What is Craft Beer?

What is craft beer?

The Brewers Association has created a definition of what a craft brewer is- small, independent and traditional. 

• Small means an annual production of 6 million barrels or less. (This limit was raised in January, 2011 from 2 million.  Many people think this was done because Sam Adams is now producing 2 million barrels and the industry still wants Sam Adams included in the craft beer category)
• Independent means that it is less than 25% owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not a craft brewer.  (Some larger breweries who hope to profit from the recent popularity of craft beer believe they should be able to market all of their malt beers as craft).
• Traditional means a brewer who either has an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewers brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor. Some definitions of craft beer say that craft beer is brewed without adjuncts such as rice or corn.

Many craft beers are unfiltered and bottle or cask conditioned.

Styles of craft beer

Beers are generally characterized as Ales or Lagers.

Ale uses top fermenting warmer fermentation yeast strains- fruitiness and esters are often part of ale’s character.  An ester is a volatile flavor compound naturally created in fermentation and is often fruit, flowery or spicy.

Examples of Ales:

American Ales- includes American Double-IPA, Porter, Stout and Wheatwine
Belgian/French- included Lambic, Tripel, Witbier

English- includes Porter, Stout, Oatmeal Stout, and Winter Warmer

German Ales- includes Altbier

Lager uses bottom fermenting yeasts- colder fermentation inhibits natural production of esters and other byproducts creating a crisper tasting product.

Examples of Lagers:

American- includes malt liquor, imperial pilsner

German- includes bock and doublebock, pilsners, dortmunder

Hops are the flowering cone of a perennial vining plant. Males and females flower on separate plants and the female cones are used in the brewing process. They ward off spoilage from wild bacteria and bring balance to sweet malts.  They also lend a hand in head retention, help to clear beer (acting as a natural filter) and please the palate by imparting their unique characters and flavors.  Basically, hops put the “bitter in beer”.  There are many different varieties of hops.

Malts and adjuncts provide the fermentable sugars that are required to make beer (and to make beer sweet).

Many beers benefit from extended aging (no not the light beers produced by the big brewers with sell by dates).

For more information, check out the wonderful website at the Beer Advocate.

What types of glasses to serve craft beer in?

Beer glasses are not just pilsners and mugs-  think of flutes, snifters, goblets, pint glasses, tulip, authentic Wiezen glasses and  oversized red wine type glasses.  The shape of the glassware will impact head development and retention. In Europe, especially Belgium, each brand of beer will often have its own glass.

The Beer Advocate site recommends the following types of glasses:

Flute- like the champagne flute but with a shorter stem-this glass enhances and showcases carbonation- use for Dortmunder, German pilsner, Lambic fruit, American Wild Ale

Goblet or Chalice- designed to maintain head.  Wide mouthed for deep sips-  use for Belgian IPA, Tripel

Mug- easy to drink, holds plenty of volume- use for American Amber, American IPA, Black & Tan, English ale and lager

Pilsner- showcases color, clarity and carbonation, promotes head retention-  use for American Malt liquor, Bock, Doublebock

Pint glass- easy to store and drink out of-use for  American and English ales and lagers

Snifter- captures and enhances aromas- use for  American  Double/Imperial, American  IPA, stout, lambic-fruit, wheatwine

Stange – tall and narrow like a Tom Collins glass- promotes a tighter concentration of flavors- use for Lambic, Altbier, and Bock

Tulip shaped- induces and supports large foamy heads-use for  American Double, American IPA, Belgian Ale

Weizen- authentic Bavarian glass for wheat beer

Oversized Wine glass- use for  American Ale, Belgian Ale

Never chill glassware- condensation occurs and dilutes the beer and alters the serving temperature.

At what temperature should you serve craft beer?

The general rule is the higher the alcohol content, the  higher the temperature and the lower the alcohol content, the lower the temperature at which the beer should be served.

• Strong beers- (barleywines, tripels, and dark ales) will be best  served at room temp 55-60 degrees
• Standard ales (bitters, IPA’s, dobbelbocks, lambics, and stouts)will be best served at 50-55 degrees
• Lighter beers-( lagers, pilsners, wheat beers, milds)- 45-50