Which styles are selling well at some of the uk’s finest bottleshops and what would these businesses like to see breweries improve upon, too? Brewery market, indiebeer, and Stirchley Wines & Spirits tell all.
The changing drinks landscape is one that both breweries and their customers have to navigate in order to cater of changing consumer demands. And the UK’s bottleshops play an integral role in help accommodate and shape drinking habits.
And in Holloway, London, you’ll find one such establishment at indiebeer, a craft beer shop and tasting room founded by Clare and Owen Daniel. And when it comes to the styles and ABVs that are selling well in the capital, Owen says that as both a bottle shop and a bar, they’ve found there are two quite different answers to that question…
“When it comes to draught beer, there’s been a clear shift towards lower-ABV options. Customers—especially on Arsenal match days—are often in for a session and are specifically after beers around 4%, or even as low as 3.5%. Those lower-strength options are really important to that audience,” he explains.
“But in the fridges—whether customers are drinking in or taking away—it’s a very different picture and we have seen a polarisation in preferences.
“There are our core customers who are increasingly looking for bigger, fuller-flavoured beers. For around a year now, we have had an entire fridge dedicated to double IPAs, and split our IPA section in two so there’s now one fridge just for DIPAs, and another for sessionable and standard IPAs.”
He adds that imperial stouts are also selling well—driven partly by increased access to exciting US releases and some excellent barrel-aged offerings from Eastern European breweries.
“Then there are customers are who are searching for classic European beers, in particular alternative lager styles, such as Schwarzbier and Rotbier, and know that we are always adding new and exciting options in the lager fridge,” he says.
“So, in summary: on draught, it’s all about lower ABV; in cans, it’s a polarisation between full-flavour, higher strength styles like DIPAs and those seeking cleaner classic styles.”
And with this, Daniel says there been a shift in what your consumers are purchasing. “It’s an interesting dynamic, because it sometimes puts us at odds with what breweries are focusing on. For a range of reasons—including changes in taxation—many breweries are pushing lower-strength beers and are keen to sell more draught overall.
“But the irony is that while our draught customers are increasingly looking for lower-ABV options, and some customers are cutting out alcohol completely, the majority of our can-buying core customers are moving in the opposite direction. So yes, there’s been a marked change—breweries leaning one way, consumers pulling in another.”
Krishan Rajput is the proprietor of Birmingham’s Stirchley Wines & Spirits. In terms of market trends in the last 12 months, he’s seen a noticeable surge in the availability and retail sales of standard strength stouts due to the supply issues of Guinness in the latter part of 2024, And a particular standout for him was Anspach & Hobday’s London Black.
“The Low & No category continues to be a growth area for sales, whilst gluten free has stalled slightly (despite increased availability of styles and wider adoption within the industry). As always, local beers are still a prime influence with our customers in terms of sales,” he explains.
“The continuing popularity of Low & No is a trend that is very much in line with previous years; the popularity is driven partially by shifting drinking trends as well as more visibility of these products in social media circles (Ben Gibbs/Soberboozersclub on Instagram being a prime example). Whereas we would probably view the increased interest in alternatives to Guinness as probably more of an anomaly.”
And in Twickenham, Linda Birch is the founder of Brewery Market. She echoes the views of Krishan Rajput adding that no and low-alcohol beers are continuing to gain traction.
“We have increased the number of fridge spaces dedicated to this category, separated by style. Customers are seeking out flavourful options that suit a more mindful approach to drinking, and brewers have really stepped up their game here,” she tells us.
“Also continuing from last year, one of the biggest sellers has been sparkling mead. It’s become a real talking point in the shop, it appeals to beer drinkers, wine drinkers, and the “not sure what I fancy” crowd alike. It’s that bridge beverage that invites curiosity.”
And what can breweries be doing more of and be doing better? “Packaging and delivery can still be a challenge—damaged cans from poor packaging or rushed couriers are all too common. Maybe there’s room for breweries in the same area to share a local driver?” asks Birch. “It could help cut waste, improve the cold chain, and even create jobs.
“We’d also really welcome more mixed packs and smaller MOQs tailored for independents. One thing that’s tough for small shops like ours is when breweries cancel events after we’ve placed a big order. We put a lot into sharing their stories—so a little more support for the little guys would go a long way.”
“Better transport packaging please,” adds Rajput. “And in terms of things that would be useful to us as a retailer, would be to see more breweries offer their beers in multiples of 12 rather than 24. That would give us more opportunity to take on beer with a reduced risk of getting “stuck” with stock, therefore more potential to restock with newer beers in a shorter time.”
At Indiebeer, Owen and Clare would love to see both breweries and consumers embrace a bit more style variety and experimentation. “It’s obviously a challenging time for everyone, with consumers wanting value for money and certainty when they make a purchase, and for breweries, and retailers, needing to be sure that the beer will be popular and sell quickly enough,” says Owen.
“We’re currently stuck in a bit of a doom-loop, which explains why we’re seeing so many customers gravitate towards DIPAs. It has become the ‘safe’ choice, and as a result, everyone’s sitting in that same hazy IPA space.
He adds: “We’ve seen a decline in classic European styles such as saisons, which is a shame, but we are also guilty of not pushing these enough. Those beers were a big part of what made craft beer exciting to begin with.
“And while I understand it’s risky, I really believe draft is still the best way to introduce people to new styles. But if you’re going to put something unusual—say a lemongrass or thyme saison—on draught, it shouldn’t be in a 30L keg. That’s a hard sell. Try and package it in a 10L keg instead.
“I know it costs more, and I know keg prices don’t scale with volume, but if we want variety on bars again, smaller formats might be the way forward.
“No venue wants a slower-selling beer to sit on the taps for weeks. It will look stale to the customers and also reflect badly on the brewery.”
And in working with a wealth of breweries Rajput highlights some names that have made an impression on him.
“The return to the industry of Burton Bridge/Heritage Brewing has been a very welcome sight this year. Burton Bridge was one of those breweries that we had stocked for a considerable amount of time up until the brewery was put up for sale,” he says.
“To see them return in such a vibrant way and with renewed vigour under the watchful eyes of Emma Cole and Al Wall is definitely something of note.
“It is one exampe that has shown us there is still a great deal of interest in traditional and heritage brewing.”
Rajput adds: We’ll also sing the praises for Elusive Brewing in Berkshire, who are fast-approaching their 9th year of operation and are still delivering excellent and approachable beers like Oregon Trail (their signature West Coast IPA) and their core red ale Level Up.
As for newer breweries Rajput says that Scatterlings have caught our eye is the last 12-18 months. An offshoot mixed fermentation project from the head brewer of Two Flints Brewing that focus primarily on saison style beers,
Rajput explains that one of their most recent releases ‘Green Hop, Green Bottle’ and that it “was a genuine pleasure to drink”.
At Brewery Market, Linda Birch says she wants to give a huge shout-out to Talking Tides Brew Co.
“I’ve been working with them for a little while and we’ve just secured a grant to scale up the kit and finally start canning ourselves. The brewery is fantastic—Steve McDonald is the brewer and the beers are consistently brilliant,” she says.
“Headland and Bark Side of the Moon really stand out for me. The new cans look great, the taproom’s got a brilliant vibe and top music, and they’re doing so much for the local area and community. They’ve worked incredibly hard to get to this point—they deserve more recognition. Their beers are currently available on Eebria, too!”
And for Clare and Owen at Indiebeer, both huge fans of West Coast IPAs, they’d understandably like to see more on the market.
“We don’t think there are nearly enough of them these days, which is why we now have a dedicated West Coast section in both our IPA and pale ale fridges. It’s a style we’re keen to champion,” he says.
“Last year, we saw a wave of “modern” West Coasts, and slightly hazy versions, Bright IPAs and the like, that were all aiming to meet customers halfway. But I think there’s now a better understanding among drinkers of what a West Coast IPA is meant to be.”
