Craft Beer Industry

Craft brewers often emphasize production techniques in product lines.

For much of the 20th century, the American domestic beer market largely consisted of pilsner and lager styles. By the 1980s however, a new creativity emerged, offering dynamic products from pumpkin ales to chocolates stouts. So began the tradition of craft brewing.

Identification

Craft beers, produced in small batches, are synonymous with microbrews. As opposed to mainstream beers, craft beers vary by alcohol content, ingredients and flavor. Microbreweries offer seasonal product lines and specialty brews for Oktoberfest, Halloween and Christmas.

Features

Craft beer producers promote privatized, intimate and detailed production standards. While most craft beer products are still malt-based, brewers, susceptible to market trends, have increased production of beer with "robust" components. Accordingly, microbrewers now craft beer with an organic, "homegrown" appeal to entice beer aficionados.

Fun Facts

Craft brews became a phenomenon in the 1980s with the emergence of Sam Adams products. Since then, approximately 500 brewpubs -- bars and restaurants that brew beer -- have cropped up across the United States, as of 2010.

References

• Craft Beer: Craft Beer Today
• Fitting In: An Introduction to Micro-Brewing