What is craft beer in the UK?

While BREXIT (should it ever come to pass) will likely turn out to be a bad idea for the UK, it would be wise for them to steer clear of the whole 'what is or isn't craft' morass.

 

I’m being thick - read your comment several times both before and after reading the article. Maybe I missed something in the latter but what relevance does BREXIT have here?

To answer OP. I’m a Brit who’s been living in the US for 11 years. And although I go back to the UK fairly often and drink the beer there, I don’t really pay attention to any beer news, latest definitions, debates etc. So with that said, my unscientific, basic, very much YMMV type of opinion is that to me “craft” in the UK means American-style craft beer.

An example of a UK Craft™️ brewery would be Cloudwater

An example of a UK brewery that makes delicious, well-crafted beer, but isn’t Craft™️ to me is Timothy Taylor.

Where things get muddled is where the likes of TT make a beer with “modern” hops. Or perhaps at a brewery level, a place like Fyne Ales which has is more of a hybrid - been around since 2001, make a lot of traditional-type beers, but are still clearly influenced by the cask scene.

Nonetheless the above is all good beer. And frankly I hate the term craft, here or there.

 

I don't know, from what I've seen over the past 30 years or so, there's not a "broadly accepted definition or classification of 'craft beer' " in the US, either. Even the (Craft) Brewers Association, with its constantly changing definition of "Craft Brewer" has said they don't define "craft beer".

Former Brewers Association board member (and recent Boston Beer Co. employee) Sam Caligione has even stated here on the BA forums:

So, "craft beer" in the US is everything that is not an AAL, light beer or malt liquor (or adjunct cream ale or cider or hard tea or seltzer...)

---- well, except when those latter styles and other beverages are brewed by a "craft brewer".

---- or when any style beer is brewed by a brewery that isn't a "craft brewer".

Simple - Got it?

 

re Fyne ales - that was meant to read influenced by the “craft scene” not cask scene

 

It was an intentionally hyperbolic analog on my part, using BREXIT solely as an example
of a heated debate taking place in the UK. Maybe could have been better worded. Or maybe you are thick.

 

Obviously they need to start flooding the US, particularly NYS, market with English & Scottish ales at competitive prices.

Substitute US for UK and most of this article still applies.

 

y
Exactly. I learned to love ales from my first visit to the British Isles in the early 70s. Those beers I had then would perfectly suit any beer desire I might have now. Their beer history is deep and is largely responsible for what is now happening in American brewing. Their brewing is understated like many things British. American brewing is loud like many things American.

 

Having traveled to Europe fairly often in recent years I think I can say that consumers in England, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain all know what craft beer is. Scotland... I'm not sure.

I had several conversations in Liverpool with punters at the pubs about different beers like "The White Rat" (can't remember who brewed that one) and Titanic's "Plum Porter". Ireland has lots of craft breweries springing up. Scotland has BrewDog at least. In Germany they're producing new hops and brewing all kinds of beers from around the world including American IPAs. Italy is now full of thousands of birrificio artigianale, and although you might still find those who say "drink wine in Italy" the times are certainly changing. Spain is a toss up but at least in Barcelona where they love food and everything interesting and exciting and artistic craft beer is making great strides. Only France in my opinion is still behind the curve although they still have their share of brewpubs and craft breweries. Hell, my friend Michael Donohue owns a place in Paris. Europe, although a few steps behind the U.S., is certainly aware of what craft beer is! I don't see why the U.K. would fall behind - although I do fear change in that I certainly love real ale and I don't want that to disappear - but on the upside, I've had dozens of craft beers via cask so what's to fear?

 

It’s about Britain. That includes England and Scotland. Why are the Scots being singled out??**


**it’s only a coincidence that I’m Scottish

 

Haha! These must be beers that the larger brewers are making that are causing the confusion. We have that same kind of a question here. Is Boston Beer Co. still a "craft brewer"? Ahh, 'yes, they've given us (the Brewer's Association) more money so we're upping the barrels per year requirement'.

Brits know the answer just like we do. OR are they actually confused because they've had so many larger brewery buy-outs that their heads are spinning and they don't know what side is up and what side is down. Miller fans in the U.S. might be experiencing that soon.

 

Only because I have no on-the-ground and in-the-pub experience to give an appropriate answer. That's all. Scotland is on my list, just haven't gotten there yet. I should also note that I have no doubt that there are high quality craft brews being made in Scotland ~ I'm sure there are!

 

Seems like Brewers Association takes the Justice Potter Stewart approach. “We may not be able to define ’craft beer,’ but we know it when we see it.“

 

Whatever happened to Thames Welsh ESB? Sorry for the diversion..

 

IMO,
“Craft” beer (not a fan of that term either) is a relatively recent American concept. It’s what the mass produced pale lagers that were the majority of what beer was available for the last few decades is not.
I think in the U.K., beer is beer (or ale is ale). It’s started as and has been a legitimate craft for centuries so the term “craft” need not apply. Modern “Craft” beer in the U.K. however, is pretty much just America infiltrating and potentially/probably spoiling a perfectly good beer culture. ‘Mericans ruin everything.

 

I guess the common understanding is that it's hoppy, flavoursome beer that isn't Real Ale. Or anything like sours or fruit flavoured. The marketing is ambiguous because continental imports like Duvel and Franziskanner are often lumped in with all the craft beers on menus and on supermarket shelves.

 

I hope not.

 

If I'm anywhere in Great Britain I can find really excellent beer served on tap. I don't care a flip about parcing what craft beer is. It is a moot point. But more American style experimenting is happening. In England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and The Republic of Ireland I can find really good beer that simply is the local stuff. Plus lots of Euro lagers, shandies, and ciders.