What is craft beer in the UK?

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

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  1. dangle47

    dangle47 Devotee (347) May 16, 2007 New York

    So what is the definition of “craft beer”, here in the US that is? Personally, I believe all beer is crafted.
     
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  2. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
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    from Merriam Webster, to craft is
    so while we might disagree about the nuances of what gets this particular label. I think it's pretty silly to pretend that 'all' beer is crafted. Some is just manufactured
     
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  3. thesherrybomber

    thesherrybomber Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2017 California
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    The big guys definitely have skills to make a "flawless" beer, and didn't one of the things that kicked off the whole west coast hop trend involve a hop growing program for macros in the pacific northwest? They're definitely not living in the past
     
  4. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
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    I'm not arguing for the BA definition of craft beer, just saying that the 'all beer is crafted' argument requires a different definition of 'to craft' than I'm familiar with. Is Natty Daddy really crafted? Is St. Ives? How about Steel Reserve? Kirkland Lite (this one tastes like licking a 9 volt battery, I guess that's ingenuity)?
    I agree that there is 'craft' that has gone into many 'macro' (to resort to older terms) beer. But I think there is a point when the 'care, skill, and ingenuity' was all on the part of the machinists, software programmers, and food chemists that we might be moving away from a 'craft' beer. might just be me though
     
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  5. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,301) Nov 20, 2005 England
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    Go into any brewery, however small, and see the degree of automation. Even the 10 barrel brewery near me only requires hands on for shovelling out the spent grains.
     
  6. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
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    and no where did I say that automation was bad
     
  7. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
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    "We" ? Good luck with that...:grin: "We" can't even agree on what "beer" is...

    Still it's easier than typing/saying "Beer not brewed and/or owned by Anheuser-BuschInBev, Molson Coors, Heineken or Constellation..."

    The current (it's been changed several times since they first created it in 2007) definition by the US-based Brewers Association of a "Craft Brewer" is:
    The organization, which primarily represents (but does not limit membership to only) "Craft brewers" has often stated that they do not define "craft beer".

    Originally, the third section, now called simply "Brewer" :rolling_eyes: was called "Traditional":
    In 2014, changed to:
     
  8. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,677) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
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    Or Penmaenmahr, somewhere in Wales.
     
  9. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,677) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
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    Or even what "we" is. Is is tough enough to befuddle most of us.
     
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  10. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
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    Being around my age, you of course remember the old (and non-PC) joke's punchline:
    Or, to quote not only The Lone Ranger, but Big Joe Turner* (followed by Johnny Burnette's Rock 'n' Roll Trio*)....Hi-Oh, Silver

    * Hey, what's the deal - no more embedding video? The little icon along the top of the isn't showing up.

    Are we far enough off-topic? :grin:
     
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  11. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,677) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
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    Not yet, watch this:
     
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  12. Ahonky

    Ahonky Initiate (0) Feb 13, 2018 New York

    It's a bit childish. "I like better______blah blah look at me and what I consume"

    Do you refer to high quality socks made by a small MFR "craft socks"?
     
  13. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
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    Well, the term was coined and used back the late 1970s and 1980s, by beer writers like Michael Jackson and Vince Cottone (the latter often credited with popularizing it) and taken up eventually by the Association of Brewers, one of the predecessor groups that merged to form the current Brewers Association.

    Not really a creation of some sense of superiority by the "craft" beer drinkers, a large percentage of whom, if anything, seem to dislike the term (see: every other BA thread on the topic :grin:). So, more "industry-driven" and used to differentiate the small brewers and their products from the macro brewers' adjunct lagers. Not unusual for members and researchers of large, complex industries to try to segment the industry by size of manufacturer and for smaller entities to emphasis their quality.

    (I'd have been fine with them continuing to use the old Brewers Association of America's term of just "Small Brewers" but I didn't get a vote. OTOH, and as noted above, I was glad to see the cringe-worthy "microbrew" term go.
    "A Microbrew? Where are my tweezers?").

    Me? :astonished: Don't ask me - ask Uncle Charlie (ret.) and the rest of the execs and brewer-members at the Brewers Association.
     
    #93 jesskidden, Dec 6, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2019
  14. Ahonky

    Ahonky Initiate (0) Feb 13, 2018 New York

    I don't find it industry driven at all. I hear the word floated all the time. I cringe. Maybe I'm just sensitive to meaningless or redundant words
     
  15. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,071) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
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    :astonished: BREWERS ASSOCIATION'S page - Craft Brewer Definition

    and their other site https://www.craftbeer.com/

    But that doesn't mean the industry doesn't use and promote it.

    Well, since you only joined this site yesterday, I'd say "Get ready to cringe and be irritated ..."
    And I say that as someone who also often cringes and is irritated, too. :grin:
     
    #95 jesskidden, Dec 6, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2019
  16. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,058) Feb 15, 2010 New York
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    When I put "all-terrain" tires on my car, I don't expect my car to be able to perform well in literally every type of terrain. People here are too concerned with applying literal dictionary definitions to industry or marketplace terms. (But I can't for the life of me recall where I've seen this happen in arguments on this site before :rolling_eyes::wink:) Big brewers obviously "craft" their beers and some small brewers make stuff I wouldn't buy. That doesn't change the idea that the term "craft beer/brewer" actually communicates something... even though the boundaries are fuzzy (accept it - believe it or not, a female platypus lays eggs) and even though speaking the word out loud makes me cringe too.
     
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  17. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,862) Mar 12, 2013 California
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    I prefer to draw the extra cringe out and refer to my beer (and my socks!) as artesinal [pinky out emoji]
     
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  18. Smakawhat

    Smakawhat Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,727) Mar 18, 2008 Maryland
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    I would hardly call Landlord boring. Friggin love that beer.
     
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  19. dangle47

    dangle47 Devotee (347) May 16, 2007 New York

    So, pretty much defined by the volume of beer produced. Along with having morals and what not. Pretty much created so the big boys will never be included....can’t we all just get along???
     
  20. chipawayboy

    chipawayboy Pooh-Bah (1,977) Oct 26, 2007 Massachusetts
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    dying to get over to London and crawl the Bermondsey Mile. Seems like it's kinda the epicenter of southern UK craft. Anybody check that out? cask and kegs or just kegs?
     
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