Craft beer is not a fad

Around the turn of the millennium, brewers here also began brewing craft beer that stood out from the classics Pils, Weizen and Bock of the German beer landscape. At that time there was hardly any individual beer; people drank industrially produced beer from large breweries everywhere. Although there were small breweries in the 90s and early 2000s that still brewed traditionally like they used to, they were not the focus of attention. One would almost argue that the opposite was the case. But that would soon change.

If you look at statistics on the development of interest in craft beer in Germany, you will notice a significant increase since 2013. This increased interest is clearly reflected in the beer market: countless craft breweries have sprung up in recent years - the German beer landscape has expanded to include some beer styles that still seemed exotic at the time. Today, most beer lovers are familiar with pale ales, IPAs, stouts and barley wines, which in 2010 could not yet be mentioned in this country.

What started as a high-sales trend now seems to be slowly leveling off. Craft beer has long since become an integral part of German bars and the shelves of beverage stores and yet there is talk of a waning of enthusiasm. Christian Klemenz, beer sommelier and founder of the Bierothek®, sees the change calmly: “The media perception of the topic of “craft beer” and the underlying economic reality has experienced a classic hype cycle and is now gradually approaching a healthy level.” Klemenz has one realistic view of the development and does not want to give too much importance to either the rapid increase or the slump that many have predicted: “The sometimes exaggerated expectations of many have given way to a phase of disillusionment and desire and reality are now slowly coming together better again.” This is exactly where He would like to start with the Bierothek® and specifically respond to the constantly changing demand. “A specialized beer retailer like the one we operate has now firmly established itself on the market and the segment has also found its niche in the catering industry. The mass of consumers are simply not yet as far as many would like, but that is the task of retailers like us, to let the category grow sustainably with a realistic view,” says Klemenz about his work as Bierothek® founder and Ambassador on behalf of craft beer.

It is now important not to rest on the laurels of days gone by. In order to stay on the ball, developments on the beer market must be closely analyzed and evaluated. If you want to be successful, you must always remain flexible and open to the needs of the customer. The Bierothek® is happy to take on these challenges. “Better structuring our portfolio of brands has been a process that has become increasingly important as we have grown overall over the last few years. In addition to our self-produced own brands, over time we have concluded exclusive import and distribution agreements with some top foreign breweries, which we refer to in our nomenclature as exclusive brands,” says Klemenz. In order to be able to offer Bierothek® customers a wide range of international beer specialties, he works with great ambition to stay up to date and always make new contacts with interesting breweries. In addition to craft beers from all over the world, national breweries are of course also represented: “We have also made agreements with some of the best German craft beer brands about retail and wholesale distribution in Germany; we refer to these as partner brands of Bierothek®. Our partner and exclusive brands enjoy a special status in our range and we increasingly include them in our marketing." Klemenz attaches great importance to seamless cooperation with the breweries: "We see a lot of advantages in close cooperation between manufacturers & Dealers and are very satisfied with the development so far.” This is the only way to fully capture and serve the craft beer market.

Klemens made a clear statement when he entered into a collaboration with Olaf Wirths from LaBieratorium in 2019. The small brewery had recently succumbed to the fast-moving changes in the craft beer market and was on the verge of extinction. In order to set an example and preserve a piece of Cottbus beer history, Klemenz implemented the idea of a partnership constellation. Together, Olaf Wirth's creative brewing ideas and the marketing and sales expertise of the Bierothek® will jointly position the LaBieratorium brand sustainably on the market. With this coup, Bierothek® is taking a clear position in the craft beer business and showing that establishing a brand involves more than just jumping on a short-lived trend. If you want to belong permanently, you have to build a profile with added value. But the hard work is already bearing fruit: “Consolidation in the German craft beer market can definitely already be seen, which is not necessarily surprising and was to some extent to be expected. In order to operate economically, a certain size is always required, both on the production and trading side. And only models that enter into the right partnerships and develop a clear competence profile will be able to survive on the market in the long term.” The company, which operates under the significant name Kollabieratiorium, wants to take craft beer seriously beyond the initial hype and ensure that It occupies a firm niche in Germany alongside conventional types of beer.

Klemenz is optimistic about the future of craft beer in Germany: “Anything that offers real added value to a wider range of consumers will continue to have a right to exist and in the medium to long term we remain convinced that the craft beer segment in Germany will grow and sustainably will take a permanent place in the beer segment.”

The LaBieratorium beers will of course be available to buy in our Bierothek® branches as well as in our online shop and from our partner retailers. In addition, we also sell the beers through our wholesaler throughout Germany to specialist beer retailers, restaurateurs and interested retailers.