tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post244991392053363742..comments2023-11-02T07:13:53.064-07:00Comments on Beervana: What is Craft Beer?Jeff Alworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02930119177544342495noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-39259205236873418802008-10-30T15:27:00.000-07:002008-10-30T15:27:00.000-07:00Bud, while it's obviously assiduously made, is mad...<I>Bud, while it's obviously assiduously made, is made to serve a commercial interest is this: the IBUs have steadily fallen as Bud has tried to continue to appeal to its audience. There's nothing "craft" about that. It's wholly commercial.</I><BR/><BR/>IPAs are made to serve a commercial interest: IBUs have risen as brewers revise their beers to continue their appeal to a hop hungry audience.<BRAaron J. Grierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10394251635346173495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-88221458881753869842008-10-30T10:51:00.000-07:002008-10-30T10:51:00.000-07:00DW, if it's fun, then it isn't pointless. :-)Joe, ...DW, if it's fun, then it isn't pointless. :-)<BR/><BR/>Joe, I think you may be overestimating the amount of risk AB took in producing Budweiser American Ale, relative to their vast resources. I suspect they did due diligence beforehand via focus groups, etc, to verify that the risk was one they could easily afford.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-7295381279763497402008-10-29T22:33:00.000-07:002008-10-29T22:33:00.000-07:00I think it's kind of funny how subject has caused ...I think it's kind of funny how subject has caused a lot of talk.... It's kind of fun, but pointless...<BR/><BR/>;-}Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-28407791014719027112008-10-29T21:38:00.000-07:002008-10-29T21:38:00.000-07:00What about making a distinction based on the inten...What about making a distinction based on the intent of the brewer? If a beer is formulated for the sole purpose of broad acceptance, I think that makes it harder for it to be a "craft" beer.<BR/><BR/>I think everyone that takes the time to post on this blog would agree that brewing is an art. The best art comes from those that take risks. Brewing for mass acceptance isn't risky.<BR/><BR/>By joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14190744835642613081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-77317362170570240642008-10-29T21:20:00.000-07:002008-10-29T21:20:00.000-07:00Aaron, a good example that Bud, while it's obvious...Aaron, a good example that Bud, while it's obviously assiduously made, is made to serve a commercial interest is this: the IBUs have steadily fallen as Bud has tried to continue to appeal to its audience. There's nothing "craft" about that. It's wholly commercial.Jeff Alworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02930119177544342495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-21851599318516859412008-10-29T21:09:00.000-07:002008-10-29T21:09:00.000-07:00Aaron, why not throw in some of the Michelob 'craf...Aaron, why not throw in some of the Michelob 'craft' beers as well?<BR/>It'd certainly be fun to see how the big boys' offerings stack up, although I doubt that the results, be they ever so favorable (and I have a hard time believing that they would be), would clear up the contention over whether they should truly be considered craft beers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-36513088424095093622008-10-29T16:59:00.000-07:002008-10-29T16:59:00.000-07:00the brewer's association will modify their definit...the brewer's association will modify their definitions to keep their friends in and SAB Miller, Molson Coors, and AB InBev out. I suspect their two-million bbl limit will rise as the members become more successful.<BR/><BR/>budweiser has no inherent aesthetic character? it may not be the brewer's largest focus, and you may not like or agree with it, but I don't understand how a "marked Aaron J. Grierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10394251635346173495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-77507280647940048702008-10-29T15:21:00.000-07:002008-10-29T15:21:00.000-07:00These are clearly subjective calls. I don't think...These are clearly subjective calls. I don't think it bears quibbling over whether Fat Tire is bad enough to not be a craft beer. The thing I seek in a definition is one that comments on the actual beer, not just the size or ownership of the brewery.<BR/><BR/>Beyond that, it's hard not to get into a debate on the specifics, and I sort of knew this post would thrust us down that road. Ooops. I Jeff Alworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02930119177544342495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-71898744974048630322008-10-29T13:41:00.000-07:002008-10-29T13:41:00.000-07:00Holy crap! This is really confusing!Let me see if ...Holy crap! This is really confusing!<BR/><BR/>Let me see if I'm following ya here. You said, "Craft beer is that brewed with an intention toward its "aesthetic character."" So, you're saying that all beers that are mass produced have no aesthetic character? I don't think will fly very far. Are we saying that "BASS" is craft beer too? It's mass produced by a large brewery and has aesthetic Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-43027731318655475912008-10-29T13:29:00.000-07:002008-10-29T13:29:00.000-07:00Jeff, it seems like what you are saying is that if...Jeff, it seems like what you are saying is that if a beer is well crafted, it is therefor a craft beer. I'm not sure that I agree. One could argue that plain old Bud is well crafted... for the style. But I don't think _anyone_ would argue that it is a craft beer. So are we to conclude that certain styles are excluded from the craft beer designation? Or that a subpar beer from a small breweryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-41900571477107517982008-10-29T13:16:00.000-07:002008-10-29T13:16:00.000-07:00Jeff, I appreciate your clarification. My only co...Jeff, <BR/>I appreciate your clarification. My only concern is your definition is a bit open-ended, and it seems to allow for personal opinion of the beer and the brewery to affect the definition. To make it a consistent measure, you almost have to judge the beer on taste alone or on the brewer's intent alone (something that we would frequently have to guess at). <BR/>I would argue that Blue Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-12070332052088068022008-10-29T11:40:00.000-07:002008-10-29T11:40:00.000-07:00On Fat Tire. Keep in mind that I was making a dis...On Fat Tire. Keep in mind that I was making a distinction between beer and brewery here. Clearly, Bud is not a craft brewery and New Belgium is. But by the "functionalist" definition of craft beer, I think Fat Tire is indeed a purely commercial product. I don't think the brewery crafted it to appeal to drinkers' aesthetics, but to sell well. It strikes me as a cynical beer, and when the Jeff Alworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02930119177544342495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-4238979459972628862008-10-29T11:25:00.000-07:002008-10-29T11:25:00.000-07:00I agree with couchand. While I think New Belgiums...I agree with couchand. While I think New Belgiums's Fat Tire is swill, I still consider it be be a craft beer due to the size of the brewery and the overall nature of their product line. And though Budweiser's American Ale may arguably be better than Fat Tire (I haven't been able to bring myself to try it, so I won't do any arguing for or against), I can't see anything produced on that scale byAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-26870876845278249572008-10-29T10:02:00.000-07:002008-10-29T10:02:00.000-07:00I think it is dangerous to call Fat Tire "not a cr...I think it is dangerous to call Fat Tire "not a craft beer" simply because it sells well and you and I don't like it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21271644.post-89901477630037178762008-10-29T09:54:00.000-07:002008-10-29T09:54:00.000-07:00I agree with your classification of Craft (Beer an...I agree with your classification of Craft (Beer and Brewer), but would emphasize add that craft brewers and craft beer generally avoid the use of adjuncts unless it is used traditionally, like adding Belgian sugar to a Trippel, and don't use ingredients that the style doesn't call for to change the appearance or flavor or the beer.<BR/><BR/>After tasting Budweiser American Ale (as an example) 3 Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15343127856013312428noreply@blogger.com