Why Craft Beer

Posted on February 23, 2010 by mike

As most of you know I’m a little internet nerd that likes to make and drink beer, so its just natural that I run across information on the internet. The other day I got a news letter  in my email saying that the new “craftbeer.com” site was up and ready to go. Me being the nerdy eager beaver, jumped over to the site and started digging through it. I have to say, there is a lot of entertaining information over there. A lot of craft brewers are jumping into doing videos and I thought it was interesting to see Stone Brewing on vacation this past summer.

However, there was a page that really drew my attention and I’d like to share that page and my thoughts on it. The page is called, “Why Do You Love Craft Beer“. Plus, I would like to hear from you guys as well as to why you choose craft beer over mass marketed beer. So let’s get on with it.

Why Craft Beer…so many reasons, really there are a lot, but instead of blubbering at the mouth like a ADHD 5 year old we will pick some of the main ones. Taste, Production, Inspiration.

Taste

Taste is the main reason I choose to drink a craft beer over something like a Bud Light or Miller Light. I’ll be honest, I drank plenty and I mean plenty of mass produced beers when I was in high school and before I turned 21. However, when your young, you are really just drinking the stuff to get drunk. I would never beer bong a 12 pack of Bell’s Porter. When you are younger all you see are commericals for these mass produced beers so naturally when you give your buyer $20 you say, Bud Light. I mean, who doesn’t want to drink it and party with a bunch of bikini babes like they do in the commercials? BUT…as soon as 21 came and the doors parted like the Red Sea for Moses and the bright lights haloed the craft brew section and the choir chimes into epic song, things changed…Once I started trying beers with more flavor and more alcohol in them, I was hooked. The complexity of beer, the layer of flavors, the creativity in ingredients and process all wrapping up into a beer that you enjoy, not drink, is why craft beer for me.

Production

This isn’t a subject that I know a lot about but I have opinions and theories enough that lead me to believe that the production process between the two types of beer, commercial and craft are completely different. I imagine walking into a craft brewery during the day and seeing people brewing beer, tasting beer, testing beer, packaging beer, and the person bringing me on the tour is completely open and honest about what is happening in this wonderful magical place. A place where people take pride and love the beers they are making. Nothing like what I imagine over at a commercial brewery. Like A/B for instance, and what their process must be like. I imagine a factory chugging and pumping beer out. I would run into maybe one or two people along the journey and the rest is just automation. My theory is that beer brewed by places like A/B are just in it for the money. So they use crappy ingredients, and then they suck as much flavor out of each piece of corn or rice as they can, while still using special enzymes to convert all of the sugars in the beer into alcohol. So they replace flavor with alcohol. That is why their beer is so cheap. I imagine automation to be a huge factor in their process and I feel that if you want a beer made by a robot, buy a Budweiser. If you want a beer made by a dude like you or your friends, buy a craft brew. Faceless organizations have no place in the world today.

Inspiration

Last but not least, inspiration. I find craft beer to be so inspiring on so many levels. I’ll compare it to when we used to by music cds. Do you remember going to the store, looking at all the artwork, reading the back and finally purchasing? That is what it is like at the craft brew store. You’ve got all these different shapes, colors and artwork to choose from. The other day I drank a Redhook Mud Slinger which had a green and brown grungy label that was hip and stylish, while today I’m going to try a Rogue Double Dead Guy which comes in almost a 2 pint bottle that is dipped in a red paint or wax. Its just cool.

So you scamper home, giddy and excited. Once you get there you pop the fresh purchase into the disc player astonished by a whole new sound that comes out and tantalizes your ears and maybe even makes you dance and sing. That is what craft beer does to me. I love doing my brew reviews because I get so excited when I pull out a brew I haven’t had in a while or have never tried. The top comes off, the smells jump out and the taste does a fine ballet or a ragging mosh on my tongue.

It inspires me. It inspired me to try more and more and before you knew it I had 150 plus different bottles above my cupboards. Craft brew has inspired me to homebrew, and in turn has inspired me to inspire others.

These are the main three reasons I drink craft brew. I think they are pretty good ones and I’m pretty sure I can never go back. Sure, I’ll have an occasional Miller Lite or Coors or what have you. I believe they have their place. However, I can’t be a Busch Light guy or soley a die hard Budweiser guy anymore. It is just a disservice to my mouth.

I would love to hear from you guys to. Why do you drink craft beer? Which are your favorites? Why? Will you try more craft beer? If not, why not?

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