It’s that old chestnut again. What is the definition of craft beer? The simple answer, at least in South Africa, is that there isn’t one. For me, “craft beer” is kind of an ethos really, and very difficult to define. So is it a pointless term? And can we come up with something better?
This oft-discussed topic was brought to the fore again in a number of places at the same time last week. Around the time that this article from a San Diego publication started doing the rounds, a similar conversation had started up on this post on my blog, questioning whether CBC, as a large(ish) brewery backed by a foreign brewery could really be classed as craft. A concurrent thread of comments on the post discussed the possibility of using the term “all-malt” to differentiate the beer currently known as “craft” from that known at the moment as “mass-produced”.
There was also this piece on a US beer drinker suing AB-InBev for misleading him into thinking the Leffe he was sipping was brewed in a Belgian abbey, when in fact, it was brewed in an immense factory. But this got me thinking – if you’ve been enjoying Leffe or Blue Moon for months or years, not realising that it wasn’t a “craft beer”, does that suddenly stop it being palatable? Does big business really taste as bad as chlorophenols in a beer? If the stuff tastes good, do you care if it was made by a man in a cassock or a woman wearing a white coat? What is craft beer to you and do you care what it’s called? Share your thoughts on all or any of the above in the comments section below, or if you don’t feel much like typing, choose an option from the poll…
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Hi Lucy,
This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while now. The biggest issue with all of these terms is that they often hold a lot of meaning when they first come into use, but as the market grows, everyone starts to use them, even if they don’t embody their meaning. It’s the same reason every brewery in the country is “Craft”, even though half of the beer is crap. Can you really consider some of these brewers as craftsmen?
Indie implies that it’s not owned by a larger company, but doesn’t guarantee quality in any sense.
Artisanal has fallen the same fate as Craft. It’s just a marketing term now, how many of these people are really artisans?
All-malt is also a problem, as I have tasted many great tasting brews that have been purposely dried out or thinned a little by the addition of sugar, honey, or another adjunct. I have also tasted many all malt beers that are rubbish.
So not to say that I have the solution, but maybe brewers need to each identify what their message is and choose the appropriate terminology to reflect that, rather than cashing in on a term and killing it in the process.
Personally I aim to use the term artisanal more than craft, as it does bring with it an understanding of hands on vs mass produced. But if the term artisanal beer ever took off, you can be sure that in no time at all, big massive highly automated breweries will be trying to use the term.
I am willing to pay more for a small breweries beer because I know they don’t have the economies of scale that the big guys do. So when the big guy mass produce their stuff in a giant brewery and then market it as artisanal/craft/micro, that does leave me feeling scammed, especially if it is much more expensive than your standard macro lager.
I guess I think any label is going to have flaws, all I really want is honesty and a dedication to quality.
please explain indie beer? it American to me hahahah
“Indie” is short for “Independent”. The term originally related to film’s that were independently produced (you may have heard of “Indie” Films – like those showcased at festivals like Cannes), but it is also applied to music (Indie Rock, etc). Recently the term has been expanded to include anything not produced by large corporations, but also refers to a lifestyle of “not following trends or fashions”. I think the Urban Dictionary defines it pretty well:
Its not about how you look
its about how you think
its not about what you listen to
or what you wear
its about why you do.
Indie isn’t a ‘look’ or a ‘style’ it’s part of the way you think, independent from what the mainstream wants you to think (which would explain the love of political debates), independent from what Elle and Cosmo want you to wear this month, independent from what MTV plays, independent from labels and restrictions in general. Basically indie means following your own mind.
Thanks for taking on this issue!
To me, the ‘craft’ movement is about more than just the products it produces. Our country (and indeed the world) is due for a make over: Socially, economically, politically, environmentally… pretty much in all spheres of our existence. And let’s face it, big business (and the mindless consumerism it encourages and thrives on) pretty much runs the world and can (to a large extent) be blamed for a lot of the mess we find ourselves in.
When I support ‘craft’ I am (hopefully) supporting a move away from this mindless consumerism. So yes, I want to know that the business that makes the product I am buying is independently owned and not just a branch of a multinational corporation with the marketing machine to brainwash consumers into buying it’s products. To me, it is about supporting the little guy, the entrepreneurs and the free thinkers. And yes, of course I expect a good product, but often good products made by independents (or “indie’s”) go unnoticed because large companies push them out of the market. Consumers are fickle and easily influenced and will often go for the ‘popular’ brand, regardless of whether it is better or worse than the lesser known “indie” brand beside it (that is if the poor indie can get a foot in the door, in the first place).
But what really gets my goat are big business brands “posing” as indies! It seems “craft” has just become another marketing term capitalizing on the move away from consumerism by turning it back onto itself. I find this unacceptable and I commend the American who took on AB-InBev for their false marketing. For those who don’t mind where their food comes from, I suppose it makes no difference, but I for one do, and I sincerely hope I am not alone!
After trying to select an option I was tempted to choose “I really don’t care…” because in the end its about enjoying whats inside. I have recently been more than happy being carting cans of Tafel lager with me on camping trips and not worrying if they are upside or in the sun for a bit etc…and the beer just tasted just fine (when very cold).
I don’t think a beer needs to be one or nothing – you could have a brewery that makes some beers that are “all malt, artisanal, indie” and other beers that are just “artisanal, indie”…. caters for Red Sky’s gluten free beers..
As you will see from the bit of free advertising below, I am in Susan’s camp. No PC boards and computerized programming when we brew, just elbow grease and sweat. It really gets to me when the big boys try and shanghai the term Craft for their financial benefit. The bit below is from our web page and we try to stay true to this.
“The slow food movement came into being to counter the pressure of the everyday rat race. More and more people want to align themselves with a lifestyle that harks back to hand-crafted produce. In an age of faceless multiple choice systems people thrive when they are able to make contact and speak to the producer of the goods. They want to be reassured that the goods are locally and honestly made resulting in a high quality product that counters the mediocrity of mass produced goods. In line with the above we strive to brew Anvil Ale House beers as artisanal beers in the true sense of the word. No push button “turnkey systems” are employed in the manufacture of our beers, but rather a lot of sweat and physical activity goes into the creation of our “babies”.
Artisinal my choice.
I don’t rate it matters what it’s called,as long as each individual knows why they drink it.i drink craft beer because I like it.
Ah the old ‘what IS craft beer’ debate. At least you don’t have CAMRA in SA; mention the C word to them and watch veins start popping up in temples everywhere!