Beverage Chronicles, September 19, 2026

Beverage Chronicles
Craft Beer's Loyalty Gap, Wine Value Myths, Brand Consistency, and NFL Beer Price Shock
Gary Monterosso reviews new survey data on craft beer loyalty, wine expert John Mahoney answers listener questions on pricey bottles and summer whites, branding contributor Leslie Jespersen makes the case for consistency over novelty, and Monterosso closes with a look at soaring beer prices at NFL stadiums.
Craft Beer's Loyal Fans Versus A Shrinking Audience
Gary Monterosso opens the show with new numbers from the Brewers Association's Harris Poll consumer survey, which paints a mixed picture for craft beer. He reports that eighty five percent of people who already call themselves craft drinkers now say they drink craft beer at least monthly, up ten points from last year and the strongest showing since 2019 or 2020. Brewery visits are up too, averaging five and a half trips a year, and more of those visitors are buying extra product in the taproom and trying multiple brands each month. But Monterosso notes the trouble sits outside that loyal circle: monthly craft consumption among the general population actually fell, and nearly half of drinkers say they never touch craft beer at all. He points to survey data showing many non-drinkers dislike the flavor, or admit they are not even sure what craft beer is supposed to taste like, suggesting an image problem as much as a taste one.
John Mahoney Weighs In On Pricey Bottles
Gary Monterosso hands the show over to John Mahoney, who hosts New Jersey Wine Radio and returns to Beverage Chronicles to answer listener wine questions. A caller asks whether a hundred dollar Cabernet or Merlot is really five times better than a twenty dollar bottle, and Mahoney says absolutely not. He suggests a simple test: gather friends, buy one bottle at each price point, cover them in brown paper bags so nobody knows which is which, then compare notes. Mahoney says the pricier bottle might show a touch more color or fragrance, but it will not taste three or five times richer or more complex than its cheaper counterpart. The exchange sets a practical, no-nonsense tone for his segment, aimed at helping everyday wine drinkers spend with more confidence and less assumption that price alone signals quality, a message Mahoney delivers with his usual plainspoken enthusiasm for the subject.
A Tour Of Summer White Wines
A second question sends John Mahoney into a long list of white wine recommendations for a listener who already enjoys Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. He suggests branching out into Albariño, Chenin Blanc, and the spicy Gewürztraminer, along with Riesling, Sémillon, and Viognier. For lighter summer sipping he mentions Aligoté, Greek Assyrtiko, and Italian Fiano, and as the weather heats up he says he personally reaches for Austrian Grüner Veltliner, Marsanne from southern France, Muscadet, Palomino, Pinot Blanc, and Roussanne. Mahoney rounds out the tour with Torrontés, Verdejo, Italian Vermentino, and a Spanish white he drinks often, Viura. He frames the whole list as an invitation to experiment beyond familiar bottles and expand a wine drinker's palate through the warmer months. Mahoney closes his segment with his signature sign-off, telling listeners in vino veritas and to drink well for the rest of the summer.
Leslie Jespersen Makes The Case For Consistency
Marketing and branding contributor Leslie Jespersen takes over the show to argue that consistency, not novelty, is what actually keeps consumers loyal to a beverage brand. She calls consistency the most boring strategy in marketing, saying nobody gets excited about a favorite brand staying exactly the same, yet it is one of the biggest reasons people keep buying it. Jespersen asks listeners to imagine their favorite coffee, beer, or dinner-party wine suddenly tasting different, changing its can design, or rebranding to a new audience, and how quickly that would create doubt about whether it is even the same product. She says consumers claim to love surprises but really crave reliability, and that the phrase my usual is one of the highest compliments a brand can earn because it means the brand has become a trusted, permanent part of someone's routine. Jespersen closes by pointing listeners to her own website for more branding commentary.
NFL Game Day Costs Keep Climbing
Gary Monterosso returns with research from FinanceBuzz on the rising cost of attending an NFL game, timed to a new season that opened with a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. He reports that league-wide game day costs, covering tickets, parking, beer, and hot dogs, have climbed seventy two percent over the past decade to an average of one hundred ninety six dollars per person, though costs actually dropped slightly in New Orleans and Indianapolis. Monterosso singles out the Detroit Lions, where the total price of attending a game rose from about ninety eight dollars in 2015 to four hundred twenty nine dollars last year, a three hundred thirty six percent jump. Beer prices draw special attention: a sixteen ounce beer that cost five dollars a decade ago now runs about twelve dollars at MetLife Stadium and twelve thirty five for Cleveland Browns fans, with Cincinnati Bengals fans paying roughly eleven forty nine.
Closing Out The Show
To close the episode, Gary Monterosso thanks both contributors, telling listeners it is always a special treat to welcome John Mahoney and Leslie Jespersen to the show. He points listeners toward Mahoney's personal site, johnjmahoney.com, for more wine reviews, and to Jespersen's site, lesliejespersen.com, for more of her branding and consumer behavior commentary. Monterosso wraps up by describing Beverage Chronicles as a source for the people, places, ideas, and stories shaping the beverage world, promising continued coverage of industry news, trends, and the personalities behind them. He invites listeners who enjoyed the program to share it with a friend, follow the show on social media, and visit online for more interviews and behind-the-scenes content. Monterosso signs off with his usual send-off, encouraging the audience to stay curious, stay connected, and make time for the moments that bring people together, before the closing theme music plays out the episode.