4 beer trends on tap in 2026

"January is a great time to take stock of what happened in the beer world the previous year and explore how the beer scene changed, assess current trends and predict where it might actually go in the coming year. Sometimes, the predictions are almost too easy: IPAs will continue to be popular. Other times, they're less obvious. Recent trends that mostly fizzled out include brut IPAs, sour beers and pastry stouts."

"A lot of these shifts are driven by changing tastes, younger generations coming of age and the fact that most of us are drinking less than we used to - a phenomenon that's been happening for decades. A recent Gallup poll regarding drinking patterns in the U.S. shows that we're imbibing at the lowest level in 90 years. Given that people are not drinking as much and that most breweries have not fully recovered from COVID-related economic impacts, these remain challenging times for U.S. breweries."

"What's a whale? It's loosely defined as a beer that's hard to find, very limited in production and/or availability and only available for a short window of time, often only in a single place or a small number of spots. Whales are often also high in alcohol, and some special process has been used to make them, such as aging in special wooden barrels."

Beer consumption in the U.S. has declined to its lowest level in 90 years, driven by changing tastes, younger generations coming of age and long-term reductions in drinking. IPAs remain broadly popular while niche fads like brut IPAs, sour beers and pastry stouts have largely fizzled. Many breweries continue to face economic strain after COVID-related impacts, complicating recovery amid lower overall demand. Highly limited, high-alcohol 'whale' releases that once dominated craft-collector culture have lost appeal after years of special releases and scarcity-driven chasing. The combined effects of shifting preferences and financial pressure are reshaping beer production and release strategies heading into 2026.

Read at The Mercury News