Craft Beer Research Articles

Assessment of the impact of unmalted cereals, hops, and yeast strains on volatolomic and olfactory profiles of Blanche craft beers: A chemometric approach.

This study investigated the impact of changes in craft beer formulation, by modifying the unmalted cereal [(durum (Da) and soft (Ri) wheat), emmer (Em)], hops [Cascade (Ca) and Columbus (Co)], and yeast strains [M21 (Wi) - M02 (Ci)], on volatolomic, acidic, and olfactory profiles. Olfactory attributes were evaluated by the trained panel. Volatolomic and acidic profiles were determined by GC-MS. The sensory analysis detected significant differences for 5 attributes, including olfactory intensity and finesse, malty, herbaceous, and floral notes. Multivariate analysis of volatiles data, showed significant differences among the samples (p<0.05). DaCaWi, DaCoWi, and RiCoCi beers differ from the others by their higher concentrations of esters, alcohols, and terpenes. A PLSC analysis was carried out between volatiles and odour attributes. As far as we know, this is the first investigation that shed light on the impact of 3-factors interaction on the sensory-volatolomic profile of craft beers, through a comprehensive multivariate approach.

Can blockchain technology strengthen consumer preferences for credence attributes?

Consumers’ interest in product information, such as nutrition, environment, and social aspects, is increasing in the food market. Blockchain technology can enhance credibility of quality signals on labels through transparency and accountability in the supply chain. This study examines the impact of blockchain technology on reducing consumer uncertainty about credence attributes and facilitating informed choices. It is particularly relevant for food policies, as greater consumer awareness promotes proactive involvement in sustainability and public health. We conducted a choice experiment with 300 Italian consumers, focusing on craft beer and analysing how blockchain technology in strengthens organic and DOP certification. The results provide valuable insights for producers and policymakers to develop voluntary approaches that engage society in objectives that concern the collective well-being. They highlight the potential of blockchain technology in communicating credence attributes and empowering consumers. However, our study reveals that the impact of blockchain technology on choices is influenced by a different level of trust, likely due to the complexity of understanding its functioning.

Hop Tropicalization: Chemical Compositions of Varieties Grown under Organic and Conventional Systems in Subtropical Conditions

The interest in the production of hops in Brazil, motivated by the third position in the world ranking of beer producers and the growth of the craft brewery business, justifies the intensification of studies into its adaptation to local growing conditions. Due to the high internal demand, the aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical profiles of hop varieties grown in subtropical conditions under different cropping systems. Studies that promote the expansion of cultivation areas in distinct climate conditions and ensure quality are very important. A randomized block design was adopted with a 2 × 5 subdivided plot. The main factor was the cropping system (organic and conventional), and the secondary factor was the hop variety (Columbus, Chinook, Nugget, Cascade and Hallertau Mittelfrüeh), with four blocks and four plants per plot. The quality parameters monitored in this work were the contents of alpha and beta acids, and xanthohumol in the inflorescences of hops, as well as the relative composition of their essential oils. The variations in the chemical profiles of essential oils showed differences between some varieties, and the different compositions and levels resulting from the two cropping systems show that management and cultural practices can influence the aromatic characteristics of hops; in total, 23 compounds were found. The terpene fraction represented 79.67% of the oil in Hallertau and 93.63% in Cascade, with myrcene being the main compound. The levels of bitter acids and xanthohumol did not differ statistically as a function of the treatments. This study contributes the first records of the chemical profiles of hops grown in subtropical conditions in Brazil, in general, the Nugget variety had the highest qualitative potential

Life Cycle Assessment of Craft Beer Brewing at Different Scales on a Unit Operation Basis

Beer brewing is a complex process that comprises many fundamental unit operations. Over the last few years, craft brewing has become very popular, and the number of small-scale commercial brewers has drastically increased. However, due to the use of traditional beer-making methods, energy utilization in craft breweries tends to be inefficient, resulting in poor sustainability. Therefore, there is a necessity for a holistic analysis on the energy profile of craft beer brewing to evaluate its environmental performance on a unit operation basis. In this study, a gate-to-gate life cycle assessment was conducted to analyze and compare the environmental profiles of craft beer brewing, including ale and lager, at commercial (microbrewery) and pilot scales. A process simulation model was developed to estimate the electricity and/or natural gas uses of each unit operation, including heating, mashing, boiling, whirlpool, cooling, fermentation, and maturation. The model accurately predicted the steam use for pilot-scale brewing and the electricity and gas bills of a microbrewery. The beers brewed at the microbrewery scale (21.5-barrel brewhouse) had 2–11-fold lower environmental impacts than those brewed at the pilot scale (1-barrel brewhouse), and lager beer generally produced 11–32% higher impacts than ale. The fermentation and maturation steps in brewing were the major contributors to global warming and terrestrial acidification, whereas the mashing step was predominantly responsible for marine eutrophication. This study provides craft brewers with a useful tool for identifying the hotspots of energy use in their processes and developing potential improvement strategies.

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.

Cash—Walk the line: Examining the impact of payment method on consumers' beer choices

AbstractPrevious research has revealed that consumers spend less (more) money when paying through cash (credit card). This effect has been attributed to the pain of paying, which is higher (lower) in the case of cash (credit card) payments. We tested the pain‐of‐paying phenomenon at a bar and collected objective data on almost 1000 beer transactions, including information about the size of the beer consumed (small vs. large), the price paid per beer, the style of the beer, and consumers' payment method (cash vs. credit card). Consumers paying with cash (vs. credit card) spent less money per beer and were less inclined to choose large (vs. small) beers, with the payment method effect on money spent mediated by the size of the purchased beer. Moreover, those paying with cash (vs. credit card) were more inclined to choose dark beers, whereas their probability of purchasing India Pale Ales (IPAs) was directionally lower.Practical ApplicationsGiven our findings that payment method seems to influence alcohol consumption, these results should have important implications for bar and restaurant managers as well as for interventions aimed at mitigating consumer overspending on alcoholic beverages. Specifically, our findings align with research suggesting that card payments promote less healthy and more impulsive choices than cash payments. Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with numerous psychophysiological problems, whereas developing social ties, which is common among craft beer enthusiasts, reduces stress levels and improves mental health. Therefore, a reasonable compromise seems to be that policymakers recommend cash payments for alcoholic beverages to maximize social network development while minimizing the risk of excessive alcohol consumption. The result that consumers who paid with cash (vs. credit card) were more prone to purchase dark beers but slightly less likely to buy IPAs warrants further investigation.

Evaluation of physicochemical parameters and phenolic compounds of craft beer subjected to forced aging

Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world, obtained by cooking barley malt with the addition of hops and brewer's yeast. The craft beer market has been growing, and, at the same time, the demand for studies on nutritional issues, compounds, and chemical reactions. The forced aging analysis assesses the long-term stability of the drink to simulate the reality of storage. During the shelf life, the drink may undergo reactions that alter the physical-chemical characteristics, color, and flavor. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate changes in phenolic compounds and physical-chemical parameters of beers subjected to the forced aging process. After production, beer samples remained at 50 °C for 1, 3, 6, 9, and 13 days. Afterward, color-EBC analyses were performed through reading at 430 nm, pH, dry extract, phenolic compounds’ content, and physical-chemical analyses in the Beer Analyzer® equipment. The most significant results were related to color, which showed a darkening during the experiment; the pH was more alkaline during aging, and the total phenolic compounds dropped over the days. The results obtained can be related to changes due to storage temperature and product instability after bottling.

The adoption of environmental practices in craft breweries: The role of owner-managers’ consumption values, motivation, and perceived business challenges

This quantitative survey-based study is based on the theory of consumption values and the value-motivation-behavior association. It explores how craft brewery owner - manager’ consumption values of green products in their personal lives influence the adoption of environmental practices in their businesses. The study also investigates the relationship between the motivation to adopt environmental practices (MAEP) and the actual adoption of such practices (AEP) in craft breweries. In addition, the study examines the impact of perceived business challenges (PBC) on the motivation-adoption relationship. Results from 236 craft brewery owner-manager from the Brewers Association, employing multiple regressions, showed that four consumption values: social, emotional, conditional, and epistemic, significantly influenced MAEP in their craft breweries. However, only emotional, and conditional values influenced MAEP positively, as hypothesized. Results also confirmed a significant positive relationship between MAEP and AEP. Furthermore, PBC significantly weakened the relationship between motivation and adoption. Based on the findings, numerous takeaways are offered for related stakeholders.

Starch Structure of Raw Materials with Different Amylose Contents and the Brewing Quality Characteristics of Korean Rice Beer.

This study aimed to explore suitable processing materials for rice beer (RB) production by analyzing the starch structure of the raw materials utilized for brewing beer and the quality characteristics of RB. We used malt, employing the Heugho cultivar as the main ingredient, and produced beer containing 30% rice. The regular amylose-containing cultivars Samgwang (SA) and Hangaru (HA) and the high-amylose-containing cultivar Dodamssal (DO) were used as adjuncts. Distribution of the short molecular chains of the starch amylopectin was the highest for SA and malt at 29.3% and 27.1%, respectively. Glucose content was the highest in the wort prepared with 100% malt and 30% SA + 70% malt. The alcohol content in SA RB and HA RB was higher than that in beer prepared with 100% malt. DO RB had the least bitterness and volatile components, such as acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate. The three rice cultivars tested in this study are suitable as starch adjuncts for RB production. The characteristics of RBs varied depending on the molecular structure of the ingredients, irrespective of their amylose contents. SA could be considered a craft beer with quality characteristics and rich flavor components, similar to 100% malt beer, compared to other RBs.

Congress mashing of malted wheat cultivars from Thailand provide adequate malt extract physicochemical properties suitable for brewing purposes

AbstractBackground and ObjectiveThe use of wheat for brewing is associated with its influence on protein content, phenolic compounds, and organoleptic properties, such as mouth feel, haze, and foaming intensity in malt‐based beverages. The quest for alternate malt materials other than barley malt and the exponential growth of micro‐breweries in Thailand have intensified the search for appropriate wheat cultivars suitable for brewing purpose. In this study, four imported commercial wheat malts and three malted wheat cultivars from Thailand (Samerng‐2, Phrae‐60, and Fahng‐60) were compared in terms of their physicochemical characteristics. Malt quality was based on α‐amylase, β‐amylase, antioxidant activities, the contents of free amino acid (FAN), fermentable sugars, total reducing sugar (TRS), and total polyphenol (TPC) of the malt extract samples produced by congress mashing.FindingsThe levels of α‐amylase activity were lower than that for β‐amylase activity in all malt samples. The malt extract (wort) yield was 83.7% weight per weight (w/w), 83.9% w/w, and 83.3% w/w in Samerng‐2, Phrae‐60, and Fahng‐60, respectively. The FAN contents in wort from the three Thai wheat malts were in the range of 155.2–183.4 mg/L. When used as an adjunct at 30% w/w or 50% w/w, the FAN contents were in the ranges 197.5–203.9 and 140.9–173 mg/L, respectively. Sucrose, glucose, maltose, and maltotriose were in the ranges 0.37–1.17, 2.8–4.3, 37.9–48.8, and 7.3–9.68 g/L, respectively. Wort produced contained contents of TRS, total carbohydrate, and TPC of 56.3–57.4, 79.4–88.9, and 116.4–18.2 mg/L, respectively. The antioxidant activity level based on 2,2‐di(4‐tert‐octylphenyl)‐1picrylhydrazyl and 2,2‐azino‐bis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) diammonium salt assays was within 61.0–125.4 and 1259–1413 µmol TE/L, respectively.ConclusionThese physicochemical attributes of the Thai malted wheat cultivars were similar to the commercial imported wheat malt samples. Consequently, the Thai cultivar would be suitable as raw brewing material.Significance and NoveltyThis preliminary study is limited to laboratory experimental design. Different conditions and processes could lead to different experimental results. Notwithstanding, this study provides the first report on some physicochemical properties of malted Thai wheat cultivars as the base raw material and adjunct for brewing purposes, which are critical in selecting cultivars for brewing purposes. This will intend to promote the cultivation of local wheat cultivars to meet the demand of local craft breweries.

Biogas production from malt bagasse from craft beer industry: kinetic modeling and process simulation.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10163-023-01715-7.

Do microbes evade domestication? - Evaluating potential ferality among diastatic Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Certain lineages of the wine, beer and bread yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have diastatic activity. They contain the chimeric gene STA1 that codes for an extracellular glucoamylase which enables the strains to degrade starch and dextrins. Beer contaminations by diastatic yeasts can be dangerous because they can cause super-attenuation due to the consumption of otherwise non-fermentable oligosaccharides, gushing and off-flavours. Given that diastatic yeasts can be used for beer fermentation it is important to understand the relationship between production and contaminant strains, their natural reservoirs and entry routes into the brewery. Here, we analyze real cases of contamination in a Portuguese craft brewery over a period of 18 months. By analyzing with whole genome sequencing several contaminants, we show that recurrent contaminations by diastatic yeasts are caused by environmental strains. Moreover, some beer contaminants were closely related to diastatic environmental strains isolated in Botswana. We observed the widespread presence of domestication signatures in diastatic strains. Moreover, the combined phylogeny of STA1 and its ancestor, SGA1, suggested a single STA1 origin, as ancient as the entire lineage of diastatic yeasts. Together, our results suggest that diastatic yeasts isolated in natural settings could be escaping from domestication settings and becoming feral.

The impact of hop origin information on the sensory and hedonic evaluation of highly involved consumers of craft beer

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the impact of the origin of hops on the sensory and hedonic evaluation of highly involved craft beer consumers.Design/methodology/approachData was collected through a between-subject tasting experiment, where the origin of hop was manipulated (imported vs locally grown). The craft beer samples used in the experiment were produced using hops of similar age but grown in two distinct places: USA (imported hop) and in the city of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, where the experiment was conducted (locally grown hop). The sensory and hedonic evaluations of highly involved craft beer consumers (n = 100) were collected after tasting the samples.FindingsThe origin of hop proved to be significant in affecting participants’ sensory and hedonic evaluations. It was observed that women were more sensitive than men to the origin information: when information was given, differences were found only on men’s scores of dryness/astringency; while in women, significant differences were found not only in dryness/astringency, but also in bitterness and refreshing, which are important attributes in the sensory profile of craft beer. It was also confirmed the effect of localness in hop cultivation, once men’ and women’s scores on liking were higher for the sample brewed with locally grown hop.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work using craft beer brewed with hops cultivated in Brazil and a sample of Brazilian craft beer consumers, therefore, providing a significant contribution to the field of consumer behavior. Furthermore, it adds to the discussion on sex-/gender-related differences regarding sensory expectation and perception of foods.

Electrochemical Evaluation of Cd, Cu, and Fe in Different Brands of Craft Beers from Quito, Ecuador.

The presence of heavy metals in craft beers can endanger human health if the total metal content exceeds the exposure limits recommended by sanitary standards; in addition, they can cause damage to the quality of the beer. In this work, the concentration of Cd(II), Cu(II), and Fe(III) was determined in 13 brands of craft beer with the highest consumption in Quito, Ecuador, by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV), using as boron-doped diamond (BDD) working electrode. The BDD electrode used has favorable morphological and electrochemical properties for the detection of metals such as Cd(II), Cu(II), and Fe(III). A granular morphology with microcrystals with an average size between 300 and 2000 nm could be verified for the BDD electrode using a scanning electron microscope. Double layer capacitance of the BDD electrode was 0.01412 μF cm-2, a relatively low value; Ipox/Ipred ratios were 0.99 for the potassium ferro-ferricyanide system in BDD, demonstrating that the redox process is quasi-reversible. The figures of merit for Cd(II), Cu(II), and Fe(III) were; DL of 6.31, 1.76, and 1.72 μg L-1; QL of 21.04, 5.87, and 5.72 μg L-1, repeatability of 1.06, 2.43, and 1.34%, reproducibility of 1.61, 2.94, and 1.83% and percentage of recovery of 98.18, 91.68, and 91.68%, respectively. It is concluded that the DPASV method on BDD has acceptable precision and accuracy for the quantification of Cd(II), Cu(II), and Fe(III), and it was verified that some beers did not comply with the permissible limits of food standards.

Modelling, validation, and metrological characterization of tilt densimeters

In the context of craft breweries, a recently invented liquid density meter works by leveraging an unusual principle: the displacement of the center of buoyancy. This meter obtains its measurements from its own tilt while it is floating, but its original implementation converts the measured values from the accelerometer into density measurements with a simple polynomial regression. However, it does not make temperature corrections, so that the influence of this quantity is disregarded in the regression. Additionally, the meter does not indicate its measurement uncertainty. The aim of this study was to create a mathematical model of the phenomenon, which was not found in the existing bibliography; use the model to obtain an estimate of the measurement uncertainty; compare the uncertainty methodologies of the GUM and the one that uses the Monte Carlo method of its Supplement 1 and use the second approach to validate the first; perform experiments with a meter, comparing the results with a laboratory densimeter; and perform the metrological characterization of the meter. The maximum expanded uncertainty over the measuring interval between 1.0000 g/cm3 and 1.1000 g/cm3 was 0.0028 g/cm3 (k = 1.96, 95 %).

Supercritical fluid-assisted extraction of hop cone residue from craft breweries

This study aimed to use supercritical fluid-assisted extraction in hop cone residue from craft breweries and define the best extraction parameters. Yield, compounds extracted, in vitro chemical and cell-based antioxidant activities, and antimicrobial and cytotoxic potentials were evaluated. The variables studied were temperature (40–60 °C), pressure (10–20 MPa), and ethanol percentage as co-solvent (5–10%) using a Taguchi experimental design (11 runs). The extracts showed inhibitory action towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, mainly Proteus mirabilis and Enterococcus faecalis (MICs = 5–10 mg/mL). Furthermore, up to the maximum tested concentration (400 μg/mL), the extracts showed no hepatotoxicity on a healthy porcine liver cell line (PLP2), indicating safety for food and pharmacological applications. Lower temperatures (40 °C), pressures (10 MPa), and ethanol percentages (5%) resulted in higher concentrations of some compounds (alpha-copaene, γ-elemene, γ-muurolene, α-muurolene, caryophyllene oxide) and higher antioxidant activity in cell-based assays, but lower yields. At the same time, lower temperatures (40 °C) and pressures (10 MPa) but higher ethanol percentages (10%) resulted in higher concentrations of other compounds (nerolidyl acetate, linalyl isobutyrate, α-acorenol, and geranyl isovalerate) and increased antioxidant activity in chemical systems. Our results support that the hop cone residue can be used to obtain supercritical fluid-assisted extracts with biological potentialities that might virtually be upcycled into multifunctional ingredients for the food and pharmacological industries. Using 40 °C, 10 MPa, and 5 or 10% ethanol percentage as process parameters is advisable.

Use of an Integrating Cavity Spectrometer to Easily Determine Beer SRM Color Without Filtration, Centrifugation or Numerical Correction

Quantification of beer color of craft unfiltered, hazy, seltzer, and fruited beer styles can be problematic due to turbidity and unconventional ingredients. A novel integrating cavity spectrometer (ICS), designed to eliminate the effect of light scatter by the sample was employed to determine if it was able to more accurately quantify beer color compared to a conventional scanning spectrophotometer (CSS). A CSS was employed to measure the absorbance and transmission of 15 filtered and unfiltered craft brewery beer samples to determine the SRM color value and tristimulus color values. The ICS measures absorbance with a 430 nm LED to determine the single-point SRM value for each beer. The SRM values of unfiltered or 0.2 µm filtered beer samples were compared using Bland-Altman analysis and regression fits. Filtered and very clear beers showed strong agreement between the methods and Bland-Altman analysis confirmed their equivalence, particularly for SRM <25. Using the ICS alone, filtered beer versus unfiltered beer showed highly correlated values and narrow limits of agreement, successfully negating the effects of turbidity. In conclusion, SRM determination by ICS is equivalent to standard spectrophotometer single-point methods and superior in accurately determining the SRM color of hazy beers without filtration or centrifugation.

The Hidden Strains of ‘Cool’ Jobs

A growing number of workers today are drawn to jobs that offer symbolic and cultural rewards but not necessarily stable employment or livable wages. Existing literature posits the exploitative nature of this labor arrangement, where workers must weigh the ‘cool’ aspects of their jobs against other less desirable aspects. Yet what happens when both these dimensions of work are deeply intertwined and subject to changing perspectives? Drawing on ethnographic data and in-depth interviews with US craft beer workers, we show how ‘cool’ aspects of brewery jobs are experienced as significant sources of material, social, and work identity strain that cause some workers to grow estranged from their jobs over time. We suggest a broader framework for understanding the hidden strains of jobs that appeal to workers for symbolic reasons, and advocate for shifting jobs in the new economy away from cool-yet-precarious employment bargains and toward more sustainable forms of employment.

Entrepreneurial micro-ecosystem development: the communality of craft breweries

PurposeLeveraging the boom of a craft beer renaissance, this paper explores social capital theory through the impact of the craft brewing industry. The exploration addresses entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems that share one commonality – the need for community development and revitalization. North Carolina's deregulation of craft brewing (Pop-the-Cap Initiative, 2005) led to a boom of brewery startups, from 54 in 2010 to more than 380 in 2022.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study focuses on 15 brewery founders who have launched ventures within a few years of the Pop-the-Cap Initiative. This included 15% of those breweries launched between 2012 and 2017. Naturalistic Inquiry methodology was utilized, and semi-structured interviews, observations, and artifact analyses were applied to each participant via content analysis and NVivo.FindingsFramed by two contributing entrepreneurial mindset factors (anti-establishment mindset and business-person's burden mindset) and three external entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems conditions (community conditions, doom and boom conditions, and economic conditions), these emergent themes represent the ecosystem contributors (mindsets/conditions) associated with startup success and social value creation in rural and downtrodden urban areas.Research limitations/implicationsThis study facilitated a deep dive into two evolving entrepreneurial micro-ecosystems (rural/urban) through the perspective of brewery startups. It illuminated the actors, conditions, and domains in play. Conceptualizations of “nestedness” (Spigel, 2022) with “microfoundations” (Wurth et al., 2022) integrated to see a specific sector (craft brewing) developing within a sub-ecosystem's capacity to help frame and “understand the co-evolution of agents with entrepreneurial ecosystems” (Cho et al., 2022). Additionally, antecedents to the birth of local economies suggest the value of agents involved in evolution of nascent local economies (Cho et al., 2022). These findings reinforce developing literature while presenting opportunities for future studies.Social implicationsCraft breweries in rural and urban environments represent third places within communities. Third places can be recognized as conduits for developing social capital among individuals, groups, and firms. High levels of social capital positively impact communities. These conditions helped anchor tenants thrive and did not occur accidently. They are intentional value propositions of entrepreneurs and ecosystem conditions.Originality/valueBrewery entrepreneurs were aware of their contribution to social capital value, economic impact (e.g., tax revenue, jobs, space, attraction/destination, etc.), and how these facets interplay as revitalizing anchor tenants (i.e., craft breweries). Insight into how entrepreneurs come to understand and recognize their impact on community through social capital development and the economy can aid in further support ecosystems at the community level.

Acquisitions, product variety, and distribution in the U.S. craft beer industry

AbstractThough antitrust authorities have historically focused on prices in merger analyses, there is now growing interest in the impact of mergers on non‐price outcomes. In this paper, we examine the effect of horizontal mergers on product variety in the U.S. beer industry. Our difference‐in‐differences analyses provide evidence that acquired firms increase variety available to consumers by expanding into new markets, while reducing the variety of products sold in their existing markets. Back of the envelope calculations suggest that in aggregate, these acquisitions have a net positive effect on product variety.