Drink Asia March-April 2020 | Page 18

Gulp Element ARE CRAFT ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES REALLY A THING? By JADE ANIM A s time changes, so do the needs and wants of people. The beverage industry is among those that are particularly affected by the evolving desires of consumers. After all, variation is important if you don’t want consumers to get sick of your product at some point. To s o m e , m a i n s t r e a m beverage products that are mass-produced and offer the same generic taste just don’t cut it anymore, which is why the emergence of craft alcoholic beverages has defi nitely been a godsend to everyone. A craft beverage can be best described as a drink that is handmade and creatively produced in small batches. Craft alcoholic beverages typically feature quality ingredients that are organic or locally sourced. This type of beverage has a certain appeal to consumers primarily because of how different it tastes and feels compared to other mainstream drink products. The unique qualities of a craft alcoholic beverage Drink Asia 18 The craft beer industry is far ahead of its alcoholic beverage contemporaries because it has been around since the 1970s, which is the decade when the craft beer movement picked up steam and surprised the country with a new kind of beer. March-April 2020 can be attributed to the innovation and passion of the brewers or producers and the exceptional quality of ingredients that they use. But are craft alcoholic beverages really a thing? The answer is yes. So far, beer, wine, cider, and cocktails are among the alcoholic beverages that have their own crafty versions. The craft beer industry itself is already well-established and has a decent amount of following behind it. However, the craft wine, cider, and cocktail industries are currently in their infant stages and have yet to generate some signifi cant buzz in the