When can we stop calling it "craft"?

Michael, how are Shiner beers priced in your neck of the woods? They are selling Shiner in the Philly area for a pretty penny: about 10 bucks a sixer and over $30 for a case. That is too much for that beer IMHO.

Cheers!

Jack

 

That's too much for a sixpack, I agree (I could get Czechvar for that price). Around here Shiner is about a buck cheaper per sixer than something like Sierra Nevada- like $8, I'd say. Cases are a different story- it seems like you get much cheaper cases than we do here, so a price in the low $30s is pretty good, comparably.

 

I understand, and my response was just as hypothetical, but I don't think you ought to lie to the guy by saying you "don't like lagers." How about, "Yeah, I've tried all those and they're not really the style I like, I'm more into (insert style or brand here)."

Then, as HerrB points out, there's the ugly "lager scapegoat" reference that doesn't need perpetuating.

 

For a while non-craft people were throwing Noble Pils into the mix and I was in heaven. That has ended though :-(.

 

I understand where you are coming from with this, but sometimes saying "craft beer" is just easier. Sometimes I'll talk to my dad who doesn't know much about beer, and it's easier to reference craft beer instead of saying, "you know, all the beers that aren't produced by AB and Miller, etc." However, my personal definition of craft is wider than that prescribed by the Brewers Association.

 

It's overused I agree, but I find it useful here in the UK to have the term to apply to breweries following the more US influenced style of brewing. Lots of hops from different countries in pale ales, experimenting with any ingredients they want, more use of kegs and bottles - not just cask, more beers that they make less of - as opposed to making the same 5 beers constantly, and generally seeming to be a bit less stuffy and boring.

Breweries like the Kernel, Magic Rock and Summer Wine in England, Tiny Rebel in Wales, and Fyne and Cromarty in Scotland.

Though it is important to remember that there is shit craft beer, and there are amazing stuffy and boring ales. Also when people are just like "craft beer yeah, I really love craft beer, do you? there's really great craft beer like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, have you tried it? probably not. it's so cool and edgy - like me."