At the recent Banff Craft Beer Festival over the weekend, mixed cocktails were a noticeable addition alongside the traditional assortment of IPAs, lagers, and sour beers. The event featured frozen margaritas, hard iced teas, and canned espresso martinis as Alberta’s craft beer producers respond to evolving consumer preferences.
Statistics Canada data reveals a decrease in beer consumption in Alberta over the past ten years, while the market share for ciders, coolers, and ready-to-drink cocktails has doubled during the same period. Although beer sales still surpass coolers and cocktails, the province’s 140-plus small beer breweries have acknowledged the changing landscape.
Dan Allard, co-founder of Cold Garden Beverage Company in Calgary, shared that the company ventured into producing premixed cocktails in 2020 due to a decline in beer demand. He emphasized the importance of catering to consumer demands to ensure business sustainability. Premixed cocktails currently contribute around 30% of Cold Garden’s revenue, with projections to increase to 50% by the upcoming summer.
Blair Berdusco from the Alberta Small Brewers Association noted that the craft beer industry peaked in 2018 in the province. Looking ahead, she expressed hope for breweries to “find their footing” and ensure long-term profitability. Many breweries, adapting to shifting tastes, are venturing into the “ready-to-drink” canned cocktails category, indicating a successful year for the industry.
Instructor Peter Johnston-Berresford from Olds College highlighted a shift in teaching focus within the brewery and beverage program due to changing trends. The program now covers a broader range of craft beverages, including canned cocktails, ciders, and kombucha, in response to consumer preferences for variety. Johnston-Berresford stressed the importance of innovation for breweries to thrive in the evolving market landscape, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and adaptation to meet consumer demands effectively.