When can we stop calling it "craft"?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Orca, Jun 8, 2013.

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  1. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,710) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Here's my thinking. What most of us are drinking almost every night is just beer. By referring to it as "craft," "artisan," or "microbrew," we're subconsciously segmenting this growing niche of the market as something other than what the big macro breweries are cranking out. We're putting this kind of beer—good beer, made with care and love, often by people we can meet and talk to any day of the week at their neighborhood breweries—into a category that's separate, different, and other than that fizzy yellow stuff we commonly refer to as beer. And by doing this, we're unintentionally putting ourselves, and our beer, in a little corner.

    I say, let's just call it beer. Let's stop compartmentalizing it with fancy modifiers and adjectives. Because for the vast majority of human history, this delicious stuff we're drinking has been known simply as beer. If anything, we should be calling that mass-produced adjunct macro stuff something else. Time to stop playing defense and start playing offense.

    And before you ask, no, I haven't had a drop to drink yet tonight. I've got this FW XVI coming up to temp, so I thought I'd share my thought for the day. Cheers!
     
    #1 Orca, Jun 8, 2013
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  2. texasdrugaddict

    texasdrugaddict Initiate (0) Oct 11, 2012 New Mexico

    Tomorrow.
     
    #2 texasdrugaddict, Jun 8, 2013
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  3. jl28r1

    jl28r1 Initiate (0) Jan 10, 2011 Texas

    I already do that, no one gives a shit.
     
    #3 jl28r1, Jun 8, 2013
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  4. cookiequiz

    cookiequiz Savant (1,119) Apr 15, 2013 California

    I've never said 'craft beer' before. Always 'bad beer' or 'good beer'.
     
    #4 cookiequiz, Jun 8, 2013
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  5. Frankinstiener

    Frankinstiener Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 Illinois

    I stopped calling it craft when I read "craft vs crafty", they broke the term.
     
    #5 Frankinstiener, Jun 8, 2013
  6. Prager62

    Prager62 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,292) May 7, 2010 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Right or wrong, I guess it's just the way we market things in this country. Compare to 'fast' food. Who would call McDonalds or Burger King restaurants?
     
    #6 Prager62, Jun 8, 2013
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  7. BostonHops

    BostonHops Initiate (0) Sep 21, 2011 Massachusetts

    i'm game for calling it simply 'beer' as long as we can officially ascribe 'piss' as a qualifier to the macros of the world.
     
    #7 BostonHops, Jun 8, 2013
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  8. bonercity

    bonercity Initiate (0) Feb 11, 2012 California

    I prefer "good beer."
     
    #8 bonercity, Jun 8, 2013
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  9. DropDead

    DropDead Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2013 Illinois

    I agree with you guys, I just call it "good beer". Can't remember the last time I used the word 'craft' in public
     
    #9 DropDead, Jun 8, 2013
  10. Tomdee74

    Tomdee74 Crusader (487) Jan 18, 2009 Connecticut

    I always call it real beer and crap beer.. Now that InBev owns AB, I call craft beer, American beer
     
    #10 Tomdee74, Jun 8, 2013
  11. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,710) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Just to clarify my OP, I'm primarily talking about use of the word "craft" on this site (and by extension, how we think about beer in a broader context). There's usually at least a handful of threads on the first page of Beer Talk that contain the word "craft." I also never, for example, ask my server or bartender for a "craft beer."
     
    #11 Orca, Jun 8, 2013
  12. bulletrain76

    bulletrain76 Maven (1,311) Nov 6, 2007 California

    I've been telling people this for some time now. We shouldn't concede "beer" to the multinationals. What I make is real beer and I want it called just that. By the way, good choice of beer for tonight. :rolling_eyes:
     
    #12 bulletrain76, Jun 8, 2013
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  13. CelticAleMan

    CelticAleMan Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2010 California

    When I got into "good beer", it was generally referred to as "microbrew". I don't really what care people call it. I generally call the kind of beer I like, "good beer". Sometimes "microbrew" still slips out. I only use "craft beer" when I type up well thought out responses on this site.:sunglasses:
     
    #13 CelticAleMan, Jun 8, 2013
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  14. basscram

    basscram Initiate (0) Mar 29, 2006 Maine

    I is the type that steers clear of catchphrases and such. I practice this amongst other things. craft beer is so blah of a term right right?! Me and others never call beer we like craft or microbrew. I frown when I hear these terms like scratching a chalkboard.
     
    #14 basscram, Jun 8, 2013
  15. reprob8

    reprob8 Initiate (0) May 22, 2008 England

    too many fanboys, bloggerati & tickerati are addicted to 'craft', without it they wouldn't be able to find a beer to drink.
     
    #15 reprob8, Jun 8, 2013
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  16. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Wow, you must be really slow at work lately! :slight_smile: And, I agree with you, it's all just beer to me.
     
    #16 BBThunderbolt, Jun 8, 2013
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  17. basscram

    basscram Initiate (0) Mar 29, 2006 Maine

    we can stop calling it craft when we reach and overtake the amount of breweries there were back before prohibition.
     
    #17 basscram, Jun 8, 2013
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  18. bifrost17

    bifrost17 Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2011 Washington

    I don't drink anything other than what most would consider "craft" beer (except the occasional Tecate with mexican food). So to me beer is beer, I'm not a fan of the term "craft beer" makes me feel like some kind of asshole snob, when really all I am is just some geek that loves to discuss beer with all you fine people.
     
    #18 bifrost17, Jun 8, 2013
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  19. sergeantstogie

    sergeantstogie Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2010 Washington

    Get out of my head!!!!

    To the OP, totally get what you are saying and agree. Though writing a business plan currently, that revolves around beer and as much as it grates on my nerves to type to term Craft Beer, there's not a better term currently that conveys the intent to focus on "good" beer so clearly and succinctly. Is there?
     
    #19 sergeantstogie, Jun 8, 2013
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  20. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,313) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah

    "Craft" is IMO a meaningless term by which I imply that it doesn't say anything about the beer.No beer brewed in greater quantities than the tiniest nano brewery has any significant "hands on" treatment , no brewery is indifferent to quality control and I don't know of any which is prepared to compromise on the ingredients.
    So a brewery is "craft" if it makes 5999999 barrels a year but not if it sneakily manages another 2. All malt? Bye bye Duvel.Have one of the big boys take a financial interest and it's no longer craft beer even though completely unchanged.
    Quality isn't part of it.A-B brew their beers according to style with amazing skill.OK, to you and me that's a wasted skill as the product isn't what we drink , but it isn't brewed for us but for the majority of beer drinkers who happen to prefer it.
     
    #20 marquis, Jun 8, 2013
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