From craft beer to organic wines, the way we drink is changing. Sam Owens, from Chesterton Road drinks shop Thirsty, investigates
Cravats and bushy beards can still be found among wine and beer cognoscenti. But the clichés of old are becoming ever more obsolete.
A wave of change has ripped apart the UK’s drinks business. Supermarkets and the Internet have grabbed the vast majority of our drinks purchases, at the expense of the many high-street chains, which have since disappeared. High-end wines have become straightforward traded commodities, purchased and sold like stocks and shares for astronomical sums. Brewers have consolidated and consolidated, leaving us with a small number of global monoliths – a pattern echoed in the spirits business. On the face of it, the picture doesn’t look that rosy.
But the good news is that all this change has spawned a huge explosion in innovation – both by producers and by retailers.
Wine producers across the globe are going back to basics. Huge, over-oaked flavour-bombs are falling out of fashion with both customers and producers alike. There’s a trend to do less to get more: let nature take its course with less interference from us and the results often tend to be better. Witness the growth in organic, biodynamic and so-called ‘natural’ wines.
Beer is arguably the most exciting part of the drinks game right now. The craft beer revolution shows no signs of abating, with new breweries popping up across the UK every week. Look beyond the hipster tattoos and waxed beards to explore the fantastic breadth of styles and flavours these guys and gals are brewing up. In most cases, these are small, artisanal productions – the result of a brewer’s insatiable appetite to experiment. Cherish that.
“Technology has created opportunities for new online businesses, democratising the world of wine”
A similar picture exists with spirits – most visibly with gin. There are hundreds of new gin producers out there and the big brands are feeling it.
The revolution doesn’t just stop with the people making the stuff: us ‘retailers’ are turning models upside down as well (I use the term retailers loosely. Selling drinks these days is about so much more than just plain old vanilla ‘retail’.)
Technology has created opportunities for new online businesses, democratising the world of wine by breaking down traditional barriers between the drinker, the seller and the producer. Apps and social media platforms enable all parties to communicate and share information from a smartphone.
There’s been a phoenix-like rebirth of independent sellers of wine, beer and spirits. Such places offer interesting, carefully chosen products that you simply won’t find in a supermarket, staffed by people who know what they are talking about and share your enthusiasm. And many are not just ‘shops’, either. High-street retail needs theatre to attract people away from the supermarkets and retail parks, so expect to see more and more hybrid formats, marrying shop with bar and other elements…
It’s certainly an exciting time. There’s a real sense that we’re moving on, that the future looks (and tastes) good, that the pace of innovation will only increase. If, like me, you love a great drink, let’s raise a toast to that!
