Fizz

Turns out Sam Adams isn't really a beer company anymore

Snacks / Wednesday, August 07, 2019

Carb problems... Beer feels 'em. We've been chatting with you for weeks about declining sales (beer is now under 50% of all alcohol consumed in the US). And Boston Beer Co. is obsessed with ales — it owns Sam Adams, just bought IPA fan Dogfish Head, and often touts its beard-approved craft status. But research firm IRI recently reported this stat: Only 25% of Boston Beer's biz is beer.

That means 75% is non-beer stuff... In fact, its new profit puppy is super clear: Truly Hard Seltzer. The citrus-infused, gluten-free option has been Boston's summer tailgate champ, driving the company's 21% increase in shipments last quarter. Here's the rest of Boston Beer's non-beer, beach-beverage roster:

  • Truly: Sorry, had to mention this one again — its sales surged 163% last quarter from the year before (prepping for peak summer).
  • Twisted Tea: The hard iced tea sat back and enjoyed 22% sales growth.
  • Angry Orchard Cider: Just came out with a "rosé" option, because, rosé.
  • Other non-beer bets: A hard kombucha called Tura and a "craft" hard tea that goes by Wild Leaf.

Pure beer stocks are disappearing... Boston Beer isn't really a beer company anymore. Corona-owner Constellation Brands is big on whiskey, vodka, and CBD-infused experi-beverages. Bud-owner AB-InBev is also investing hard in non-beer options, like Babe. Meanwhile, Molson Coors dropped last week because it's overly dependent on Coors. The beer legends that are succeeding do it by trading what's on tap for what's light, fruity, or Cannabis-y.

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