Never tried craft beer? Here are the 10 best high street brews to drink first
Defining what craft beer is might be one of the most controversial conversations you can have in the beer world, but to me, it's simple – it's the misunderstanding of a political bargaining tool that came from brewers in the United States, the progenitors of the movement.
Put simply, the Brewers Association (the body that represents independent beer makers over the pond) defines a craft brewery as an independent business and coined the term to negotiate with governments at all levels for their members. Unfortunately, it has caused some confusion for UK consumers. According to research recently conducted by Asda, nearly half (49 per cent) of its customers are still unsure what craft beer actually is – other than an expensive beer in a fancy can.
The research also shows 55 per cent of Britons say they've never tried a craft beer, rising to almost two-thirds (61 per cent) among those over 55, and one in 10 believe craft beers are too expensive.
Rather worryingly, given we invented it and it's the UK's favourite craft beer style (as evidenced by its overwhelming presence on our supermarket shelves), one in five consumers think IPA stands for Independent Pale Ale, but those in the know will tell you otherwise in the comments below (and you'll find the correct answer at the end of this piece).
There is no 'style' that defines craft beer itself, as the beers straddle everything from light lagers to barrel-aged imperial stouts. What defines it however, is not being mass-produced by multinational organisations and, in most cases, having a lot more flavour than those that are.
As for the cost, well, we all know small independent businesses don't have the buying power that the big players do, so it's your choice whether you want to support independent British businesses by spending a bit more money or not.
For starters, these are my top choices, easily snapped up on the high street.
If you were wondering... IPA stands for India Pale Ale.
IPA was a style born of the colonial era, when pale ales were shipped from England to India, along with other things unavailable there, and eventually word spread amongst brewers back home that the hops should be increased in order to get more money for the beer, when the East India Company sold it to the colonisers after the four- to six-month sea journey (hops being natural preservatives, as well as adding flavour, aroma and bitterness to beer).
Today, hops from all around the world are used, from bolshy piney, citrus US varieties to the fragrant, sauvignon blanc-like New Zealand hops – which give the beers their popular, but powerful, aromas and flavours.
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