Craft Beer or we can say Crown Beer of All Beers

Unless you’ve been living under a rock these past few years, you’ll have heard of craft beer. The category that has left traditional beer for dust, we take a look at what it all means, and why it’s deemed the ‘king of all beers’.

What does ‘craft beer’ mean?

Craft beer takes an artisanal approach to brewing. Craft brewers use traditional, un-mechanised methods for making their beer and take a ‘less is more’ approach. As traditional brewing practices can take more time, the style of craft breweries is the exact opposite of ‘mass produced’. Often independently owned, brewers typically opt to deliver smaller batches of carefully created drinks. Enthusiasm, creativity and experimentation are all at the heart of craft brewing. Nowadays, you can think of the wackiest beer flavour and there’s a good chance it exists, all thanks to craft brewing.

Why craft is king

Ok, so it’s pretty cool that you can have a raspberry flavoured beer or a chocolate stout, but would this actually convert to serious sales? It seems so, the Australian craft beer market is currently worth $160 million!

From what started as homebrewers flirting with flavours, this category has taken the alcohol industry by storm, and it’s not slowing down. With more microbreweries popping up faster than you can sink a cold one, it’s not surprising that IBIS predicts that the Australian craft industry will grow another 5% in the next five years. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why this is happening.

Consumers are experimenting:

Like several other drinks categories, consumers are arming themselves with knowledge. Customers aren’t just in the mechanical familiarity of domestic brands, they’re exploring brands, intrigued to learn more about ingredients and eager to experiment with flavours. Even if someone comes into a bar with the intention of ordering something simple, there’s a strong chance bartenders can change their mind by showing them an extensive gin menu, or the various craft beers written on the chalkboard.

Brewers are getting bolder:

Your traditional beer brands like Heineken, Budweiser, Corona and Carlton will have rarely changed anything in their recipes since their birth. So in real terms, if you’ve been a traditional beer drinker from the ages of 18-25, that’s seven years of drinking the exact, same, thing. People are realising there’s more to life than one flavour – and so are brewers!

Craft brewers got into this business for their love of trying something different and not working off a set ingredients list. Each year is bringing new and delicious creations that’s keeping craft customers very happy.

Craft is sociable:

As microbreweries are popping up more and more, we’re seeing an increase in foot traffic to these venues. When we imagined a brewery ten years ago, a massive industrial-style setting may have come to mind. While this is typically still the case for traditional beer, craft breweries tend to be a little different.

Often situated in trendy suburbs with graffiti splashed across the walls, craft breweries evoke a sense of relaxation – in other words, they’re ‘a vibe’. Unlike a traditional bar where music is loud and shots are the go-to, craft breweries encourage ‘session’ drinking. This is where a group of friends can catch up in a chilled-out setting and enjoy a few beers without going overboard if they don’t want to.

Quality over quantity

With climate change being a hot topic of conversation over the last five years, it’s caused many consumers to look at their own behaviour and question how they can do things in a more sustainable way.

Craft beer’s use of traditional brewing methods and its ‘smaller batch’ approach has contributed to people perceiving it as being more sustainable. A lot of this comes down to quality over quantity too. Consumers are now happy to spend more on a more premium, sustainably made drink in small quantities rather than go for a cheaper, mass-produced alternative.

People have also become more health-conscious in the last few years, and the idea of drinking less alcohol is no longer met with as much stigma as it once did. Craft breweries offer a unique opportunity for people that want to cut down on alcohol, as the idea of going for ‘just one or two’ is part of the category’s ethos.

People’s tastebuds have tweaked

Who can blame someone for salivating when they hear the words ‘Peanut Butter Porter’ or ‘Raspberry Smash’? And these flavours are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to craft beer. While the gin explosion in Australia has had an immense impact on people’s tastebuds, there’s no other category quite like craft, that can offer something to please every palate. It’s the intrigue and the element of surprise that makes craft king.

Are you crazy about craft? For an extensive range of craft beer, look no further than the team at Paramount Liquor. For the best value from Australian liquor suppliers, visit paramountliquor.com.au.