Foreign Versions of U.S "Craft" Styles -- How Do They Compare?

Interesting question, but it seems a little grabby to claim RIS as a US style.

 

I use to be 100% all for it but now I wish more traditional cask breweries just made better more interesting real ale. The craft beer movement in Scotland has helped to pull a Carthage on ye olde styles of 60/,70/,80/ etc.

And IMHO the determining twist in UK versions of US 'craft' styles in one of restraint over the extreme both in taste and ABV. American style IPAs are common though Double and Imperial IPAs aren't. I forsee more and more 'innovation' (ie emperors new clothes) in order to keep these hipster pups entertained and hooked.

 

I think that the difference is that so-called craft beer is much more mainstream than in the US which leads to restraint. IPA to BA members is a major player, but it actually accounts for around 2% of the overall beer market. It's a niche product.Craft drinkers on the whole (and Scotland may be a touch different) don't go much for bottled beer, they head to the pub. Keeping good beer in a pub relies heavily on turnover so there has to be a good demand.
In pubs out of the big towns and cities it's difficult to shift any beer much over 4.5% ABV and even in the cities the majority of beers are low gravity.There are many reasons for this; people may be driving or going back to work afterwards , they may wish to stay for a few hours , our brewers have found ways of creating very flavoursome beers of modest strength.

 

In terms of brewers, how do Brewdog, Mikkeller, Evil Twin, and De Struise stack up?

 

Like I said in the other post. We have some fine IPA's and some good DIPA's. But nothing that can truly compare to the every day offerings that a lot of American breweries are putting out. Especially hop forwardness. Finding something that could be similar to Heady, Zombie, Pliney ect ect over here (every day offerings) is a nearly impossible.

As far as Stouts. I'm right between De Molen and De Struise with a few others near by, Like Emelisse. A lot of the offerings from these breweries are just as good, if not better than there American counter parts when it comes to stouts and barrel aging.

 

Brewdog is like Stone or Rogue: widely available, confrontational branding, and probably many people's first encounter with craft. So things they do are solid, some interesting and weird, and some are amazing: I've never tasted aroma hops packed into a 25 IBU, 5% beer like I have with 5AM Saint.

Mikkeller are always good quality but not always worth the money: can't pay $7 for an 11oz bottle of Tomahawk single hop, sorry. But a few of their stouts are world class.

Evil Twin and De Struise don't get to Ireland.

To answer the OP's question, in Ireland you'd go American for big stouts and lots of hops, and buy from the source if you wanted a Belgian or English style. It helps that, due to geography (and crazy taxes,) most imports end up around a similar price point.

 

BrewDog, despite their best efforts, is no longer really on the cutting edge of what every self confessed craft ticker wants the most. Mikkeller gets a lot of flak from some people but it really deserves more accolades. De Struise is top teir world class. No doubt in my mind.

 

Had Oakham Citra on cask when I was last in the UK (in April).

Fantastic.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1680/69732

 

In my opinion, Devil's IPA by some Spanish brewery that I don't feel like searching for was one of my top 5 beers from this past Shelton Brothers festival. It was fresh at the festival and was very much hopforward. I don't know how available it is overseas, but it was very tasty, well balanced, and an unexpected treat.