Why craft beer?
You may well have noticed that we’re all pretty stoked that Yuppiechef and League of Beers have teamed up. The world’s best craft beer delivered to your door? Yes, please. So, the question you may well be asking… why craft beer? Here’s why.
This is an easy but possibly tough question, as there are countless reasons out there. To try and make it easier for you to answer this same question when someone asks you, here are eight reasons.
1. It’s all about flavour
Craft beer is about full flavour, interesting beers that people can compare, savour and fall in love with. For example, if you’re looking for something that’s session-able (that’s beer geek speak for easy-drinking) with great caramel notes, this Butcher Block from Jack Black may be just up your alley. Or perhaps you’re keen to try Birkenhead’s Malt Stout with its dark silkiness, aromas of roast nuts, espresso and chocolate? Beer is not just beer – there really is a world of flavour out there.
2. Variety, variety, variety
There are just so many different craft beers, flavours and styles available that even a full-time craft beer drinker could never dream of tasting all the craft beers in the world.
3. A chance to educate your palate
Each craft beer has been thought out and created to specific detail. There is a story behind each ingredient in every beer and thinking about these and your sensory perceptions improves the entire experience. Just as you can become a wine sommelier, so too can you become a beer sommelier.
Beer appeals to all five senses. Firstly you see the label, then the colour, aroma, clarity and head. Beer even has varied sensations of mouthfeel and you can even check carbonation by listening to beers opening and then inside the glass.
4. There’s a story behind every beer
Craft beer is a whole-hearted creative expression; the styles and recipes brewed are always original and based on the tastes and interests of the brewer. Just as each vineyard has a story, so too does each micro-brewery. Labels are also a great playground for beer-loving designers as can be seen by the myriad of different labels available worldwide.
5. Quality is king
Craft beer is all about quality; the focus on traditional ingredients speaks to the fact that craft brewers, no matter their scale or the cost, use only the best possible ingredients. Craft beer does not advocate mass consumption and is about savouring moderate, healthy quantities.
6. Everyone loves the underdog
The beer world is dominated by huge corporations who produce mass-produced flavour. Craft beer is the polar opposite to this. Craft brewers tend to own their small start-ups and are often one to three man operations. These ladies and gents are following their passion to produce the best possible products for you and me and our palates are important to them. Back the little guy and his crafty passion. The beer you drink may also say something about you to the world – are you after flavour, stories of passion or would you rather follow the crowd?
7. The brave new world of beer and food pairings
Craft beers pair extremely well with food. This is because of the huge variety within the four ingredients and their expression. There are countless varieties of hops, grain, yeast and even water types that one can use and the method of brewing can change how each flavour is expressed. Choosing the right beer for your meal or visa versa can really take your experience to the next level.
8. Could craft beer really be healthy for you?
Craft beer has been said to have many of wine’s health benefits and perhaps even more. It contains selenium, vitamin B, soluble fibre and hydrates when consumed in moderate quantities.
So what exactly is craft beer?
If you’re not happy with the fact that craft beer is pure awesomeness in a glass, the Brewers Association has developed this three part definition:
Independent – Craft breweries are owned principally by craft brewers. No more than 25% of a craft brewery may be owned by a public company or big brewer.
Small – Craft brewers produce small batches and small annual volumes. If the biggest craft brewer in SA grew by 100 times they would no longer be considered craft. So no need to worry about your CBC, Jack Black, Mitchells or &Union as there is a long way to go before they break that boundary.
Traditional – Craft beers are made with the best possible ingredients. Originally this followed the Reinheitsgebot which stipulated that only malt, hops and water be used in beer. Two things have been discovered since then, yeast which is responsible for fermentation and flavour adjuncts. Mass produced beer uses corn and rice to dull the flavor and this is anti-craft. Craft brewers have found that pre-Reinheitsgebot, brewers used all kinds of interesting ingredients to increase the flavour of beers and this creative outlet has lead to all kinds of crazy ingredients being used to make for interesting beers and seasonal batches.
Keen to enter the world of craft beer? See the full range of local and international craft beer here.