brewing industry in the Republic of Slovakia

The aim and purpose of this paper was to evaluate the current market situation based on respondents’ answers and to present the current situation on the market, to find out about the opinion of users about beer, but also about the development of beer tourism, which is gaining in importance. The brewing industry was deemed to be a relatively stable and attractive industry. Brewery strategies have been influenced by several factors. The brewing industry had the opportunity for a new beginning in 1990. The production and distribution were locally oriented, with customers usually drinking local beer. It was important to find out and evaluate their general attitudes about beer, brewery and beer tourism. The problem of analyzing customers opinion is very important and significant but also complex. Innovation is an important factor in all economies. The Republic of Slovakia has a long tradition in brewing. The results are presented in the form of descriptive statistics and strong conclusion and recommendations made regarding the brewing industry of the Slovak Republic.

THE PROBLEMS OF STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CRAFTING OPERATORS (CASE OF BREWING OF UKRAINE)

The article deals with the set of factors that influence the brewing industry of Ukraine, the interrelations between the crafting industry and mass production, in particular. The beer tourism can be the source of the development of the country and a region. In the USA and the countries of EU craft beer production is growing and became attractive for the investors, however, in Ukraine, this sector is under threat of elimination. Due to regulating acts that was recently performed, huge competition with big corporations and decrease of real income of population small crafters have a challenge to keep on functioning. The culture of beer consumption is another problem in Ukraine while in the Chez Republic or Belgium beer crafting is a respectful business supported by the local governments. One more tendency that can be promising in terms of beer crafting production development is increasing of non-alcoholic beer consumption. The market has a big potential to grow, and it can be a strategic window for local producers. In the paper, the social, economic factors are analyzed in order to develop the strategy. Among the main factors the lost of production capacities in the East played a significant role, the market interactions with Russian Federation were canceled, and new partners search took place. Moreover, the legislation has been changed several times for the rest years, and one of the most significant changes were licensing and promotion policy changes. Under these conditions, the mini-makers including beer crafters have to re-group their market strategies and market activities. The modern tendencies and possible pathways are performed, the authors offered the propositions about the strategy of the development. Authors suggested that two main trajectories exist for the beer crafters: a reactive strategy and a proactive strategy. And if a proactive strategy is chosen to be implemented, this scenario can be accomplished through Bartlett-Ghoshal Strategies Framework. Multidomestic strategy can be a response to market changes, and strategic windows that opened in 2018 (legislations changes). Keywords: crafting, brewing, development, strategy of development.

Strengths, innovation, and opportunities in a burgeoning industry: an exploratory study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine key areas related to the craft brewing industry from the perspective of operators of micro and small craft breweries, and propose a framework based on the resourced-based theory of the firm and the theory of innovation. The areas investigated include participants’ perceived strengths of their craft brewery, involvement in innovative practices, opportunities for the craft brewing firm, and potential differences related to these areas based on the demographic characteristics of participants and their breweries.Design/methodology/approachGiven its growing significance and economic contribution, the US craft brewery industry was chosen for this study. An online questionnaire was designed to gather data from craft brewery operators across the nation.FindingsProduct and service quality, knowledge, reputation, and expertise were revealed as key strengths, while creating new recipes and using social media tools were the most considered ways of innovating. Furthermore, opportunities were perceived through craft beer tourism, increased consumption, and quality improvements. Statistically significant differences emerged, particularly based on production levels, staff numbers, and involvement/no involvement in exports. Various associations between the findings and the adopted theoretical frameworks were revealed.Originality/valueIn terms of originality, the proposed refinement based on the adopted theoretical frameworks and findings facilitates understanding of the significance of resources and innovation, particularly for firms operating in a growing industry. Regarding value, the findings have important implications for the industry, for instance, in the marketing of craft brewing, as well as in the development of new craft brewing products.

Beer Tourism in Central Kentucky: Identifying On-Site Experience Preferences for Kentucky Brewery Tourists

Craft beer tourism, defined as purposeful travel to experience beer culture, taste beers, or tour facilities, is increasing in the US. Although various regions have seen increased craft beer tourism, there is limited information related to beer tourism in the US. To aid in efforts to understand brewery tourists, this research project solicited motivations for visitation and experience preferences of craft brewery patrons in central Kentucky. Researchers developed a visitor demographic profile, noted preferred experiences while onsite, and highlighted specific motivations for visiting breweries. Although exploratory in nature, this information may help breweries in their programming and marketing efforts to increase brewery visitation and revenue.

Stakeholders and Craft Beer Tourism Development

The growth of craft brewing in many countries is increasingly documented in the academic literature. However, research on this phenomenon, concerning the tourism side, is still limited. This exploratory study contributes to the developing body of craft brewing research, investigating the potential, opportunities, and challenges of craft beer tourism (CBT) from the perspective of a group of predominantly microbrewers operating in three nations. The significance of these entrepreneurs as stakeholders of this burgeoning industry justifies the use of stakeholder theory (ST) as the study's theoretical foundation; this adoption represents a further contribution of the study. The usefulness of ST is confirmed, with the findings particularly aligning with the descriptive, instrumental, and normative theses. Additionally, different perceptions of the potential of CBT based on country are identified; content analysis provides further support when different forms of CBT that could be developed are identified. The study also underlines various important practical and theoretical implications and suggests future research opportunities.