Take It Easy: How Breweries Are Simplifying Things for Success | Imbibe

Craft brewing is known for maximal flavors and naming conventions—sometimes quirky, sometimes cringe. “It was easy to be cute or obtuse with names or fanciful styles when the industry was still maturing,” says Adam Bankovich, the CEO of Rhinegeist in Cincinnati. But now that the industry is stagnating, “the only way to grow as an industry is to reach more people.”

To expand audiences, breweries are streamlining beer names and simplifying recipes, clearly telegraphing occasions and intended audience to cut through the clutter of cans, a chaotic wall of visual and linguistic noise.

For my latest Imbibe feature (on newsstands now!), I take a deep dive into the value of clear, concise language in selling beer. I chatted with Resident Culture (Right Time lager!), Baerlic Brewing (Dad Beer!), Hopewell Brewing (Shift Beer!), Off Color (the Beer For series is so great), Dyke Beer and plenty more folks.

The story's kicker, though, goes to L.A.'s Highland Park Brewery, which makes Baseball Lager—beloved by fans flocking to the nearby Dodger Stadium.

Life is complicated. Selecting a beer shouldn’t be. “The majority of consumers want the easiest path to enjoyment," says founder Bob Kunz.