It's amazing to think that a few short years ago "craft beer" sounded exciting. Now it's so old hat I could barely bring myself to comment when there was a brief return of the "what is craft beer?" debate recently.
All craft beer definitions have failed because they're simply unworkable. The "official" American definition endorsed by the Brewers Association is of no practical use when you've got your mitts on a beer as you're probably none the wiser about the brewery's share ownership or annual production so won't know for sure if it's craft or not.
What's needed is something that can easily be used by the average drinker and is based on assessing the beer in front of them. Though some quibble over technicalities about "real ale" if you see the beer pulled from a hand pump it's a safe bet that's what you're getting.
Unlike real ale though craft beer is not about the method of dispense, it's all about the flavour. And that flavour is grapefruit. No need to worry about share transactions or production figures, just have a swig and ask yourself "can I taste grapefruit?". If you can it's craft, if you can't it isn't.
This solves another conundrum too, as it shows some real ales are craft beer and some aren't, easily distinguished from each other by whether they taste of grapefruit or not.
Having this practical definition will easily allow normal drinkers to tell craft beer from non-craft, and still allow craft beer aficionados to have fascinating discussions about rare beer ("can you taste the grapefruit in this imperial stout?", "is this beer still grapefruity since the brewery's been taken over?"). This simple definition should settle things once and for all.
Can't afford Thornbridge Raven? Take Guinness and add grapefruit juice. Its surprisingly similar.
ReplyDeleteGreat definition, Ed. I think I'll start using it.
ReplyDeleteQuality, I like it. But what about the possible chicanery of charlatans? What if someone gives a pint of Fosters a grapefruit top instead of say lime, calls it craft and starts charging hipsters £8 a pint for it?
ReplyDeleteWell from what pyo is saying that looks a really possibility. And if anyone complains just say you added the grapefruit with passion!
DeleteThat is the best definition I have seen so far. So simple, so practical, so universal. It also made me laugh out loud. Oh, sorry LOL.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! Nothing like a bit of C. × paradisi in beer... ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh, you. But what about the lychee? Or is that only detectable on tasting notes?
ReplyDeleteSo long as you can taste grapefruit too! ;-)
DeleteThough some quibble over technicalities about "real ale" if you see the beer pulled from a hand pump it's a safe bet that's what you're getting.
ReplyDeleteNot true. See this thread - esp post by Sam Gamgee re: selling non cask conditioned beers as cask http://www.ratebeer.com/forums/why-cant-americans-cask-condition-beer_247121_5.htm
I'd be surprised if selling bright beer as cask conditioned is common over here.
Deletetis the norm here. Although few actually call it cask or real ale I suppose. Its just assumed by the handpump.
DeleteEd - your friends in Scotland have ridden to the rescue:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/defining-craft-beer-take-2
I can't see it catching on: a complicated set of rules based on the current practices of brewdog and designed to defend their profit margin isn't much use compared to the glorious simplicity and practicality of my definition.
DeleteI prefer the term New World hop taste. Grapefruit did characterize the taste for many years, especially that of Cascades. But the flavours are going beyond that spectrum and encompass pine, passionfruit, "dank", and orange (Amarillo).
ReplyDeleteCraft beer is beer that has a New World hops taste - you know it when you see it.
Gary
That my be more accurate but it's not half as funny!
DeleteI'm not sure that Gary actually has a sense of humour.
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