Is Hamm’s The New Hipster Beer?

, Is Hamm’s The New Hipster Beer?

(Courtesy Hamm’s)

That’s what some analysts are thinking. And given its double digit growth something’s going on, that’s for sure.

Here’s the deal…

Every so often a mass market beer gets crowned the new “hipster beer.” It’s always a less than premium brand because price is a big factor in these kinds of things.

It also helps if it’s kinda retro. A beer that’s more of an afterthought in today’s beer landscape…Something you’d see in your grandfather’s cooler rather than a rock club.

Hipster beers are almost always lagers that pair competently with a shot of generic bourbon. They’re deliberately anti-craft, anti-elitist and dive-bar chic.

, Is Hamm’s The New Hipster Beer?For years Pabst ruled this prized Boho sector…But now there’s a new kid on the block in hipsterland.

According to Nielsen, sales volume for Hamm’s is up 14.1% year-to-date in the on-premise, (that’s bars and restaurants) breaking into the No. 10 slot in the research firm’s growth ranking through June 15, an outlier in a segment populated by higher-priced beers such as Modelo, Michelob Ultra, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale.

And with those kinds of numbers MillerCoors has smartly begun trumpeting Hamm’s, which dates back to 1865, as the new hipster beer ….

Liz Cramton, the marketing manager for economy brands at MillerCoors, told Behind the Beer that the 4.7% ABV lager, which comes in low cost 16oz cans, was a welcome alternative to all the robust IPAs, tart sours and $12 cocktails so common in today’s urban bars…

“Hamm’s is an uncomplicated, easy beer to drink in any situation in the on-premise. When you order a Hamm’s you know what you’re going to get: a good, refreshing beer that’s inexpensive and accessible… and its opening price point encourages low-risk trial.” 

“And the great news is that the momentum we’re seeing in the on-premise is carrying over to the off-premise,” 

In keeping with the below-the-radar marketing approach that tend to accompany hipster beers, you won’t see big Hamm’s billboards on the highway, but you might see a graffiti-style mural on a wall in some south Philly neighborhood…

Although it remains to be seen if Hamm’s recent sales spike will have the kind of legs that made PBR a hipster go-to for the last decade, something interesting is happening with the brand…

So maybe it’s time for a beer from “The Land of Sky Blue Waters.”

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