At the recent Banff Craft Beer Festival over the weekend, a variety of premixed cocktails made a notable appearance alongside the traditional selection of IPAs, lagers, and sour beers. Frozen margaritas, hard iced teas, and canned espresso martinis have now become part of the festival offerings as craft beer brewers in Alberta respond to evolving consumer preferences.
Statistics Canada reports a decline in beer consumption in Alberta over the past decade, while the market share of ciders, coolers, and ready-to-drink cocktails has doubled during the same period. Although beer still dominates sales compared to coolers and cocktails, the 140-plus small beer breweries in the province have observed this shift in consumer behavior.
Dan Allard, co-founder of Cold Garden Beverage Company in Calgary, mentioned that the business ventured into making premixed cocktails in 2020 after noticing a decrease in beer demand. Allard acknowledged the importance of adapting to consumer demands, stating that premixed cocktails now contribute around 30% of their revenue, a figure expected to rise to 50% by the following summer.
Blair Berdusco from the Alberta Small Brewers Association noted that the craft beer boom in the province reached its peak in 2018. Looking ahead, she emphasized the need for breweries to “find their footing” and ensure long-term profitability, especially as many have been in operation for nearly a decade.
Peter Johnston-Berresford, an instructor in Olds College’s brewery and beverage program, expressed that the era of craft beer supremacy has passed, prompting a shift in teaching focus towards a broader range of craft beverages such as canned cocktails, ciders, and kombucha. Johnston-Berresford highlighted the importance of breweries innovating and diversifying their offerings to meet the evolving preferences of consumers.