Craft beer is beer not brewed by brewery corporations. Instead, it finds its home in small, independent, traditional breweries. These craft breweries are independent and produce smaller amounts of beer.
History
The art of traditional artisanal brewing began in Europe and spread to other countries. The microbrewery movement began in both the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1970s. These breweries are keen on introducing new flavors and using varied brewing techniques. Then came craft beer.
Microbrew vs. Craft Beer
The small, independent brewers’ crafted beer changed its name from microbrew to craft beer now. The name change is due to the change in the size of the breweries. A Microbrewery must produce a limited number of barrels of beer only.
The age of “Craft” Beer
The Brewers Association defines craft beer. Along with the definition, they also host their annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver.
The Brewers Association helps new breweries with guidance and resource allocation. In addition, they publish beer books on brewing, beer styles, and reports.
The producers
Microbrewery
The microbrewery was the rage of the 1980s and produced fewer than 15,000 U.S. beer barrels annually.
Nano brewery
Nano brewery is a down-sized microbrewery. An independent entrepreneur runs it.
Craft brewery
Craft brewery gains popularity in the late 20th century. It is typically a small, independent commercial brewery. It employs traditional brewing methods and accentuates beer’s general flavor and quality.
Farm brewery
Farm brewery is old and traditional. However, it has a distinct style of brewing and fermenting compared to the larger breweries. This particular style creates unconventional beer flavors.
Brewpub
A brewpub combines a brewery and a pub or a public house. It sells 25 percent or more of its beer on-site, along with selling food. The beer is primarily for sale in the taproom.
New Age Developments
Marketing strategy
Craft beer is successful because of its marketing strategy. Quality and low price make it the winner of beers.
Canned beer
Craft beers adopt new technology to stay ahead in the market. For example, they use cans, which are resistant to oxygen and beer-degrading light and are portable. They also require less area for storage or transportation.
Barrel-aged beer
Craft beers age in barrels. They are called sour beers. This variation is a new trend and gives a twist to age-old technology.
Non-alcoholic craft beers
Some breweries produce unique beers with non-alcoholic elements. There is a massive market for non-alcoholic beer and wine, and this need will grow daily.
Globalization
Craft beers originated in the United Kingdom as microbreweries in the 1970s. Inspired by this, Canada started producing all of its beers by itself. This change became possible by the 1990s. Before all this, the American era of craft beers started as early as the 1960s. Apart from this, craft beers have origins worldwide and are still spreading.