"Craft" vs. "Traditional" Beer

If you don't mind me asking, what did you vote? I voted traditional, but I definitely do purchase my fair share of what I believe you're calling "craft". But the split is no way near 50/50.

Although my fridge last week did look like this.....Sculpin, Celebration, Uinta Yard Sale (American amber lager), Jack's Abby Kiwi Rising, Brooklyn Pilsner.

But at the bar the next day I ordered......Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen, Naukabout Lighthouse Ale (a low abv American blonde), Radeberger Pils......and I originally ordered a BBC Oktoberfest on cask, but it was kicked.

 

Not too long ago I described myself as being a craft beer drinker "in spirit" way before the designation came about, and to me that also includes all of the 'traditional' imports and such along the same continuum. It doesn't surprise me, though, that there are those coming of age these days who see American Craft Beer as a separate entity- it looks like that may be a result of how the industry is positioning itself since it appropriated the term.

 

The OP might improve the question by clarifying the distinction he's making between "craft" and "traditional" (which latter term may or may not chiefly mean "imported from elsewhere") and by making a claim about the ability of American "craft" brewers to brew "traditional" styles. Are "traditional" styles more or less static and easily classifiable across brands? Is "craft" different from "traditional" in kind rather than just in degree (i.e., are any "craft" styles anything other than ultimately derivative of "traditional" styles)?

 

It's weird, innit?

Clearly! But such a query / polls amongst the users of BeerAdvocate and it's (truly obsessive) hobbyist users is not nearly a large enough sample of the general population to glean too much valid data.

When it comes to beer, I drink what I want to -- purists and trend-hoppers be damned.

Case in point: August Schell Brewing Co., smack-dab in the middle of Flyoverland, U.S.A. They have ranked among my favorite breweries for a very long time, and until a few years ago were even listed by Brewers Association as a "Traditional" brewery, but that's before Uncle Charlie got out his slide rule and upped the BA membership fees based upon usage of corn in the grist of one or more flagship brands (c.f. Deer Brand and Grain Belt Premium.)

Do they brew "Macro" brands (Deer Brand/Light, Grain Belt Premium/Light, Hauenstein)? No doubt, but they have for over twenty years now been cognizant of the niche market within the broader market in which Specialty or Super Premium branding has been the tail which wags the dog in terms of trends and sales-spikes, so when "Microbrew/Microbeer" became "Craft", and we all (industry and Joe Sixpack alike) pile-on the bandwagon to remain relevant to the new nomenclature, they were right there, eh?

But the brewery also hews fairly close to a different set of "Traditional" brewing, and that being the styles associated with "German" (Bavarian, Mitteleuropean) beer going back a few hundred years or so -- fairly modern in the overall history of beer as a beverage, and also concomitant with Modernity as a broader, overarching principle. But I wax academic, and will let that go for a moment (and for what it's worth, they are not a *perfect* German-style brewery, but they are damned-good -- try their Pils or Bock, and tell me that I'm full of bologna.)

Yes to all of that. The "modern" or at least contemporary tendency within the growth of Craft Beer as a market force has been for distinct waves of growth based around the latest iteration of newly-legal-drinkers finding a HOT style to jump on, and the industry has followed suit to a greater or lesser degree -- from Belgian to I.P.A. to Sour to hybrids, and with wheat and rye malt (and specialty malts more generally) being a large component of the "innovation" going on. Did I forget hop varietals? There have only been 75 new hybrid hop varietals since 2003 -- how careless of me to not consider those!

In short, "innovation" is presently driving the sales growth with the beer market, and it is the metaporical 'tail which wags the dog' in the entire equation. This innovation began as a component of the Craft Beer (c.f. Micro/Beer) movement within the industry in the U.S.A., but has come to influence every brewery in the world, whether large or small.

Did I lose the gist of your O.P.? Probably. Let me dial it back...

I visited my local "Total Wine" last night to find my beloved Schell's Snowstorm (as none of my crummy mom n' pop beer museums had been allotted any, while T.W. had about 200 cases. Hmmm. ) and I noticed about fifteen hundred* total beer and cider brands on their shelves -- that's like a Ticker's wet dream! But the other thing I noted? End caps and POS was focused around the largest Craft Brewery names (and we all know those names by now, right?), with much, much less focus or attention to detail given to the beers brewed by Traditional brewers. Dozens of distinct brands from these British and European breweries are slotted-in to the rotation while those from the larger national and Craft and brewers comprise 70% of the entire number of SKUs. Like it or not, this trend will continue, and the Craft Craze will filter the availability and expectation ("as in "what to expect" in Traditional styles) even more, going forward. Basically, in today's marketplace American Craft Breweries have become the prism through which Tradition is being viewed.

Again; Did I lose the gist of your O.P.? Probably. But these thoughts come to me all the time as I make observations at retail, and being a former 'industry' wonk with too much knowledge of insider ball, I still spend $$$ on beer every week, because I love beer, and don't think too much of being devoted to a brewery owing to their "Craft Brewer" status.

I also know that fond memories and personal experience are powerful factors in my beer-buying process.

(Drops mic, walks off stage.)

P.S. A couple of thoughts:

1. Total Wine is among a small handful of American retail chains which are both recognizing and precipitating certain trends within the beverage industry.

2. Newly-legal Drinkers remain a key catalyst in the growth of sales, and are generally more susceptible to marketing efforts and larger trends.

*1,736 SKUs. But who's keeping track aside from a few obsessive bachelor / beernerds like me?

 

I wondered the same thing when considering my answer. I thought to myself, "Self, you are going to click the fourth option, but is that really true based on your purchasing habits?"

Then I considered that if we could get consistently fresh and non-skunked bottles of the best examples of beers from around the world, would my answer be different? But then I thought about any time I visit someplace new, I am much more inclined to sample the fare (food and drink, alike) native to that region, rather than seek out something "safe" from where I'm from (that sounds weird, but I think you get it), ala someone who goes on vacation in a foreign, to them, place and still wants a cheeseburger and Bud Light. So, I stuck with my instinct and chose the fourth option.

 

I was torn, too, but chose the third because I still process the word 'macro' to mean BudCoorsMiller type AALs, which I'm not really that into. I will grab a Spaten, Paulaner, Leffe Brune (and others) at the drop of a hat, though, so could have answered that way on a technicality.

 

I'd say you chose correctly but can see how this could be up for debate. I also interpreted macro as BMC, and I do buy/drink those from time to time.

 

Or replace "underrated" with "under appreciated"

 

Fair enough

 

I like "craft" beer and I like the classic "traditional" European breweries, but I very rarely drink AALs. Now, if you break my spending habits down, it's a high percentage of craft, with the balance from the other side of the Atlantic. I can't remember the last time I bought a Bud or a Lite. (a couple years ago at the VFW?)

 

I like to think I'm an equal opportunity beer drinker.

I enjoy it all, and drink what I'm in the mood for (rather than sorting by region).

 

I drink beer...lots of beer, brewed fom many different sized breweries, from many different states and countries.

I also drink bourbon, scotch, tequila, rum, vodka and wine...

I try not to discriminate against color, origins or orientation (ABV) but rather let my taste buds decide if any given drink will participate within my social circle...most do. The few that don't are regularly asked back to the party as a show of willingness to learn, compromise and to sometimes be humbled.

 

I sort of do not understand why the need to differentiate between "craft" and "traditional". They both plead the same end result, and I'm not even sure what the term traditional really means cos it's never been a static thing. History only moves forward and I'm not sure we, as such a young country who are still trying to get over the twin fuck you's of prohibition and the depression era and the twisted historical amnesia that the baby boom era grow up in and we are now thoroughly on the other side of but with a wicked hangover. This sort of dodgy term 'Craft' is only actively trying to stake out, and reclaim the space which a huge portion of the 20th century with its eyes on bigger, more, and being national and globally minded was actively trying to erase. That being. The small. The local.

 

I like good beer.

There is no traditional or craft beer.

Only beer you like and beer you don't.

 

I will drink any beer I have not had yet. I know that is not what you wanted to hear but it does show my mentality. I have found that the traditional styles are faithful to the palate in a way that is hard to describe to both the maverick and to the cavalier. Today I went looking for a lager. I could have had weihenstephaner original or I could have had macro lagers. What a difference. I bought a beligan. Personally I like pilsner. I think that style is fantastic but most people think its boring. I try not to be too snooty while in the aisle but I find myself honestly passing up a lot of beer I myself rated highly for a weihenstpehaner original instead. I will drink any lager, any time . From helles to dopplebock. I love them. I believe i notice the difference between decoction mash and infusion mash. I have tried altbier ( my first being uerige and I can never get close enough to my memory of that beer to satisfy) Traditional means made traditionally. I will traverse the threads to say that there was an example in another thread about the difference between the new recipe for raost turkey on food network and the old tried and true recipe you grew up with. I dare say that most folks will try that new turkey recipe with a bit of fear int heir hearts and always return to tradition because the way your grandmother did it will always be the best. Same with beer. We have delved into the pinnacles and pitfalls of hops. We have decided that there is such a thing as palate fatigue and who doesn't secretly go to the local pub and order a mild, or a brown ale or an esb insdtead of an IPa for the mere reason that you intend to have more than one? It reminds me of my tiem at a famous brewery of lager beers recently where they said as I purchased a flight . . . "You have this one LAST because it's very hoppy." Ok I am drunk. ( I'm going, I'm going)