H OP VALLEY Research Proposal
2.2.14
THE EMERGENCE OF HOMEBREW HOMEBREWING IN THE NORTHWEST IS ON THE RISE. RESTRICTIONS ON HOMEBREWING WERE LIFTED IN 1978 ALLOWING MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL CONNOISSEURS TO EXPERIMENT IN THEIR OWN BACKYARDS. MICROBREWS ARE NO LONGER THE MOST HIPSTER WAY TO EXPERIENCE BEER, WINE, SAKE, MEAD OR CIDER. NOW, THERE IS A NEW SUBCULTURE WITHIN THE MICROBREW CULTURE THAT TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. HOMEBREWING IS A KEY PIECE OF THE MICROBREW CULTURE THAT SHOULD BE EMBRACED, ENCOURAGED AND SUPPORTED.
THERE ARE OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT BREW THEIR OWN BEER AT HOME. CRAFTING THEIR OWN CONCOCTIONS OF FLAVORS, MIXTURES, AND BREWING TECHNIQUES TO FORM THEIR OWN BRAND. THEIR GOAL IS SIMPLE: CREATE SOMETHING ON THEIR OWN.
THE ‘HOPSTER’
“THE HOPSTERS” ENJOY THE CHALLENGE, THE GRATIFICATION OF CREATING SOMETHING OF THEIR OWN AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS START TO FINISH. IT’S IT’S IT’S IT’S
AN ADDICTION. CREATIVE FREEDOM. NOT JUST A HOBBY. A LIFESTYLE.
BY FOCUSING ON “THE HOPSTER” WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THEM AND SHOW THEM THERE IS A MICROWBREW THAT SUPPORTS THE SUBCULTURE.
BRIDGE THE GAP:
ALONG WITH GETTING TO KNOW OUR HOPSTERS, PART OF OUR OBJECTIVE FOR THIS RESEARCH IS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN “THE HOPSTERS” AND THE MICROBREW CULTURE. AS A MICROBREWERY, WE WANT HOPSTERS TO KNOW THEY ARE ADMIRED AND SUPPORTED. “THE HOPSTERS” ARE A LARGE PART OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO INTEGRATE THE HOMEBREW SUBCULTURE INTO THE MAINSTREAM. SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE IDENTIFY THEIR DRIVE, MOTIVATION AND PASSION FOR THE ALL THINGS BREW - NOT JUST HOMEBREW. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THESE TWO DIFFERENCES:
INTEGRATING THE SUBCULTURE
1. WHY HOMEBREWING IS IMPORTANT TO THEIR LIFE? 2. WHAT MAKES THEM INTERESTED IN BEER CULTURE?
THE PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
IN ORDER TO SPEAK TO “THE HOPSTER” IN A MEANINGFUL MANNER, WE NEED A CLOSER UNDERSTANDING OF WHO THEY ARE AND THE ROLE HOMEBREWING PLAYS IN THEIR LIVES. 1. GAIN INSIGHT INTO “THE HOPSTER” AND UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHY HOMEBREWING IS IMPORTANT IN THEIR LIFE. 2. GAIN INSIGHT INTO “THE HOPSTER” ON WHAT MAINTAINS THEIR INTEREST FOR MICROBREWS AND DOMESTIC BREWS. 3. UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE OF BEER IN A WIDER CULTURE AND THE ROLE IT CAN PLAY IN DRIVING INTEGRATION BETWEEN HOMEBREWERS AND MICROBREWERS. 4. ANALYZE THE IIMPLICATIONS OF THE INSIGHTS TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF HOMEBREWING ENTERING A LARGER SCALE.
OUR OBJECTIVE: UNDERSTAND “THE HOPSTER” AND HOW HOP VALLEY CAN CONNECT WITH THEM AND CATER TO THE NEEDS OF THE HOMEBREWING COMMUNITY.
WHAT WE WANT TO LEARN: 1. WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND “THE HOPSTER” AND THEIR MOTIVATIONS, HOBBIES AND LIFE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF HOMEBREWING. 2. WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND “THE HOPSTERS’ CONSUMER BUYING HABITS AND WHERE THEY SHOP FOR HOMEBREWING INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES.
THE APPROACH
3. UNDERSTAND THE SUBCULTURE AND APPEAL TO HOMEBREWING OVER OTHER TRADITIONAL MEANS OF ALCOHOL RECEPTION.
THE APPROACH:
KEY THEMES WHAT WE WANT TO LEARN: WHO IS “THE HOPSTER?” WHAT DRIVES THEM? WHAT ARE THEIR GOALS? WHAT IS THEIR SETUP? WHO DO THEY HANG OUT WITH? WHY DO THEY HOMEBREW? WHAT ARE THEIR INTERESTS/HOBBIES? WHAT IS THEIR FAVORITE TYPE OF BEER? HOW DO THEY CHOOSE A TYPE OF BEER TO MAKE? WHERE DO THEY GET THEIR INGREDIENTS? HOW ARE THEY USING TECHNOLOGY? WHERE DO THEY SEE HOMEBREWING GOING? WHAT DOES THEIR DAY LOOK LIKE? HOW OFTEN DO THEY BREW? WHO DO THEY BREW WITH? WHERE ARE THEY SHOPPING FOR EQUIPMENT? HOW HAS HOMEBREWING CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? WHAT DO THEY DO WITH THE PRODUCT? HOW DO THEY START BREWING? HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN BREWING?
FOUR KEY MARKETS 1. HOMEBREWERS THIS IS A PERSON WHO IS SERIOUS ABOUT BEER: THE QUALITY, THE TASTE, WHAT BEERS PAIR WELL WITH CERTAIN FOOD, WHAT YOUR FAVORITE BEER SAYS ABOUT YOU. THE HOMEBREWER IS A PASSIONATE BEER AFICIONADO.
2. LOCAL MICROBREW OWNERS
THE METHODOLOGY:
MARKETS
THE LOCAL MICROBREW OWNER IS FORMERLY A HOMEBREWER. THEY HAVE TAKEN THEIR BREWING FROM HOBBY TO BUSINESS. LIKE THE HOMEBREWER THEY HAVE A PASSION FOR BREWING BEER BUT HAVE TAKEN IT FROM THE GARAGE TO THE WAREHOUSE.
3. ORGANIC FARMERS FOR THE ORGANIC FARMER, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE FINAL PRODUCT. THEY DON’T USE CHEMICALS WITH THE PRODUCTS THEY FARM AND SUPPLY HOMEBREWERS AND LOCAL MICROBREWERIES WITH A SUPERIOR PRODUCT.
4. DOMESTIC BEER FANS THE DOMESTIC BEER FANS DON’T COMB OVER THE BEER AISLE IN SAFEWAY WITH A FINE-TOOTHED COMB. IF THERE ARE MICROBREWS AT THE PARTY, THEY MIGHT VENTURE OUT AND CRACK A BOTTLE THEIR FRIEND BROUGHT OVER. THEY DRINK BEER, BUT THEY DON’T DRINK BEER WITH A PASSION.
THE METHODOLOGY:
DETAILS
IN-HOME INTERVIEWS IN EACH MARKET, WE WILL CONDUCT 3 IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS. THESE INTERVIEWS WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR MINDSET, MOTIVATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF HOP VALLEY AND THE BEER CULTURE.
DAY IN THE LIFE SHOOT IN EACH MARKET, WE WILL CONDUCT ONE DAY IN THE LIFE SHOOT. WE WILL GAIN UNDERSTANDING OF EACH START TO FINISH PROCESS.
BREWERY TOURS WE WILL CONDUCT 2 BREWERY TOURS TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LARGER SCALE PROCESS AND THE DIFFERENCE IN CRAFTING CULTURE.
FEB. 3 - FEB. 16 RECRUITMENT, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
PROPOSED TIMINGS
FEB. 17 - MAR. 2 IMMERSE IN CULTURE - FIELDWORK: HOMEBREWERS & DOMESTIC BEER FANS
MAR. 3 - MAR. 16 IMMERSE IN CULTURE - FIELDWORK: MICROBREWERIES & ORGANIC FARMERS
MAR. 17 - MAR. 30 MARKET ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT DEVELOPMENT
TBA PRESENTATION TO CLIENT
Cheers
DANIELLE HOLLEY | ANDREW EDDIE | BEN KRAFT | MARK FOSTER