I am a very amateur sociologist. In other words I love thinking about it, but I know very little...
Anyway, I was musing this morning as I was driving around, about an ongoing discussion point: The craft beer brewery movement, and its stopping/contracting/ point.
So I am interested in actual demonstrable dynamics that have fueled this change from the macro-brew to the micro-brew in an effort to better understand when the pace will slow, stop or reverse, and why.
A few of these dynamics that I think are fueling the move are:
*the cultural shift away from brand loyalty (i.e. my dad was a Ford guy - I've owned 6 different brands)
*the shift toward local sourcing of food (i.e. the "Know your farmer's name" bumper sticker)
*the new social phenomenon largely brought on by the internet: Affinity Groups. (I'm a beer guy - therefore I know beer in its various forms and makers)
*the homebrewing movement. Nobody is going to just brew BMC clones!
*the Baby Boomer-and-beyond value: "Just give us the best, we'll figure out how to pay for it."
On the other side of the coin, the biggest (IMO) barrier to the craft beer movement is the 'no-nonsense,' utilitarian mindset that many men have: "Just give me a beer! I don't need any of that froo-froo crap!
On this note I have had a bartender say to me: "Oh yeah you're that guy that likes the fancy beer." I thought: "You're an idiot." at the very same time I felt a small desire to communicate my masculinity to him. Oh, and by fancy beer he meant Fat Tire which just happened to be the beer they had which had the most flavor
Then of course there is cost.
So those are my thoughts, what would you add?