Poll: should we continue using the term "craft" to describe beer?

Wait... Are you trying to tell us the whole world does not revolve around what we say and do here?

 

Yep, agree. It can be done. However, notice that with the climate change example it was a small vocal minority with leverage points/influence and a new term to use that (that in reality says much the same thing) brought about that change. That’s what I don't see around.

Small? yes.
Vocal? yes.
Leverage points/influence? Not that I can see.
New alternative term? Not that I can see.

 

No problem with stripping the term "craft" of the meaning carried that its "better." That's why recognizing that it just means "not a mass market beer" works just fine.

 

How often do people actually hear/use the term "craft" in real life anyway? I can't recall hearing it. My local grocery stores don't have a "Craft Beer" aisle, they just have a "Beer" aisle. To me, it's like using the Bomber to describe large format bottles, the only people I've ever heard use the term are the beer nerds who frequent on-line beer sites. I've never heard a dude at the store say to his wife,"hey, let's grab a couple bombers of craft beer".

 

It's a passable solution here in the U.S. for now (i.e. until today's "craft" brewers become tomorrow's mass producers), I agree. Doesn't work at all well in other countries, however.

 

I don't really disagree with your point. One time I was in a beer store and asked an employee if I could break a sixer. The employee responded, "You mean of craft beer?" Since I never actually use the term when speaking, I was so unintentionally taken aback by it, that it took me a moment to realize what he was saying.

 

Well, that’s precisely what it is. I wouldn’t mind if “craft” referred only to really small operations like Hill Farmstead. But what it actually is in the real world is a term used by medium-sized industrial breweries to distinguish themselves from somewhat larger industrial breweries.

 

Well that’s where something like "not TV beer" works to cover both traditional and US craft beer brewing influences. Again, losing the presumption that if its not TV beer then its good.

 

Just rolls off the tongue...

 

As you posted on page 1 of this thread: “ @draheim and I both know that where we live is still different than in the rest of the U.S.A….”

So, yes the word “craft” is used in states that are not called Washington State.

One example that was posted by @CheapHysterics

“When I go to the beer distributor I walk past all of the 7 ft. high stacks of crappy macros with cardboard cut-outs of bikini models in front of them to get to the craft/imports section in the back. If they want to change their signage from "craft/imports" to "here's where we keep the good shit" that's fine with me, but I have a feeling it wouldn't go over too well with the folks from bud or coors.”

Cheers!

 

I doubt you could call Bourbon Schmounty Brand ___ a TV beer, but it's not "craft" to some.
This highlights the futility here. Folks will not be able to come to a consensus on what to call it if they can't come to a consensus on how to define it.

 

Fair enough. But, when was the time you personally heard the term used by a "civilian"?

 

Jim Koch isn't gonna like that distinction.

 

I think "craft" is great--we should keep it! It precisely pinpoints the real difference between the beers we value and the ones we don't: craft beer is beer made by people who are striving to make great beer; non-craft beer is made by people who are trying to sell something. Now I'm thinking this could be used to describe other things, notably music, which can only fall back to "art music" these days to sort-of describe the good stuff. "Craft music"...no ring to it, but if it ever becomes common parlance, you know it started here.

 

I have become very friendly with a beer manager of a local beer distributor (retail beer store) near me and when I am running errands in that area (and I have some free time) I will stop by to chat. During those times customers will approach him to ask questions. If I had a dollar every time I heard the word "craft" spoken (both by the customers and by the beer manager) I would have enough money for a vacation to Germany!! OK, a slight exaggeration but yes, the word "craft" is used a lot. I think you will find this reflected in the poll results of this thread.

Cheers!

 

What!?!

You must be from Washington DC vs. Washington State!?!

Those folks from Washington State do not appear to like the word "craft".

Note to self: next time I am in Washington State, never, ever use the word "craft" when discussing beer!!

Cheers!

 

haha agreed! And same here!

Cheers!

 

I want to be the group of friends in the corner calling it craft, I don't want it to be "beer" as everyone sees it. To me that says that everyone is looking for craft, which means too much competition looking for the rare beers were all looking for --> small breweries will increase production and then look at that, quality falls off the map..

Lets keep the macro drinking ppl drinking macro and all of us can share the good stuff

 

Did we read the same thread? Because a fair number of posters have pointed to the vagueness of the term craft, quite the opposite of "precisely pinpoints".

 

There is craft everything now. Craft coffee, craft ice cream, craft TV's. It makes it seem pretentious.

Just call it beer. It is more accessible this way.