just-drinks authors and correspondents

Biography

Stephen Beaumont has been covering the global brewing industry for three decades. During that time, he has written literally thousands of articles and columns for publications ranging from Playboy to The Globe and Mail newspaper and has authored or co-authored 14 books, including two editions of The World Atlas of Beer (with Tim Webb) and his most recent, Will Travel for Beer.

Stephen finds that the best way to understand a beer is by going to where it is brewed, so he travels frequently and extensively. In addition to tasting and writing, he frequently speaks at industry conferences, hosts tutored tastings and beer dinners and consults for hospitality companies. When not on the road, he makes his home in downtown Toronto, Canada.

Columns by Stephen Beaumont

Comment - Beer - Beaumont's Brews

Award-winning writer and author Stephen Beaumont gives us his monthly thoughts on what is keeping the global beer industry busy.

Articles by Stephen Beaumont

What the beer category will look like, 12 months from now - comment 28 May 2020

Everyone is asking what the world will be like post-COVID. Beer commentator Stephen Beaumont is no exception but, rather than look forward in weeks or months, Stephen takes a punt at what the brewing industry can expect to see in May 2021.

---

How the post-COVID-19 beer industry will look - comment 28 April 2020

Everyone's asking, so beer commentator Stephen Beaumont is having a stab at answering: What will the world be like when we come out 'the other side'?

---

What advice for the beer category in the time of COVID-19? - comment 26 March 2020

There's only one subject on everyone's minds at the moment, Stephen Beaumont included. This month, our beer expert looks at the options available to brewers in these deeply troubling times.

---

Craft beer is dead. Long live craft beer - comment 25 February 2020

If recent headlines are to be believed, the craft beer category is not in a good way. As some smaller players merge to grow scale, others are being sold on by their sugar-daddy owners. And, what of the staff shake-outs we're seeing? Category commentator Stephen Beaumont surveys the 'wreckage'.

---

What's coming up in beer in 2020? - Predictions for the Year Ahead - comment 21 January 2020

Our category previews of the year ahead continue. Here's beer expert Stephen Beaumont with his take on what will shape the brewing industry over the next 12 months.

---

Why US craft beer is still holding its value - Comment 26 November 2019

just-drinks' beer commentator has had another craft acquisition to digest this month. Stephen Beaumont takes a closer look at Anheuser-Busch InBev's decision to eventually move for Craft Brew Alliance. His conclusions may differ from yours.

---

The next big thing in North American beer is…? - Comment 29 October 2019

This month, beer category commentator Stephen Beaumont surveys the brewing scene in North America, and considers which beer style is poised to be brewers' Great White Hope. Again.

---

Why low-alcohol is the next growth opportunity for beer - Comment 24 September 2019

Back from his long-haul travels, just-drinks' beer commentator, Stephen Beaumont, believes he has found an untapped growth opportunity for the world's brewers.

---

How concerned should the beer category be about the hard seltzer boom? - Comment 28 August 2019

Hard seltzers have hogged the headlines in recent months, particularly the category's perceived threat to beer. Our beer commentator, Stephen Beaumont, looks under the hood of the newcomer's numbers and considers how real the threat truly is.

---

Why beer consumers care less about the detail than you do - Comment 24 July 2019

While brewers around the world are keen to highlight any point of differentiation from their competitors, they risk losing sight of the bigger prize. Category commentator Stephen Beaumont has a warning for those in beer focussing their efforts at the geekier end of the consumer spectrum.