Whether you call it a black IPA, a Cascadian dark ale, or an India black ale, this hop-forward, dark, now niche beer has been popping back up on the scene over the past year or so, but it is definitely choosing its spots carefully. Once, on the verge of becoming a staple it stirred up controversy from the start over its name, origin, and classification as a distinct style since some argued it was only a hopped-up Porter or Brown Ale for a few years this hoppy black ale could be sampled consistently across the U.S. And, while a few breweries have maintained a version of this delightful confluence of malt and fresh hops, most jumped off of the trend as fast as they got on. That’s OK though because those that do still brew it brew it well.
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Photo by Todd Alström. F2020X3 brewed by BeerAdvocate, BeerThugLife, and Crowns & Hops.
Overall, our activity took a hit in 2020 mostly due to the pandemic. No surprises there. A big chunk of our traffic stems from consumers looking up beers before purchasing them and our beer fests (all postponed) generate a lot of traffic and engagement. Restrictions led to less people going out, spending less, and changing their purchasing habits. We also saw some regional and national brewers pull back from markets and reduce new releases, allowing them to focus on growing their home markets and core brands again.