It seems that we are returning to the times when a regional craft brewer supplied his region (not his country, let alone the whole world) with beer. That's a tradition that much of Europe has lost because they took it for granted. Europe has seen a huge movement toward conglomerates and corporate brews and away from small craft brews while we have done just the opposite in the past 20 years. It's one of the great thing about the current American craft brewing phenomena. I wouldn't expect American craft brews to compete with UK fresh brews after travelling across the Atlantic under who knows what conditions. And I'll tell you, the vast majority of British beers we get over here don't hold a candle to what I could get at any of 20 pubs in Northern California, for probably the same reasons. Beer is a fresh product, and to drink your own quality regional brews is a good thing as far as I am concerned. If you want to taste em, come and get em
All I know is that America has New Belgium, Ommagang, Stone, Moylans, Magic Hat, etc etc all under one roof. Considering that these days it's easier to find a craft brewed Belgian beer here than in Belgium, I'd say the general American awareness of beer may be a little more attuned than you seem to suggest. I guarantee you can't get anything like a LOT of what is brewed here domestically in the UK, for example. We have a dizzying diversity of styles, and it just keeps getting better.