Doug Veliky, now of beverage consulting firm BrightBev, author of the BeerCrunchers newsletter and blog, and the personality behind the Beer Aficionado social media account, has a knack for explaining complex beverage-business goings-on without jargon. Over the years of running first finance and then marketing for Chicago craft brewery Revolution, he developed a keen sense of brand building and market timing.
Now, he shares that expertise with beverage brands both professionally and publicly, with BrightBev as well as via entertaining videos on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. However, in this episode of the podcast, we dive deeper than the minute or two that social media typically afford, and we explore the trends that Veliky sees gaining momentum over the next 12 months. Including:
- major flavor trends in 2026, such as apple, yuzu, pickle, and more
- rethinking seasonality in fruit beer
- balancing philosophy and consistency with effectiveness in branding
- the growing segments of mid-strength and “dad-strength” beer
- lower performance from breweries’ long-tail brands
- building brands slowly to gain organic traction
- pricing trends that affect craft beer
- how quality is a make-or-break proposition in craft beer today
And more.
G&D Chillers
Before we dive into today’s episode, a quick word for the brewers out there staring down a broken chiller. You know the pain—warm fermentors, stressed yeast, and that sinking feeling when the repair quote lands in your inbox. With refrigerant regulations changing and the cost of obsolete refrigerants skyrocketing, sometimes the fix costs more than the unit is worth. G&D Chillers is there to help, whether you’re a small brew pub or large full-scale production brewery. Don’t throw good money at bad equipment. Invest in a solution that grows with your brewery—and keeps your tanks cold when it counts. Big thanks to G&D Chillers for supporting this podcast since 2019. Reach out to them at gdhillers.com to learn how they can support your next six years of growth.
Berkeley Yeast just launched Dry Tropics London! Our best-selling liquid yeast strain, now with all the ease-of-use benefits of dry yeast. Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you’d expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passion fruit. A lot of brewers love the clean passion fruit you get from Tropics, but they don’t want every IPA to be a tropical-fruit bomb. At the dry yeast price point, you can pitch and ditch without breaking the bank. Or, you can co-pitch with your house strain to adjust the intensity of the notes. And with nationwide free shipping, there’s never been a better time to try Dry Tropics. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com and experience the ease and impact of Dry Tropics London Yeast.
This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com.
The multi-layered wonders of Indie Hops Strata are now easier than ever for brewers to tap into. Introducing Strata Cryo, in collaboration with Yakima Chief Hops. Whether brewing up a single-hop Strata IPA to wow customers with the depth of flavor this variety delivers or modernizing your flagship IPA to continue setting the highest standards, Strata T99, Strata CGX, Strata HyperBoost, and now Strata Cryo provide the tools for you to create your unique masterpiece. Indie Hops Strata. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful!
This podcast is sponsored by the Midea 50/50 flex—the industry’s first dual-compartment three-way convertible freezer. The 50/50 Flex is designed to flex with your life. It can convert to all fridge, all freezer, or half and half with just the touch of a button. Plus, with reversible doors and adjustable storage compartments, you can stay organized no matter your food-storage needs. The 50/50 Flex is also designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled spaces. So it’s perfect for your garage, man cave, or wherever you need a little more space. Maybe use all 20 cubic feet as a beer fridge! Check out Midea.com/us/ for more information on how to take your beer storage to the next level.
If your brewery is using fruit-juice concentrates, purees, and blends, then why not source everything from a one-stop shop? Old Orchard might be best-known for flavored blends, but if you need 100 percent purees or concentrates, then Old Orchard can likely help—even with options not listed on our website. Let us know what you need at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Brightly Software, a Siemens company, partners with organizations at every stage of their asset lifecycle journey. Brightly is a complete asset-management and operations software that enhances organizational sustainability, compliance, and efficiency through data-driven decision making. Streamline maintenance, simplify capital planning, and optimize resources with solutions uniquely designed to support long-term goals. Learn more at brightlysoftware.com.