Perhaps the best definition of craft beer you’ll read today

“What I’d say is, if you can identify exactly where it was brewed, name the brewer and it has great aromas and good strong flavours (and perhaps a silly name), it’s probably craft beer.”

From a lengthy look at “a thing called ‘craft’ beer” in The New Zealand Record.

Of course there is a downside for those in the U.S. who’ve discovered how much they like New Zealand hops. This is why more of them will be staying at home.

7 thoughts on “Perhaps the best definition of craft beer you’ll read today”

  1. Brewer? Or owner or PR front guy who once brewed but that was in the ’90s? This rules out much of Big Craft. Which makes it a good definition.

  2. So whether a beer is “craft” depends upon the drinker’s knowledge of the beer? Also, “great aromas” and “strong flavours” are subjective.

    The fact of the matter is we’ll never have a definition upon which everyone agrees. I’m okay with that.

  3. Daniel – I don’t expect that there will be a consensus. And I also don’t mind. Certainly that definition works best within the context of the story which is wise enough to put “craft” in quote marks early on.

    Barm – You whether it is called craft beer or the beer itself?

  4. The good news is that this lets the loudest people on beer forums claim the Goose Island beers they like as craft beer while dismissing the Goose Island beers they don’t like. The bad news is that they then have to accept most Leinenkugel brews as craft beer.

  5. “…while dismissing the Goose Island beers they don’t like.”

    Not true. Even the ones they don’t like have silly names. 😉

  6. While I wouldnt say that would be the definitive craft beer definition, it is one I like. It has all the right bits, good beer that you know where/who it comes from. It has a close tie to a lot of the slow food or know the farmer type thoughts.

    Again I dont think its going to get a yes vote from everyone but I like it

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