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Craft Beers that Won't be Craft

Tricia

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Interesting article from The Street in January 2016, about craft beers that are being bought by the big brewers.
8 (make that 7) Craft Beers that Won't be Craft in 2016

Teaser from article:
Two years ago, the Brewers Association craft beer industry group cut some slack to brewers who use maize, corn or rice as adjuncts in their brewing process by tweaking its definition of a craft brewer. Already flexed once in 2010 to raise the production limit for small brewers from 2 million barrels to 6 million to accommodate Samuel Adams producer Boston Beer, the definition's stance against the use of rice and corn as adjuncts in its “traditional” pillar was softened. That allowed the Brewers Association to finally welcomed brewers including Pottsville, Pa.-based D.G. Yuengling & Son (the oldest in the U.S., founded in 1829); St. Marys, Pa.-based Straub Brewing (1872); New Ulm, Minn.-based August Schell Brewing (1860); and Monroe, Wis.-based Minhas Craft Brewery (1845 as Blumer Brewing). That allowed craft beer to increase its overall volume 17.6% while increasing its share of the market to roughly 11%.

A few stats from the video in the link -
Screen Shot 2016-08-06 at 4.31.41 AM.png Screen Shot 2016-08-06 at 4.32.20 AM.png Screen Shot 2016-08-06 at 4.33.02 AM.png Screen Shot 2016-08-06 at 4.35.40 AM.png Screen Shot 2016-08-06 at 4.36.08 AM.png Screen Shot 2016-08-06 at 4.36.34 AM.png
 

Philpug

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I am not usually a beer drinker but when I drink beer, I prefer Yuengling.
 

Eleeski

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Craft beer is about flavor - nothing more. A large part of the population prefers the light smooth production beers. Fine. Maybe they don't like the flavor of beer. Many craft beer drinkers prefer unusual rich powerful beers. For us, the craft beers offer great choices and variety.

I'm lucky to live in San Diego, the epicenter of craft beers. And if you don't like the commercial offerings, we have great home brew suppliers and support locally.

My favorite is Karl Strauss Wreck Alley - meant to be sipped and savored.

Eric
 

Read Blinn

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Just stood in line 3 hours for growlers of Tree House Brewing's Julius, Haze, and Sap (scoring 100, 99, and 95 respectively on Beer Advocate — scores which, for those keeping track, challenge New England's favorite, Heady Topper — they also have the current number one beer on the BA top 250: Good Morning Imperial Stout).

The place started in 2015 in a garage with space for 55 barrels and one employee; now they have a 650 barrel space and 13 employees; they're building a facility that can handle 125,000 barrels, which will open in 2017. They say they're working hard to maintain quality (they aren't selling stock, for instance), but that's the challenge for the great micro-breweries, isn't it? Staying good.

That said, I just read a book by William Bostwick (a Washington Post beer journalist) on the history of beer. Bostwick asked a number of craft brewers (Dogfish Head, for instance) what they thought of Budweiser, and every one of them admired Budweiser's quality and consistency.
 

skibob

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Craft beer is about flavor - nothing more. A large part of the population prefers the light smooth production beers. Fine. Maybe they don't like the flavor of beer. Many craft beer drinkers prefer unusual rich powerful beers. For us, the craft beers offer great choices and variety.

I'm lucky to live in San Diego, the epicenter of craft beers. And if you don't like the commercial offerings, we have great home brew suppliers and support locally.

My favorite is Karl Strauss Wreck Alley - meant to be sipped and savored.

Eric
I think the biggest problem with the craft beer movement is that they think they have to be so different. Everything has to be bigger, more bitter, higher alcohol, badder, nastier, etc.

It takes confidence for an American craft brewery to brew a delicious Pilsner, for example. Yet all of those Eastern European cities listed under "consume most beer" in the infographics above? They aren't drinking Bud, but they also aren't drinking Pliny. They are drinking Pils.

My favorite Pilsner is Scrimshaw by North Coast Brewing. Its what I want on a hot day. Even a Trumer is an acceptable option. These are delicious, flavorful beers.

If I want something with more structure, I go for a Belgian. Farmhouse, Saison, Dubbel, Trippel. Usually Quads are a bit much. There are lots of "ales" that don't have an "IP" in front of them. Duvel and Chimay are excellent imports, Allagash and Ommegang make some of the best in the US. Oh, and broujeriwest if you can find it.

There are a lot of really good beers in between Bud and "unusual rich powerful beers". The race to see who can make the most bitter beer, with the most outrageous name, and the most extreme label, is just a tiny little corner of craft beer.

The sours are a whole other leg, but one that doesn't appeal to me.

Even Lager does not necessarily mean "light, smooth, production beers"
 

Philpug

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Funny, I don't think anyone in PA referred to Yuengling as a "craft" or even a "micro-brew", hell being America's Oldest Brewer, they have beem around for generations longer than those terms were even used. We just referred to it an "beer". Tip: If you are in PA and want Yuengling get it in the returnable bottles from a beer distributor, it is sooo good and fresher than the regular bottles or cans.
 

David Chaus

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I'm lucky to live in San Diego, the epicenter of craft beers.

Eric

Eric, you haven't been to Seattle, or for that matter, Bend, have you?

Then again, it's been a while since I've been to San Diego. I recall more buzz about the OTL tournament, which admitedly does seem to be closely associated with the consumption of beer.
 
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babanff

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I got my hands on a 12 pack of Yuengling a few years ago. The only friends that were allowed to partake in a bottle were the ones who properly requested one (ie 'Can I have a Lager?') and the ones who could correctly answer what a Sheetz MTO is.
 
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Tricia

Tricia

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Eric, you haven't been to Seattle, or for that matter, Bend, have you?

Then again, it's been a while since I've been to San Diego. I recall more buzz about the OTL tournament, which admitidly does seem to be closely associated with the consumption of beer.
When @48North from the PNW she asked if we could meet at a brew pub for dinner. When I suggested the only option I knew at the time, the beer snob in her came out. I had to laugh.
We ended up eating dinner at our house and had a delightful time.
 

babanff

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That's weird, it keeps autocorrecting Yuengling to Turning. And I can't edit my post now.
 
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Tricia

Tricia

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That's weird, it keeps autocorrecting Yuengling to Turning. And I can't edit my post now.
You should be able to edit it but, I edited it for you. It was a stubborn word with autocorrect. :beercheer:
 

Read Blinn

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I think the biggest problem with the craft beer movement is that they think they have to be so different. Everything has to be bigger, more bitter, higher alcohol, badder, nastier, etc.

It takes confidence for an American craft brewery to brew a delicious Pilsner, for example. Yet all of those Eastern European cities listed under "consume most beer" in the infographics above? They aren't drinking Bud, but they also aren't drinking Pliny. They are drinking Pils.

My favorite Pilsner is Scrimshaw by North Coast Brewing. Its what I want on a hot day. Even a Trumer is an acceptable option. These are delicious, flavorful beers.

If I want something with more structure, I go for a Belgian. Farmhouse, Saison, Dubbel, Trippel. Usually Quads are a bit much. There are lots of "ales" that don't have an "IP" in front of them. Duvel and Chimay are excellent imports, Allagash and Ommegang make some of the best in the US. Oh, and broujeriwest if you can find it.

There are a lot of really good beers in between Bud and "unusual rich powerful beers". The race to see who can make the most bitter beer, with the most outrageous name, and the most extreme label, is just a tiny little corner of craft beer.

The sours are a whole other leg, but one that doesn't appeal to me.

Even Lager does not necessarily mean "light, smooth, production beers"

Ach, good beer is good beer. I've seen a number of craft Pils around here, though I haven't tried one lately. I will, though. :) I'm currently drinking a nice Tree House session ale (no I in the name, but it has both Eureka and Galaxy in it).
 

tromano

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Love a good Pilsner or a wheat beer in the summer time. Not a big dark beer guy when it's hot out.
 

scott43

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I don't mind if craft beers are bought up by bigger corps. As long as they don't change the method and recipe and the flavour. And I suppose that's the rub. I understand that Blue Moon was originally a craft beer from Durango or Golden CO. It's since been bought up by Busch? I think? Has the beer changed much?
 

SBrown

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I don't mind if craft beers are bought up by bigger corps. As long as they don't change the method and recipe and the flavour. And I suppose that's the rub. I understand that Blue Moon was originally a craft beer from Durango or Golden CO. It's since been bought up by Busch? I think? Has the beer changed much?

Not quite ... it is from the "craft" part of Coors (now MillerCoors). I think it was basically always owned by Coors; in fact, it started in downtown Denver at the brewery at Coors Field.

Here's the wikipedia on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Moon_(beer)
 

John O

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I don't mind if craft beers are bought up by bigger corps. As long as they don't change the method and recipe and the flavour.

I mind because the big corporations can then use their muscle with the beer distributors to make it much harder for independent craft breweries to get shelf/tap space. As long as the acquisitions don't end up causing a reduction in competition, variety and choice, I have no issues with it. However you can consider me skeptical on that point, at this time.
 

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