That term "craft,” however, seems to have been confused amongst brewers big and small. I wanted to address this particular issue as a lover of good beer and as a brewer, so please bear with me while I dive in to my various aspects of this topic.
As a lover of good beer, I am excited with what I am seeing right now. For example, there are a number of beers coming out recently that are taking on new and unique ingredients that are typically reserved for other styles (i.e. the black IPA, smoky hefeweizen, Belgian IPA, etc). This is an awesome direction to take beer as it forces the masses of consumers and brewers alike to view the ales & lagers of the world as being capable of so much more. This has been refined over and over by the best of the craft community, such as Dogfish Head, New Belgium, Boulevard, and New Glarus to name a few. Their efforts to try new things while still staying true to the basics of brewing is not only good for the industry as a whole, but it gives us something we haven't had in a long time: new choices.
The varieties of things I have seen in the last 3 years are not limited to the use of the traditional ingredients, like malt, yeast, and hops, however. There are more and more users of fruits and spices, trading hops for some of their predecessors (i.e. juniper berries, ginger, etc), and finding unique recipes of old to reintroduce to the public. This is, again, what I like seeing, even if I don't like the actual beers themselves. The goal is to continue pushing the boundary of what is considered beer and redefine it for the next generation, all while keeping the basics of beer in sight.
What worries me comes down to a fear of too much variety with no substance. As a consumer, I am seeing more and more coming out of the world of craft beer, and while that makes me happy, I am a bit nervous that we have a bubble building in the industry. I could very well be wrong, but as a lover of good beer, the last thing I want to see is something that hinders my access to the quality brews from around the world. If the variety gets too big, we may see a contraction instead of an expansion in the craft market, which could have long term downsides.
The other perspective I have on this is that of a brewer, and it doesn't differ very much from the former. I personally love the creativity that comes from brewing, the ability to choose not only the style I am going to make, but the malts, the yeast, the hops, and any extras. I get to control the title, the ABV, the IBUs, and the overall delivery of the beer. This is true for every brewer, and I am always supportive of an out-of-the-box idea, because we never really know what will happen until we try.
Reaching for the stars is great, but not at the expense of the basics. The direction I have seen several brewers taking lately is to try things that are not just unusual but ridiculous. From mushrooms and carrots, to cupcakes and candy bars, there are some very odd and off-putting ideas being floated around. Do I think it is a bad idea to experiment once in a while? Hell no! But the key to any experiment is to have a control, as any grade school science class will tell you. Without a comparison, how do you know if it is any good? Therefore, I would be more interested in trying variations on beers from a brewer, as they develop them over time, as opposed for going for the gold medal right out of the gate.
So, my assessment as a brewer is one of caution as well. Be mindful of the basics and the tradition that is inherent in brewing, knowing that you can take a left instead of a right here and there. No one begrudges the creativity of the brewer that tries something unexpected, but many are leery of any beer made without the basics totally understood.
I guess that makes both of my perspectives essentially the same, just for different reasons. As a consumer, I don’t want the variety to spread the industry to thin. As a brewer, I want other brewers to be more respectful of the basics before experimenting, and do it in phases. Overall, I guess that makes my message a simple one: slow down and enjoy what you have before trying to fix the wheel.
Going back to my earlier reference, the term craft beer is meant to imply that there is an art to brewing, which has a respect for the traditions, but allows for innovations. Brewing has evolved a long way in a few thousand years, and to forget that would be a shame. Without the respect for the basics, the entire concept fails and we are back to the days before 1979, and I for one refuse to consider the muddled urine the “big 3” make as my only option.
With that said, who wants to try a bourbon, bacon, and banana stout? I never said I didn’t have a sense of humor, did I?
As always, drink well and be merry. Slainte!
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