After years of thinking about what craft beer is or isn’t; it seems fitting to start the year out with a new craft beer definition.
If you’re a craft beer fan then you probably routinely ask yourself, what is craft beer? While it should be a simple answer, the beer industry has become so complex and twisted that many of us struggle to provide a clear definition. It seems like redefining craft beer is a necessity. But where do we start?
What Is Faux Craft Beer?
The term craft beer probably means something slightly different to just about everyone. And for that reason, it becomes more of a personal opinion than a defined type of beverage. But we all use it so frequently that you’d think we would agree on it’s meaning.
The “official” definition of craft beer is the one provided by the Brewers Association. This definition has evolved to focus just as much on the “who” as it does on the “what” or “how”. Meaning, the definition is more dependent on brewery ownership than the type or quality of beer.
For those that aren’t obsessed with craft beer, this definition is hard to understand because it has very little to do with the actual beer. And that is confusing.
But confusion over what is craft beer isn’t a new issue. Most of us can easily recall a time when restaurants had two categories for beer – domestic and import. And as craft beer began to emerge, it was put under the “import” section because of the price even though it was made in America.
Consumers were led to believe that anything that wasn’t an American Lager should be grouped into a single category. Imports, *faux craft beer, American craft beer, etc were all given a small section of grocery stores and their own list at restaurants. This caused craft beer to be linked to the style more than any other factors.
*Faux craft beer means beers made by macro breweries (think Budweiser) but are marketed as if they are small, independent companies
The Current Craft Beer Definition
As the craft beer movement gained steam, craft beer meant higher quality, stronger flavor, and a variety of styles. With the aid of the modern taproom, many also began connecting the idea of local as one way to define craft beer.
So regardless of the size of the brewery, if it was local then it had to be craft. But for larger brands, the definition was widely still tied to the type of beer they were making. If it wasn’t an American Lager, then it was probably craft. This was accentuated by the prevalence of IPA as its flavor was the polar opposite of American lagers.
Being defined by style wasn’t such a bad thing. However, it meant large breweries could easily be looped into being craft by simply brewing (or acquiring) specific beers. So the Brewers Association continually altered their definition to focus more on the structure of the company.
The goal was to promote what they perceived as “real” craft. But for those closest to the industry, it was easy to see how the beer world was becoming increasingly more confusing. Regardless of these efforts, in the eyes of most beer drinkers, craft beer remained “anything but American lagers” regardless of who was brewing the beer.
Craft Beer Confusion
In 2011, AB-InBev (Budweiser) purchased Goose Island. Since then, there’s been a landslide of “craft” breweries selling to large corporations. These acquisitions created a continual debate about what craft beer is or isn’t.
Breweries once considered craft, are now owned by huge corporations. So the Brewers Association no longer viewed them as “craft”. Enthusiasts reacted and swore to never drink their beer, scrutinized the quality of their beer, and pointed out unethical ethics business practices.
While AB-InBev made most of the purchases, MillerCoors, Heineken and other brands also got involved.
As an aid to identify “real” craft beer, the Brewers Association released their Independent Craft Brewery Seal. This logo was only provided to breweries meeting their “craft” definition.
But amidst all of this, the average beer consumer didn’t seem to notice. They continued to drink beer they liked regardless of who made it. The style of the beer remained the most prominent way that consumers identified craft beer.
To make matters even more confusing, Ballast Point has gone from being independent to owned by Constellation (think Corona), and recently back to being independent. And in 2020, one of the most respected independent craft breweries, New Belgium, is being sold to a large corporation.
We are just waiting the next acquisition that will shake up the beer world.
Foundation For My Definition
As we near 8,000 breweries in the nation, it has never been harder to determine who is real craft and who is faux craft. I am ready to create a new craft beer definition for myself.
To create my definition, it is important to look primarily at the beer but I can’t deny that ownership does have an impact – at least for me. When looking at the beer, most descriptors are subjective. For example, quality is subjective and relative.
But to give some context, I look for beer that is more than just beer. For decades, bland American lager was the only option. Craft beer should be the opposite. The flavors should be intriguing and varied. Each beer should stand on its own but at the same time lead the drinker to new styles.
A craft brewery should stand for what craft has always stood for: innovation and community. These businesses should have variety in what they brew while also exhibiting a desire to promote the overall community of beer.
Some may say that once mass production and automation enter the brewery then they are no longer craft beer. And that’s a solid argument but to me that is a critical part of bringing craft beer to more people. Craft beer wouldn’t be what it is today without Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, and New Belgium having mass production and distribution.
So for the large breweries, we have to ask what else are they doing to promote craft beer. Companies found to be harming the growth of the overall industry are not craft.
And just because a brewery is small doesn’t mean it is craft. There are small, local breweries that are missing the mark when it comes to their beer and/or how they operate their business which in my eyes makes them non-craft.
What about breweries owned by the macro breweries?
For me, I was among many craft beer enthusiasts that boycotted brands purchased by macro breweries. My list of “Who Owns Who” helps me do just that because I do think ownership is important but it isn’t everything. The AB InBev acquisitions specifically have felt much more invasive and disruptive while other companies have purchases brands without destroying their place in craft beer.
These massive companies had the ability to build small breweries and brew popular craft beer styles. They didn’t need brewing knowledge but they did need access into the craft beer community. At the end of the day, they purchased a brand that granted them a place in the craft beer world.
My New Craft Beer Definition
I believe a craft brewery can make a beer that isn’t craft beer. And ironically, a brewery that isn’t craft can make a craft beer. Just because a brewery makes hard selzter, doesn’t mean it isn’t craft. And just because a brewery can make a world class barrel-aged stout, doesn’t mean it is craft.
Is that confusing? I hope so because that is the state of the beer world. The biggest thing to remember is craft beer is always moving and we each get to decide what it means.
My new craft beer definition: Craft beer is intriguing and varied. Craft breweries focus on innovation and community.
But for most beer drinkers, the craft beer definition will remain based on style.
IPAs, stouts, sour ales, wild ales, and many other styles that aren’t American lagers will be how craft beer is distinguished from non-craft. And I see nothing wrong with that as enjoying these styles will lead them down a path to explore more styles and brands.
My hope is that along that path, we enjoy more and more beer from breweries that are invested in growing the community while producing beer that awakens the taste buds of America.