What is craft beer?

html034 said:

Just wonderin what exactly is the line between "mainstream" and craft beer?

sam adams?

Sierra Nevada?

Click to expand...

An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional.

Small: Annual production of beer less than 2 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition.

Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.

Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewers brands) or has at least 50% of it’s volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

Click to expand...

Bike N Brew said:

Here's another guy's take (and I don't know him from Adam, but he makes some interesting points) on why that definition is flawed

Click to expand...

brewt00l said:

"Lew Bryson
the award-winning, beer-drinking, whiskey-sipping, brewery-visiting, cask-tapping, thirst-creating drinks writer."

Lew is the author of several state specific beer books, CONDÉ NAST Portfolio.com contributor, contributes articles to various industry & beer pubs/periodicals and appeared in the PBS PA Breweries TV special....to mention a few things beyond that blog.

Click to expand...