Craft right now feels like a race to “bigger.”
Bigger IBU, bigger ABV, bigger taprooms, bigger distribution, bigger social media presence, bigger acquisitions, bigger hot takes, bigger beards.
I recently found myself lost in the drift of bigger at Goose Islands’ Dock Party. Standing in the middle of a huge parking lot, Goose’s colossal barrel warehouse on one side of me, a massive line for barbecue on the other, I was overwhelmed by what now qualifies as a casual event.
Then I saw this: a small moment between friends.
And it reminded me what this is all about. This is where the “craft revolution” started. At some point, whether it was a family member, bartender, or friend, someone shared something unexpected with each of us. Even as everything gets big, this is still happening every day.
