Time to drop "Craft" from Craft Beer?

I think most of us we agree we only ever use the term 'craft beer' to differentiate it from the big dogs. It is still annoying. Someone here on BA once said it best:

"There is no such thing as craft beer. There is only beer you like, and beer you don't like."
-Unknown

 

I am of the opinion that there has to be some designation...what that would be is the question. "Beer"...yes, that's technically what it all is...but I think the BA needs to come up with something better. I think there is a difference between Surly and Macro adjunct lagers. I also think there is a difference between Sierra Nevada and Ballast Point due to ownership. That should also play in to the definition IMO.

 

Craft has never truly had any meaning other than volume produced and that changes with the seasons. Has never meant or gaurnteed quality product but many think of it as implied quality.

 

I will also point out that it is a useful term within the context of working in the distribution business. No less annoying. Just useful.

 

If that's the only thing you buy, then craft beer is a thing to you, and you've made a distinction right there.

 

That unknown person is me who said that...

Word.

 

Not calling it craft won't protect its space on your supermarket's shelves.

 

That stuck with me!

 

Time to create a new thread for no reason

 

Don't drop the name, just come up with new names. Beer>craft beer>artisanal beer

 

We've all been at a bar or restaurant unfamiliar to us and asked for he "craft" options. I'm now thinking its kind of douchey. Imagine going to the same bar or restaurant and when ordering a Reuben, you asked, "Do you have an artisanal cheese options?"

Call it beer.

If I go to a friends house and he offers me a beer, I will say yes even if it's an 80% chance it's a fizzy yellow beer.

 

I never understood the term Craft beer, and I don't associate myself with it because of stereotypes about hipsters and other arrogant people.

Plus, when I got into beer it was all traditional European stuff. I only slowly started drinking IPAs and stouts when I realized some examples had a similar level of quality.

Plus, I think a lot of older American craft breweries now deserve to be considered Traditional rather than craft. Sierra Nevada and Anchor for example.

 

Drop it, drop it now. I hate useless distinctions like that. I can't stand when the words old fashioned, or country fresh are put in front of something to lure in the lemming-like public...my newest hatred is a local restaurant that serves hand-cut steaks. How else do you cut them?

 

Have you contacted Uncle Charlie (Papazian), Ms. Herz and Mr. Gatza, the other officials and member breweries of The Brewers Association yet? The didn't invent the term but they popularized it and their group claims to be a "passionate voice" for the brewers of it.

 

the bros (@Jason @Todd) mentioned dropping the term "craft" from beer in the first word of the beer advocate magazine probably a year ago, dont remember which issue.

 

"Craft" manages to be meaningless and misleading at the same time. Nobody seems to have a useful definition of the word other than beer not produced by the mega breweries.It carries connotations of a quality product, though it may in fact be mediocre or worse, being brewed in a labour intensive "hands on" way. Only the tiniest of tiny breweries don't utilise automation.
It's really redundant in conversation. I don't say to somebody "Shall we go for some real ale ?" (or cask ale) just "How about a pint?" which serves just as well.

 

I generally use "good" if I need a descriptor of distinction when I talk about beer.

"Hey, I hear you really like beer."
"Well, I really like *good* beer..."

Of course, "good" is completely subjective... and that's good too.

 

Honestly, I'd say we should us it more. Here's the google search term results for beer vs craft beer