November 7, 2017
Andy Knuth
Editor’s note: Andy Knuth is a student COMM 2900 – Writing for the Media, taught by Scribe adviser Laura Eurich. Each semester, the best midterm piece from the class is chosen by the Editor-in-Chief to be printed The Scribe.
Craft beer is big business in Colorado.
The economic impact of the beer industry on the Colorado economy is up nearly 50 percent from 2014, according to a recent study by the Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder.
The craft beer industry, which includes nearly 400 microbreweries, has brought in $2 billion a year to the state’s economy, per the Denver Post.
In Colorado Springs breweries can be a popular place for students to go. Douglas Androsiglio, a 27-year-old game design and development major, agrees with the direction of beer trends in the state.
“I like everything about beer. I like that the hops change the flavor and to me, it makes for a relaxing experience,” said Androsiglio, who prefers to drink dark brews.
“I can experiment with different beers, and there is no rush to drink it quickly, like with a shot. I enjoy the entire experience, not just the drink itself.”
But enthusiasm for beer is not limited to Colorado; nationally, those who drink alcohol prefer beer 40 percent of time, according to a July 2017 Gallup Poll.
Of the U.S.’s 325 million citizens, 62 percent of them consume alcohol, including beer. Approximately 30 percent this percentage prefers wine, but as beer grows in popularity, wine continues to decline after peaking in 2005 with 39 percent of the share market.
However, not everyone is on board with the growing craft beer scene.
Nearly 26 percent of the national population say that they prefer liquor to beer. For those who dislike beer, liquor’s popularity has historically hovered around 20 percent over the last 25 years. However, while at a more gradual and seasoned pace, liquor’s popularity seems to be on the rise among Millennials.
Philippe Jones, a 26-year-old student at UCCS, enjoys drinking tequila. For Jones, beer does not have the taste that he enjoys with a stronger drink.
“Even when beer wins out, I have to be pretty drunk to enjoy it,” he said.
Alex Ward, a 21-year-old student research assistant at the Kraemer Family Library, agrees with Jones’ assessment on the flavor of beer.
“I rarely drink. But when I do I always prefer a liquor like whiskey. I really don’t like the flavor of the hops in beer,” said Ward.
While Ward has only recently been old enough to begin drinking, he said that beer does not provide the sophistication that he is looking for when he wants to go out with a friend.
The popularity for liquor preference over other forms of alcohol jumped nearly six percent, according to the Gallup poll. At 26 percent, liquor is enjoying all-time popularity.
Whether or not liquor’s popularity will continue to rise remains to be seen. The slow, constant growth of those who favor liquor over beer in the last 10 years may agree with a shift in trends.