Beer taps hold the secret to what’s trending, according to BeerBoard, the company behind the digital beer menu displays at places like Buffalo Wild Wings and BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse.
In a press release issued Tuesday, the Syracuse, New York-based company announced the launch of BeerBoard 1000, a monthly index that ranks top-selling beers across the country.
Using a proprietary data set that includes pouring information from 50,000 draft lines at places like Buffalo Wild Wings, Hooters and Miller’s Alehouse, BeerBoard said it would begin offering a monthly snapshot of the latest beer trends.
“Based on our ability to monitor and capture actual pour volumes through patented technology, the BeerBoard 1000 will provide the industry information on what’s trending on a monthly basis and assist operators with ordering, inventory and merchandising,” BeerBoard founder and CEO Mark Young said via the press release.
The caveat, of course, is that BeerBoard’s data will rely heavily on volumes being poured at mainstream chains known to sell higher quantities of domestic beer and nationally available craft offerings.
Nevertheless, what beers did the company identify as most popular in November?
New Holland Brewing’s Black Tulip trippel climbed the most positions, going from unranked in October to the No. 220 overall spot last month.
Not surprisingly, large craft breweries’ winter seasonals also made impressive leaps, with Samuel Adams Winter Lager leading the way at No. 23 on the BeerBoard list. Other gainers: Great Lakes Christmas Ale (ranked No. 77, up 887 positions), Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (ranked No. 149) and Harpoon Winter Warmer (ranked No. 488).
IPAs are still ruling the beer landscape, however, owning 15 of the top 100 spots. The top-selling overall IPA was Lagunitas IPA, which checked in at No. 21, BeerBoard said.
Ales were the most popular style overall, with 212 brands placing in the top 1,000. November’s most poured ale came from Firestone Walker. The California-based brewery’s 805 blonde ale claimed the No. 27 spot.
BeerBoard’s data also revealed a decline in cider drinking, with just 29 cider offerings holding positions within the top 1,000. Boston Beer Co.’s Angry Orchard, which dominates the category’s volume, ranked in at No. 11 overall, dropping out of the top 10 during the month. Vander Mill Totally Roasted showed the biggest gains for the month, rising 597 spots to claim the No. 212 position in the rankings.
Finally, large-scale domestics brands such as Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Labatt Blue Light and Corona Light all ranked in the top 25 of most served beers.