"Craft" vs. "Traditional" Beer

I voted it's all good. 90% of the beer I drink is American Craft but most of that is American knock offs of "traditional" beers.

 

Don't be misled by ther term "traditional" as if these beers have been unchanged through time.I drink the same "styles" as my grandfather ; the names are the same but the beers are totally different. Apart from new varieties of barley and hops which impinge upon the beers' character there have been changes brought about through reasons such as changing personal tastes , laws and major events.My "traditional " mild is dark , gently hopped and around 4% ABV ; my granfather's was pale , 6% ABV and quite massively hopped. Brewing has always been dynamic. that's why there are so many different sorts to choose from.

 

I drink mostly American beers which consist of mostly craft interspersed with macros. The macros help fill me up for less money, cleanse my palate between crafts and make the crafts taste better by comparison.

 

I've tried a few German and Belgian style beers and they did not appeal to me. I drink American craft beers and Samuel Smith's.

 

Actually I might disagree that most BAs today are craft beer exclusivists. On the contrary I think most will drink both macro beers (adjunct lagers) and also drink craft. They're somewhere on the spectrum of buying both.

I think craft exclusivists are a relatively small minority.

 

It's a 50/50 split between "craft" and "traditional" for me. I've lately been drinking more "craft" beer, but it won't be long until I lean back towards the "traditional" side again. As far as macro is concerned, I have a High Life on my lunch break a couple times a week, and I'll buy a 12 pack of swill on rare occasion.

 

Unless I'm misunderstanding your post, I would lean towards disagreeing with it. I believe there was a recent poll asking what percentage of your purchases were IPAs. And most voted that the majority of their consumption was in some form of an IPA. This would lead me to believe most are consuming "craft".

Furthermore, the IPA is the best selling "craft" style in the US. Finally, the Top 250, and the way it's still trending, points towards BAs love of hops. If I'm understanding the OP correctly, I imagine @herrburgess didn't mean pilsners, bitters, milds, and Belgians that were 70 IBUs when he labeled them "traditional".

I suppose one way to phrase this question is from this standpoint. If you're stranded on a desert island and had to pick one beer to stock it with, which would you choose?

1) A case of Bud Light

2) A case of Heady Topper

3) A wooden barrel of Augustiner Helles

 

In my case it has to be a combination of traditional and good macros.

I live in Europe and the availability of American crafts (i mean modern-micro breweries, etc) is not that good, and local ones are usually very expensive and more risky. But very happy if you ask me, as having spent these years discovering the delicacies coming from Germany, Belgium and the UK (not so expensive and good availability), which they are sculpting to perfection for hundreds of years in some cases. What a better way to get into this than learning from the original masters? And they even have some good IPAS in Cornwall also, let me tell you...That said, i would really love to visit the US and get as deep as possible into the American scene. I liKe to now is that good. Sadly just had a few good American craft beers and they were great, so i am not a taliban for that matter. Having family in Boston, Portland and San Diego, i am pretty sure i will find some good places to begin with...

When i talk about good macros i am thinking about Germany mainly. It is impressive how many German beers are delievered on industrial scale while keeping the quality and being so cheap. Some beers come to mind which are not so far the top while costing just a bit more than a euro-dollar for half a litre; Hofbrau, Spaten, Paulaner, even Weihenstephaner (bit more pricey here) to name a few, they all make excellent beers on different styles for that price. I wonder if that mid-range pricing but excellent quality is on offer from American breweries, or the gap between piss and quality is bigger.

So i am actually on the traditional side, in part because of the context but also like it to be this way at the moment. I am so loving all these greatly balanced European beers, but also visit the bar where craft beers on tap are on offer and equally enjoy the new local pilsner or stout, the odd IPA from America or a new brewery in Wales, etc...

I am thirsty now, and only have a big one Tripel Karmeliet that i should not allow myself because it´s so late. Got distracted and miss my German macros so much!

 

Let me clarify. I'm not talking about one's favorite beers, or ideal choice of beer (deserted island situation). I'm talking about regular consumption patterns. Someone might claim they appreciate a high quality burger from a nice local burger place, but they might also eat fast food burgers once or twice a week too. I think a substantial percentage of BAs are like that with macro beers (adjunct lagers typically), whether it be mowing the lawn, fishing, what the neighbor has or what is at the party, or just general thriftiness on behalf of some. I think most BAs still drink some % of Budweiser, Coors, etc. Some more than others. Those who drink none of that stuff are a small minority, in my opinion.

 

I am the weird one who didn´t have the Heady Topper yet, but i would sell my girlfriend for a wooden barrel of Augustiner Helles.

3.

 

I'm about 60/30/10 ratio of craft / traditional / macro in what I prefer and consume. I consider most authentic traditional UK/German styles craft anyway except for Euro macro swill (Heineken etc) is macro.

 

I am a beer snob. I seek out good American craft beers. Quality over quantity always.

 

I get where the OP is coming from. Although now the "American craft" breweries are experimenting more and more and producing great examples of the what are considered "traditional European" styles, I would agree that the majority of folks into craft in the last 5 years are less enamored with those styles. I was with a group of folks a bit younger and when I served an Ayinger Octoberfest on an almost warm October day--the sentiment was "nothing special here and where are my IPAs?" Similar reaction when sharing some cask ale in San Fran--"why mess with the 4% stuff" and "no carbonation."

Just look at how things get rated--certainly with exceptions--never going to see lagers/milds/German Octoberfests (my Ayinger a pedestrian 90) rated high overall.

I am glad there are both. The subtleties and refinements of the traditional styles are something I love but also appreciate a big DIPA. I think a good number of folks "come back" to these traditional styles over time or evolve toward them/include them. Not in anyway implying one is any better than the other.

 

I consider craft beer to be the only beer for me. I can't do AAL, I don't enjoy them. I do enjoy supporting craft brewers as often as I can. When I go to the store, all I consider is craft.

 

I very rarely find myself in a situation where the only choice is macro (discarding my last three years living in South Korea and previous two before that in Australia ). If I was out of ale at home I'd sooner reach for the wine, rum, gin or whisky.

 

On tap, I'm probably 80/15/5 mostly due to supply.
Bottles at a bar (lot less often), probably 60/35/5.

Recently bottles for home, it's been closer to 50/50/0, craft/traditional/macro in each case. This will likely shift back to craft at some point.

Actually if you count homebrews as "American craft" (I am a citizen), it might already tilt to 60/40 .

 

Really?? 90 is "pedestrian"?

 

To answer the OPs question:

2/3 American "craft" 1/3 "traditional" with traditional on the rise. Somehow each side makes me appreciate the other better if that makes sense. I honestly haven't had an AAL in a year--would get a Coke if that was my only choice. I just don't consume a lot as I get older so a bit more selective. Was a macro die hard 30 years ago.

 

Twice in the past three years, I bought some Genesee Cream Ale to go to large non-beer-related events with groups of friends. Other than that, my consumption pattern is all "craft" / "traditional". So I suppose my percentage would be somewhere around 99.8%.

 

Just out of curiosity, you excluded weizens from the traditional German styles. Why?