Craft beer consumer stat: Craft beer drinkers are healthy, so how can you capitalize?

We disagree with the first clause of this report from Harris Poll on craft beer drinkers being healthy:

A healthy lifestyle and drinking alcohol don’t always go hand-in-hand,

That’s just, like, your opinion man. Not to just be funny and make the case that drinking is healthy because we run a site about making and selling beer, but the science isn’t completely settled on it. There are a lot of variables to consider. And, if we were fair, we’d note that the Harris Poll press release immediately finished that half sentence we quoted by saying “but craft beer connoisseurs are finding a happy medium,” but we aren’t fair, so we won’t.

The Harris Poll info goes on to note that eight in 10 drinking-age Americans who drink craft beer at least once a month consider themselves to be health conscious (slightly more than the 76 percent of average drinkers — those who drink any alcohol at least a few times per year — so yea, not the widest of gaps).

But get this: Nearly three-quarters of craft brew imbibers (73 percent) consider alcohol to be an indulgence or special treat, compared to two-thirds of average drinkers (67 percent). This is particularly true among younger craft brew indulgers, including 80 percent of 21-34 year olds and 77 percent of those 35-44.

Following this trend, nearly half of all craft beer drinkers (47 percent) say they only drink alcohol on the weekends (compared to 39 percent of average drinkers). This is particularly prevalent among millennial craft beer lovers, with six in 10 (60 percent) saying they only drink on weekends.

“This presents some interesting challenges to brewers and retailers, but could also represent opportunities,” suggested Danelle Kosmal, vice president of Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice. “First, it’s important for brewers to prioritize weekends for their biggest events in-store or at the brew pub and tasting rooms. This is when craft drinkers are thinking most about beer-drinking occasions. However, there also could be new opportunities to engage craft drinkers by creating weekday drinking occasions. Many brewers are already doing this through events like brewery-sponsored yoga or weekly group runs. It is a great way for craft drinkers to stick with their fitness plans, while still engaging in a fun, social activity, and then enjoying a beer with friends who share similar fitness goals and interests.”

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 1,978 U.S. adults aged 21+ (including 1,384 average drinkers and 405 monthly craft brew drinkers) surveyed online between May 24-26, 2016.

The healthy habits of craft beer drinkers

Overall, regular craft brew drinkers tend to engage more in healthy lifestyle activities compared to the average beer/wine/spirits drinker. More than half (57 percent) say they stay healthy by exercising several times per week (vs. 52 percent of average drinkers). Notably, 40 percent of craft brew drinkers say they prefer group exercise compared to sweating it out alone (compared to 33 percent of average drinkers).

For brewers looking to engage this crowd, what’s the best way to entice? With freebies of course! Nearly two in three craft beer drinkers (64 percent) say they’re more likely to attend a brewer-sponsored health/wellness event if it includes a beverage or tasting in the event price (compared to just 37 percent of average drinkers). These numbers jump up even higher among younger craft beer drinkers (73 percent of 21-34 year olds and 77 percent of 35-44 year olds).

Looking to other healthy habits, it comes as little surprise that over one quarter of craft beer drinkers seek out food and beverages made locally (27 vs. 21 percent of average drinkers). Nearly eight in 10 also read nutritional labels (78 vs. 73 percent of average drinkers) while just fewer than two in 10 tracks their calorie intake (18 vs. 14 percent of average drinkers).

Alcohol habits for a healthy lifestyle

When it comes to specifically managing alcohol habits in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, craft beer drinkers tend to simply drink less alcohol (42 percent vs. 50 percent of average drinkers). One in three say they take time off from drinking (33 percent) while two in 10 turn to spirits or wine instead over beer (21 percent). Yet again, the habit of taking time off from drinking is most prevalent among millennial craft beer drinkers (44 percent).

However, craft brew lovers may be willing to give up more than the average drinker in order to keep alcohol in their diets. Nearly four in 10 say they drink lower calorie non-alcoholic beverages in order to indulge in their favorite brews (39 percent vs. 25 percent of average drinkers).

Calorie counters

Not too surprisingly given their heightened concern over ingredients and knowledge of types of beer, monthly craft beer drinkers have greater confidence in their knowledge of calorie counts for any type of alcohol compared to the average alcohol drinker. A majority of craft beer drinkers say they are knowledgeable about calories in:

• Craft beer (67 vs. 33 percent of average drinkers)
• Non-craft beer (64 vs. 39 percent)
• Spirits/Cocktails (57 vs. 44 percent)
• Wine (61 vs. 47 percent)

Further, nearly three quarters of craft beer drinkers (73 percent) say it’s true that calorie ranges can vary greatly in craft beer, even within the same style or brand of beer (compared to 65 percent of average drinkers).

Meanwhile, your CBBers usually lie to their doctors during annual exams when asked about how many alcoholic beverages they consume during a month. So, we take all self-assessed polls with a pint of salty gose. We wrote this in italics, though, which means it isn’t real. You never saw this.   

Further reading: Craft beer consumer stats: How will they affect your business plan?