Fall craft beers have found a niche in Athens, where drinkers have hastily purchased the seasonal products since they began appearing on shelves in late August.
“We sell out of a lot of stuff,” said Skye Milliken, 32, an employee at Bella Vino, 22 W. Stimson Ave.
Bella Vino has already sold out of Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale and the three cases of Dogfish Head Punkin Ale it ordered. Despite sustained demand for seasonal beer, though, ordering more is not an option.
“The distributor doesn’t have any more – that’s what happens to a lot of (beers),” Milliken said. “Even the distributors only get a certain amount of beer, so we get as much as we can.”
Large companies like Anheuser-Busch, which operates 12 breweries in the U.S., have no problem matching distributor and retail demand. Craft breweries, however, are forced to be selective with their often-small distribution — an intentional attempt to preserve character.
“The market of customers, looking for a beer that is well made is bouncing back,” John Ellis, owner of Cat’s Eye Saloon, 12 N. Court St., said.
Cat’s Eye offers Sam Adams Octoberfest for $3 a pint and Great Lakes Nosferatu and Oktoberfest for $3.50 a pint.
In 2010, the craft beer industry grew 11 percent by volume and 12 percent by dollars, an increase from 7.2 percent growth by volume and 10.3 percent by dollars in 2009. The increasing demand has also translated into profits. The retail dollar value of craft brewers in 2010 was an estimated $7.6 billion, up from $7 billion in 2009.
Employees of other bars in Athens have also noticed the increase interest and demand.
“Craft in general is growing,” said •Brad Clark, the brew master at Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, 24 W. Union St. “I’m seeing stuff move a lot faster this year than it did last year.”
Clark thinks many Jackie O’s patrons are those who drink Blue Moon or Leinenkugel’s seasonal brews and want to try something new.
This season Jackie O’s will have offer three fall craft brews: Barking Pumpkin Ale, made with pumpkins grown on the Jackie O’s farm; Burnin’ Hill, a smoked red ale; and Applachian, which is made with local apples. Each drink costs $4 a pint.
“When it come to a lot of craft beers, I think we’re one of the largest accounts in Athens,” Clark said. “Sometimes that works to our benefit. … It also helps that if we run out of a pumpkin (beer), we probably have our own pumpkin here.”
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