Your income went up. Seriously. You're seeing interesting micros that target you and other high-income people, what's in your neighborhood is targeted. Most of America is drinking lower ABV beer from a case.

Cheap 5% beer is still available but there is an increase of availability of higher ABV beer.

For example, when I was younger grocery stores didn't stock anything but the big national brands. Now they stock far more variety, much of it over 5%.

This has nothing to do with my income. I've liked better beer since I started drinking in college. I've never liked the mass produced junk.

It does have to do with your income - really your class. You aren't going to the same grocery stores as the median American.

You're making incorrect assumptions, you know nothing about me and how I've lived.