Steven Pinker Blames IPA Obsession, Neglect of Lagers and Pilsners for Closures

Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker posted on Facebook with a pointed diagnosis of the craft sector: "Craft beer companies are in trouble- I say they’ve focused too narrowly on one category - IPA’s (how many do they think America needs?) - and have neglected lagers and Pilsners (or made them taste like ales)." The screenshot of the post carries a "1d" timestamp in the captured UI and links to an article headlined "Another beloved beer brand closes its brewery forever."

The post is backed in the materials by a single explicit closure cited in the linked excerpt: "The Chicago-based brewer will close its doors for the final time on March 29." That line appears inside a TheStreet excerpt preview attached to Pinker's post and is presented alongside a four-point list of market pressures the excerpt identifies as drivers of trouble for craft brewers.

TheStreet excerpt runs the risks in blunt terms: "There are a number of factors at play here. (1) craft beer had a massive boom starting in the early 2010s and reached a growth rate that was unsustainable (2) alcohol consumption is way down especially with younger people who are often turning to THC alternatives which are now legally available in most states and NA options which are seeing rapid growth (3) drinking preferences are cyclical and have been moving away from beer for a number of years (4) there has been an explosion of new alcoholic options such as FMBs (seltzers) and ready to drink cocktails that are dominating the market." The excerpt also concedes that IPA dominance has been demand-driven: "Yes, I think the industry has focused too much on IPAs but most craft breweries you talk to will tell you that has been driven by a massive demand for that category over other styles they may prefer to [...]"

Social reaction appears on the same Facebook capture. The post shows "View 1 reply" and the visible reply from Erik Corr, timestamped "1d," reads, "I think we need a 1000 different IPA's at a minimum." The screenshot shows a small "2" next to Corr's comment; the extract does not label that number more specifically.

The supplied materials include a one-sentence summary that frames Pinker's view more formally: "Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker attributes craft beer industry troubles to excessive focus on IPAs and neglect of lagers and pilsners amid rising closures. He urges brewers to diversify styles for sustainability." That sentence encapsulates the link between Pinker's Facebook critique and the closure cited in the excerpt, though the research notes contain only the single explicit closure tied to March 29.

Taken together, Pinker's Facebook post, the TheStreet excerpt listing unsustainable boom-era growth, declining alcohol consumption, the legal spread of THC alternatives, rapid growth in NA options, and the rise of FMBs and ready-to-drink cocktails frame the pressure points that accompany his call to "diversify styles for sustainability." The conversation captured in the post and the reply from Erik Corr highlights the tension between market demand for IPA variations and advocates for renewed attention to lagers and Pilsners as brewers navigate closures and shifting beverage preferences.