Craft beer
Small, independent breweries emphasizing flavor and varied techniques.
Craft beer is made by small, independent breweries that produce far less volume than the big "macro" operations. These breweries are known for their focus on passion, creative flavors, and a wide range of brewing methods. The modern microbrewery trend started in the 1970s in both the United States and the United Kingdom, though Europe had a centuries-old tradition of artisanal brewing that later influenced other regions.
**Producer definitions**
**Microbrewery** Originally, "microbrewery" referred to a brewery's size, but it came to describe a different philosophy: flexibility, experimentation, and customer service. The term moved from the UK to the US in the 1980s and eventually meant breweries making fewer than 15,000 U.S. beer barrels (1.8 million liters) each year. In 1995, the US had 205 microbreweries; by 2000, that number had more than doubled to 420.
**Nanobrewery** A nanobrewery is a scaled-down version of a microbrewery, often run by a single person, producing beer in very small batches. These brewers typically work from garages or small industrial spaces, selling their beer to local bars or directly to customers. The U.S. Department of the Treasury calls them "very small brewery operations" that still need state and federal licenses. In 2013, there were over 200 nanobreweries in the US. Their lower startup costs make them popular among home brewers wanting to grow their skills.
**Craft brewery** "Craft brewing" is a broader term that emerged after the late-20th-century microbrewing movement. The definition varies, but it generally means small, independent commercial breweries using traditional methods and prioritizing flavor and quality. It usually applies to breweries founded since the 1970s, though older breweries with a similar focus may also qualify. The Brewers Association, a US trade group, defines craft breweries as "small, independent and traditional." The brewing process takes time and is considered an art by brewmasters. In the UK, the Society of Independent Brewers runs the Assured Independent British Craft Brewer initiative, which certifies breweries using the Independent Craft Brewer logo if they are small, independent, and produce quality beer.
**Farm brewery** Farm breweries, or farmhouse breweries, have existed for centuries.
- Microbreweries in us 1995
- 205
- Microbreweries in us 2000
- 420
- Nanobreweries in us 2013
- more than 200
- Craft beer market share uk
- 2%
- Craft beer can percentage us 2014
- 3%
- Craft beer bottle percentage us 2014
- 60%
- Uk craft beer can percentage 2020
- 4.9%
Lore & Background
The microbrewery movement began in both the United States and United Kingdom in the 1970s, though traditional artisanal brewing existed in Europe for centuries. As the movement grew and some breweries expanded, the more encompassing concept of craft brewing emerged. A brewpub is a pub that brews its own beer for sale on the premises. The term 'microbrewery' originally related to size but gradually came to reflect an alternative attitude toward brewing flexibility, adaptability, experimentation and customer service. The term spread from the UK to the US in the 1980s, and was eventually used for breweries producing fewer than 15,000 U.S. beer barrels annually. In 1995, there were 205 microbreweries in the US; by 2000, that number more than doubled to 420. Nanobreweries are scaled-down microbreweries, often run by solo entrepreneurs, producing beer in small batches sold locally. In 2013, there were more than 200 nanobreweries in the United States. Craft brewing is a more encompassing term for developments succeeding the microbrewing movement, typically applying to relatively small, independently owned commercial breweries employing traditional methods and emphasizing flavor and quality. The term is usually reserved for breweries established since the 1970s but may be used for older breweries with a similar focus. The Brewers Association defines craft breweries as 'small, independent and traditional.' In the UK, the Society of Independent Brewers runs the Assured Independent British Craft Brewer initiative.
Reader's Guide
Craft beer's significance lies in its marketing strategy that differs from large mass-market breweries, offering products competing on quality and diversity instead of low price and advertising. Its influence has been much greater than its market share, which amounts to only 2% in the UK, as indicated by large commercial breweries introducing new brands for the craft beer market or acquiring microbreweries outright. The use of cans by craft brewers doubled between 2012 and 2014, with over 500 US companies using cans, favored because cans are impervious to oxygen, light does not affect canned beer, they are more portable, cool more quickly, and offer greater surface area for designs. The perception that bottles lead to superior taste has been called 'just kind of dated,' as most aluminum cans are lined with a polymer coating. Barrel-aged beer, pioneered by Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout in 1992, became mainstream by 2018. The market for non-alcoholic craft beer is predicted to quadruple from about $20 million in 2018. In Asia, Cambodia's first microbrewery opened in 2009, and China's craft beer market grew with brands such as Slow Boat Brewery, Jing-A Brewery, and Boxing Cat Brewery, with the number of brewpubs in Shanghai doubling since 2010.
Did You Know?
- The term 'brewpub' first gained prominence in California in the early 1980s.
- Goose Island first produced its Bourbon County Stout in 1992, but it was not regularly available until 2005.
More in Brewing Processes 1-24
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