Craft beer – a systematic literature review and research agenda

Abstract

Purpose In recent years, the craft beer (CB) industry has gained impetus and has experienced significant growth in scientific publications. This study aims to present a systematic review of the literature on CB in areas related to economic and business sciences. Design/methodology/approach Based on the data from Scopus, Web of Science and a set of articles not indexed to these databases until June 2021, a total of 132 articles were included for analysis, using bibliometric and content analysis techniques. Findings The study allowed us to identify that CB has four main clusters/themes of research, namely, CB industry and market, marketing and branding, consumer behavior and sustainability. Detailed information on the clusters is provided. In addition, the results showed that publications addressing CB have grown significantly from 2015 onwards and are dispersed across many journals, with none assuming a clear leadership. Quantitative approaches account for more than half of publications. Research limitations/implications This study is a useful guide for academics intending to develop studies with CB. It provides a framework to structure future research by identifying existing literature clusters and proposes several research propositions. Practical implications The findings from this study are useful for CB companies to get an overview of the main issues affecting the CB industry and market to be able to adapt their strategies and stay aligned with market tendencies in the four main clusters identified. Originality/value This is the first systematic review of CB. Therefore, it provides a significant contribution to frame and strengthening the literature on CB and serves as a reference for future research. Based on the content analysis and cluster identification, the findings portray the status of current research. Accordingly, a set of research opportunities are offered.

Analysis of Worldwide Research on Craft Beer

“…Researchers can use the results of the same to obtain a vision on the subject and draw their own conclusions, as well as decide on what is necessary to investigate. In this sense, as complementary research, studies such as the one carried out by Nave et al (2021) are very interesting, in which they focus on a scientific area, specify and complement the overall vision given in this bibliometric analysis with a detailed analysis and depth of research on craft beer in a specific scientific area. In this sense, we agree with Nave et al (2021) who state that “ bibliometric studies that are well done can build firm foundations for advancing a field in novel and meaningful ways—it enables and empowers scholars to (1) gain a one-stop overview, (2) identify knowledge gaps, (3) derive novel ideas for investigation, and (4) position their intended contributions to the field ” (p. 285).…”

How do beer prices vary across different pubs? An empirical study

“…Previous studies indicates that the purchasing power exerted by pubcos and large breweries becomes relevant when purchasing large volumes of industrially brewed beers (Andrews and Turner, 2012; Preece, 2016). Nevertheless, their power seems reduced when purchasing beers from craft breweries, as the vast majority of these have limited volumes and operate at a local scale (Sozen et al , 2021; Nave et al , 2021). Moreover, craft breweries tend to have flexibility in terms of quantities and ranges produced (Bachman et al , 2021).…”

“…As the UK pub sector has been the subject of several investigations published in this journal over the past two decades (Knowles and Egan, 2002; Andrews and Turner, 2012; Cabras and Mount, 2017; Martin et al , 2019), building on this knowledge can provide a valuable contribution to its readership. Analysing price-mechanisms affecting beers sold in the on-licence market would also add original knowledge on a topic for which there are no empirical studies (Nave, 2021), despite the cruciality of understanding multiple economic processes occurring in the brewery sector and within the wider hospitality management sector.…”

A bibliometric review of research in wine tourism experiences: insights and future research directions

“…Santos et al (2020) examined articles on wine tourism published between 2003 and 2018 to analyse the characteristics and trends in a Portuguese context. Nave et al (2021) conducted an SLR to identify factors stimulating the adoption of sustainable practices by wine tourism companies. Campos-Andaur et al (2022) provided an empirical overview of studies on wine tourism, analysing the scientific production from 2000 to 2021 to examine the contribution to the sustainable development goals.…”