Discussion
stourbridges2tvr said:
What is a Craft Beer? How does it differ from any other beer produced by a small/family/micro brewer?
BBC article here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21541887
I have a downer on BB as the way it which it started out was far from the envisaged 'microbrewery'. They got their recipes sorted (using outside bremasters IIRC) and contracted some bigger, established breweries (admittedly not as big as Bud) to brew it, they then just distributed it. After having read their story (Beer School: Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery) to me they just appeared to be another US beer maker.
The definition given by http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/business-t... is very ‘all-encompassing’ to the extent that it makes every brewery apart from Budweiser, Miller, Coors and the like, ‘Craft Brewers’.
I prefer my own (very weak
) definition that if it's internationally available and nationwide in Tesco then it’s not sufficiently distinct to be Craft Beer 
The real argument is craft beer v real ale
The definition given by http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/business-t... is very ‘all-encompassing’ to the extent that it makes every brewery apart from Budweiser, Miller, Coors and the like, ‘Craft Brewers’.
I prefer my own (very weak
) definition that if it's internationally available and nationwide in Tesco then it’s not sufficiently distinct to be Craft Beer The real argument is craft beer v real ale
Edited by SwanJack on Wednesday 24th April 16:43
Edited by SwanJack on Wednesday 24th April 16:56
brissleboy said:
Following on from the Brewdog thread, of which I'm a massive fan, what other craft beers are people drinking? We've got Grillstock, a BBQ festival, here in Bristol in a couple of weeks time and Brooklyn Brewery are providing the beer, looking forward to sampling some of that!
Mmmmm Grillstock. 
Their pulled pork is lovely-I had a load of it last week! They're even doing vacuum packs to take away as well. I got a pack of it last week and had it over the weekend smothered in bbq sauce.
Wadeski said:
one is drunk by hipsters with trendy beards, one is drunk by birdwatchers with twiggy beards? 
Exactly how I see it.I am quite tickled now that small scale beer and cider production has exploded, CAMRA is getting a bit sniffy about what they endorse, like they want to distance themselves from the upstarts who don't want to be part of any establishment. A nice dilemma to have, as i am absolutely rejoicing in the personal consumer choice available to me today.
Can anyone recommend any then? Are they basically just real ales with fancy labels? Or the US equivalent of real ales?
I tried some Sierra Nevada pale ale which was very nice. Does that count?
ETA: Just read that BBC article which answered my questions. I don't really care if craft beers are a hipster fad, I just want to drink nice beer.
So...any recommendations?
I tried some Sierra Nevada pale ale which was very nice. Does that count?
ETA: Just read that BBC article which answered my questions. I don't really care if craft beers are a hipster fad, I just want to drink nice beer.
So...any recommendations?
Edited by roogi on Monday 29th April 13:59
Hunt out a local independent bottle shop and see what's in there, as the Brewdog website says:
''The diversity is what makes craft beer exciting, engaging and appealing. Walk into a great craft beer bar and people will be enjoying hopped up IPAs, quenching sour ales, captivating imperial stouts, properly aged lagers, barrel aged monsters, delicate fruit beers, full flavour session beers, Belgian style ales and loads more! All providing an immense range of flavours and experiences for the drinker.''
Personally I don't like the mega hopped IPA's. I had an American rye beer with peppercorns on the w'end that was very nice, it was at a beer festival and can't remember what it was called though
''The diversity is what makes craft beer exciting, engaging and appealing. Walk into a great craft beer bar and people will be enjoying hopped up IPAs, quenching sour ales, captivating imperial stouts, properly aged lagers, barrel aged monsters, delicate fruit beers, full flavour session beers, Belgian style ales and loads more! All providing an immense range of flavours and experiences for the drinker.''
Personally I don't like the mega hopped IPA's. I had an American rye beer with peppercorns on the w'end that was very nice, it was at a beer festival and can't remember what it was called though
Edited by SwanJack on Monday 29th April 15:17
The Brewdog beers aren't a bad place to start as they make quite a variety both in taste and strength, starting at about 3.8% (I think) and rapidly heading upwards (some of the selection is available in larger supermarkets).
Butcombe Blonde is still probably my favourite "beer" though.
Butcombe Blonde is still probably my favourite "beer" though.
brissleboy said:
The Brewdog beers aren't a bad place to start as they make quite a variety both in taste and strength, starting at about 3.8% (I think) and rapidly heading upwards (some of the selection is available in larger supermarkets).
Butcombe Blonde is still probably my favourite "beer" though.
Sainsburys stock a few varieties of Brewdog (Dead Pony Club which is 3.8%, 5am Saint and Punk). Butcombe Blonde is still probably my favourite "beer" though.
Johnnytheboy said:
I think it's one of those catch-all words like 'artisan' that means 'not for plebs'.
Having read the article, and looked at Brewdogs site, it looks like a new term created by clever marketers to sell stuff to people who think they are too cool to be mainstream.Brew dogs brand new brewery looks anything but "craft" and every bit the sterile mass production plant they hated when they started. Jump on the resurgant real ale band wagon, grow a large company very quickly and use some quirky marketing, can't see anything "craft" about that.
Hmm, thats probably a slightly cynical view. Brewdog have bigger equipment these days because they have grown popular - they didnt start out with it.
the term Craft Beer originated in the US in opposition to megabrewery dross like Coors, Miller, Bud Lite etc. "Real Ale" isnt an American term, and its a bit limited anyway - what does a small Pilsner or Wheat brewer call their product? So they came up with Craft Beer as a catch-all. And many of them are bloody good.
It is also less ornithology-sounding to the younger beer drinker than "Real Ale", which matches the funky labels and names.
the term Craft Beer originated in the US in opposition to megabrewery dross like Coors, Miller, Bud Lite etc. "Real Ale" isnt an American term, and its a bit limited anyway - what does a small Pilsner or Wheat brewer call their product? So they came up with Craft Beer as a catch-all. And many of them are bloody good.
It is also less ornithology-sounding to the younger beer drinker than "Real Ale", which matches the funky labels and names.
stourbridges2tvr said:
Johnnytheboy said:
I think it's one of those catch-all words like 'artisan' that means 'not for plebs'.
Having read the article, and looked at Brewdogs site, it looks like a new term created by clever marketers to sell stuff to people who think they are too cool to be mainstream.Brew dogs brand new brewery looks anything but "craft" and every bit the sterile mass production plant they hated when they started. Jump on the resurgant real ale band wagon, grow a large company very quickly and use some quirky marketing, can't see anything "craft" about that.
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