Philly Beer Week 2018 Begins (with a whisper?)

Did you realize that today is the beginning of Philly Beer Week? It is – and I’m looking forward to checking out Beer Under the Big Top at the Navy Yard tomorrow and other events throughout the next week.

While I’m as excited as always to try new beer and talk about it with other beer fans, I feel like I haven’t seen much buzz or news generated about this year’s PBW. The HOG relay has been running through the city today, and Opening Tap is about to happen at the Fillmore…but I wouldn’t know that except for being on the Philly Beer Week email list. In past years, I’ve seen a lot more collaborative media pushed out by breweries, so, to be honest, PBW 2018 kind of snuck up on me.

I’m trying not to read too much into it – but it does make me wonder…has the craft beer industry become complacent about reaching out to the general public? Is it satisfied with the 12.7% overall market share in 2017, as reported by the Brewers Association? https://www.brewersassociation.org/statistics/national-beer-sales-production-data/ Has it given up on the battle cry of 20% by 2020?

Maybe the Philly Beer Week organization simply decided to try something new this year, or maybe I just missed “the buzz.” Whatever the case, I’m heading into Philadelphia to celebrate beer in the City of Brotherly Love during Philly Beer Week 2018 – and I hope to see the same passion and excitement about beer from everyone there as I did five years ago!

Cheers!

The Brewholder