What is craft beer in the UK?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by JackHorzempa, Nov 7, 2019.

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  1. Hoppsbabo

    Hoppsbabo Pooh-Bah (2,029) Jan 29, 2012 England
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    I only know of one and it's gross. Milkshake IPAs, fruit flavoured IPAs, hazy IPAs and sours are this year's thing.
     
  2. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
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    Is there any movement toward novel uses of local hop varietals? Is there any innovation that isn't simply emulating US 'innovation' in brewing? I'd love to see what modern thinking could bring to the hop varieties that work well in the isles and the possibilities of cask ales
     
  3. laketang

    laketang Pooh-Bah (2,993) Mar 22, 2015 Arizona
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    Thanks for mentioning your buddy Donohue, I looked up his place east of Paris, I never knew, so next time I go ...
     
  4. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,727) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
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    Other countries just have different brewing traditions, particularly those that are on the other side of the pond.

    Things that are sort of "American" influenced don't always take root, even though a lot of US ideas and concepts sneak in.
     
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  5. OffTrail

    OffTrail Devotee (387) Aug 12, 2012 Washington

    Sorry!
     
  6. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
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    whatever beer you order with your plate of pulled-pork sliders.
     
  7. champ103

    champ103 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,682) Sep 3, 2007 Texas
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    This 100%
     
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  8. Hoppsbabo

    Hoppsbabo Pooh-Bah (2,029) Jan 29, 2012 England
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    Charles Faram have a hop development programme. I've actually got half a dozen of their new varieties in my freezer but am yet to use them. I'm thinking of making some single hop bitters. Shall report back if I think of it.
     
  9. Hoppsbabo

    Hoppsbabo Pooh-Bah (2,029) Jan 29, 2012 England
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    There may be more but I'm not aware of any.
     
  10. surfcaster

    surfcaster Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2013 North Carolina
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    In London I used the list on BA a couple years ago to explore some places serving draft (not the standard pub chains) and it took me to some neat spots not unlike what we find in the USA. Converted places in former industrial districts thriving with younger folks. There were a few cask beers but a lot of other locals ranging from IPAs to just nice summer lagers. Quite a nice experience--something for everyone.

    Will be heading to Scotland next fall and curious what I will find there in addition to a whisky or three.
     
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  11. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,301) Nov 20, 2005 England
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    The name "craft beer" may have come from US, But the movement began in the UK when it was called Micro brewing. For a few years there were more breweries in Britain than in any other country.
    The reason was probably a reaction from kegged and gassy brews and the availability of cellars and hand pumps in tens of thousands of pubs.
    The name "craft" is widely misused here, it seems to only be applied to keg beers. A ridiculous thing to see is when the same beer is sold live through a handpump much cheaper than the same beer served from a keg under pressure even though wastage is much less.
    There is actually more craft involved in cask ale than in keg beer, which shows because the result is so much better when done with skill.
     
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  12. thesherrybomber

    thesherrybomber Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2017 California
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    Wasn't CAMRA focused at preserving traditional styles, rather than bringing back something long lost? At least in the US, its more "anything goes" and "bigger is better", which seems to have caught on there and at odds with anything traditional.
     
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  13. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
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    Anchor Brewing Co's Fritz Maytag in an interview claims he invented that term:

    "Well, I invented the term microbrewing... talking to somebody, who had said, used a phrase that I, that terrified me because it was so obviously likely to take on, again, going to take over, and that was boutique brewery*. And it was also an insult, I thought. (Discusses the early era of Silicon Valley and Steam Beer, his friendship with Steve Jobs, etc)... I was very aware (of)... microcomputer as a term, and when they said boutique brewery* I right away started thinking real quick, and I said something about microbrewery. And I felt, for many years I used only that term because I kind of liked it. Craft is a vague term. Micro at least means small."

    * Of course, "Boutique brewery" was a term used by Michael Jackson in his early ed's of The Pocket Guide to Beer (for example, from pages 110-111. 1st US edition, 1982):


     
  14. Ranbot

    Ranbot Pooh-Bah (2,389) Nov 27, 2006 Pennsylvania
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    Then maybe I am thick too. :stuck_out_tongue:
     
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  15. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,301) Nov 20, 2005 England
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    He might think that he invented the term but it goes back a very long time. It is the inverse of macro brewing.
    Small scale brewing really actually took off after 1963 when the need for a licence was abolished for non commercial brewing.
    Things took off from there, particularly after a lot of commercial breweries moved to keg. Admittedly a very good reason for doing this was to reduce the proportion of spoilage. Keg beer kept well, it just wasn't very nice.
    So there was a demand for cask and the infrastructure was already there. Cask beer requires less brewery equipment and time than keg, this meant lower setting up costs.
     
    #35 marquis, Nov 11, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2019
  16. thesherrybomber

    thesherrybomber Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2017 California
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    Your guys' way is more restrictive, perhaps even backwards. Its at odds with "craft"

    https://blog.brewdog.com/usa/blog/craft-beer-v-real-ale
     
  17. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    From the above linked article:

    “Over to Tony Naylor again to provide the final word;

    ‘Real ale's biggest enemy? British brewers who flood the market with dull, steady, fundamentally boring brown beers, on a flavour spectrum defined by Greene King IPA and Taylor's Landlord. Contrast this with America where uninhibited, challengingly hoppy craft beers are flourishing.’

    Cheers!
     
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  18. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,301) Nov 20, 2005 England
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    Taylor 's Landlord, when well kept, is a beautiful beer.
    I have to admit that the more "craft" beers I try the more I get the impression that the "boring brown beers" get things right.
     
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  19. thesherrybomber

    thesherrybomber Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2017 California
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    You're on the wrong site then, buddy
     
  20. Hoppsbabo

    Hoppsbabo Pooh-Bah (2,029) Jan 29, 2012 England
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    I just noticed Bateman's have been using the 'craft' moniker on their labels – 'Crafted since 1874'. And this morning in Tesco I saw Stella Artois bottles with 'Originally crafted for Christmas' on the cap labels. Bateman's have a point, but 'wife beater' can do one!!! Certainly muddying the waters for the undiscerning drinker.
     
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