Market Research

Data!

I’ve started writing the plan. Plans, actually, but that’s for another post.

Thanks for your applause.

I had a question recently that has no straight answer. There are just too many variables. How fast does a bar go through kegs? Some variables:

• The bar
• The beer
• The bartender
• The week
• The weather
• Relative humidity in Antarctica

You know, variables.

Anyway, I thought it could be fun to gather some market research, and what better way to gather lots of data than through the internet! It’s ok though, this research requires people to go to bars.

Here’s the plan. Whenever you’re out, be it a bar, brewpub, restaurant with good beer, whatever, if it’s not too busy, ask the bartender how fast they go through kegs. Ask for as many different taps as you can, or as they know. Obviously Fat Tire will sell faster than 1554, for instance.

Once you have the information, give it to me. Two options: Twitter, or a form.

If you’re using Twitter, use the following format:

BREWERY - BEER - BAR - CITY - STATE - KEGS PER WEEK #bcrp

The hashtag #bcrp stands for Beer Consumption Research Project. Creative, no?

So, an example tweet:

Stone - Arrogant Bastard - Park Tavern - Denver - CO - 3 #bcrp

Or, fill out the form here: http://bit.ly/5c3lnZ

I’ll report the results after I have enough data.

Go! Spread forth and collect beer data!

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Beers by style

Earlier today, I asked people on Twitter for a count of commercially available beers by style. I received a lot of resources, but no exact counts. I haven’t contacted the Brewer’s Association yet for exact figures, but my friend Tyler wrote a script to help count the beers in each style on the Beer Advocate website, which I feel is a pretty good source for this information. I’m writing a post where this information is useful, but here is the raw data from the Beer Advocate site. Thanks Tyler!

These data are accurate as of around 5pm on August 18, 2009.

Style	Total
American Amber / Red Ale	1621
American Barleywine	455
American Blonde Ale	801
American Brown Ale	590
American Dark Wheat Ale	64
American Double / Imperial IPA	668
American Double / Imperial Stout	303
American IPA	1814
American Pale Ale (APA)	1994
American Pale Wheat Ale	727
American Porter	1288
American Stout	806
American Strong Ale	339
American Wild Ale	148
Black & Tan	49
Chile Beer	64
Cream Ale	236
Pumpkin Ale	228
Rye Beer	262
Wheatwine	52
Belgian Dark Ale	293
Belgian IPA	88
Belgian Pale Ale	805
Belgian Strong Dark Ale	478
Belgian Strong Pale Ale	524
Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut	13
Bière de Garde	170
Dubbel	336
Faro	15
Flanders Oud Bruin	70
Flanders Red Ale	84
Gueuze	43
Lambic – Fruit	203
Lambic – Unblended	39
Quadrupel (Quad)	102
Saison / Farmhouse Ale	498
Tripel	489
Witbier	871
Baltic Porter	209
Braggot	37
English Barleywine	177
English Bitter	1148
English Brown Ale	674
English Dark Mild Ale	302
English India Pale Ale (IPA)	328
English Pale Ale	843
English Pale Mild Ale	107
English Porter	309
English Stout	239
English Strong Ale	202
Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)	745
Foreign / Export Stout	128
Milk / Sweet Stout	253
Oatmeal Stout	458
Old Ale	200
Russian Imperial Stout	499
Winter Warmer	421
Sahti	20
Altbier	378
Berliner Weissbier	47
Dunkelweizen	355
Gose	13
Hefeweizen	1317
Kristalweizen	102
Kölsch	381
Roggenbier	40
Weizenbock	193
Irish Dry Stout	347
Irish Red Ale	294
Kvass	144
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy	403
Scottish Ale	415
Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale	41
American Adjunct Lager	979
American Amber / Red Lager	254
American Double / Imperial Pilsner	60
American Malt Liquor	112
American Pale Lager	315
California Common / Steam Beer	141
Light Lager	571
Low Alcohol Beer	153
Czech Pilsener	586
Euro Dark Lager	265
Euro Pale Lager	1287
Euro Strong Lager	221
Bock	506
Doppelbock	478
Dortmunder / Export Lager	275
Eisbock	27
German Pilsener	1066
Keller Bier / Zwickel Bier	233
Maibock / Helles Bock	473
Munich Dunkel Lager	463
Munich Helles Lager	404
Märzen / Oktoberfest	839
Rauchbier	102
Schwarzbier	332
Vienna Lager	309
Happoshu	66
Japanese Rice Lager	41
Fruit / Vegetable Beer	1128
Herbed / Spiced Beer	434
Smoked Beer	90

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