What is 'craft' beer?

by Fred Eckhardt

In 1986, Vince Cottone, a Seattle-based writer and consultant, wrote a book: Good Beer Guide: Breweries and Pubs of the Pacific Northwest (Homestead Book Co., Seattle). In this remarkable little book, Cottone attempted to list all of the pubs (356 in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and even a few in California) serving the brews of the then 19 small Northwest brewers, noting which of the beers these individual pubs sold!

The book was much like the annual CAMRA guide published in England, and it represented a tremendous effort on the authorâs part. Of course, it was out of date the instant it reached the presses.

Such a book today would be about the size of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Cottone, the first to use the term, "craft brewer," was implacably uncompromising in what he meant by that name. "Craft brewery," he said, "describe(s) a small brewery using traditional methods and ingredients to produce a handcrafted, uncompromised beer that is marketed locally (and is) True Beer." He also listed seven other small brewers as brewing "non-true" beers, including San Franciscoâs Anchor (although a "craft brewery in spirit," its beer was pasteurized), and six other small brewers who brewed malt extract beer. He had no patience whatever with "contract brewers."

Today, Cottoneâs words not-withstanding, there seems to be no end of confusion concerning what the "craft" in craft beer means, or what it should mean. My American Heritage Dictionary defines it:

Craft (kraft, KrŠft) n. 1: Skill or ability in something proficiency; expertness. 3. An occupation or trade . 4. The membership of such an occupation or trade; a guild.

Crafted To make by hand. (Thereâs also an alternative here; the second definition reads: Skill in evasion or deception; cunning; guile.)

Thatâs pretty straight forward. I am assuming we donât want craft beer to mean deceptive beer, do we? One thing is certain, brewers who claim to be "craft brewers" generally spare no expense to produce their product, select ingredients of the finest quality, carefully supervise production, and avoid the use of cost-cutting techniques and ingredients.

My small definition would be something like: "If it donât have taste, it ainât craft-you always notice the flavor." I donât have a big definition, but I asked several people prominent in this field what they thought would be a good definition of craft beer.

I sent or gave them the following information, plus the dictionary definition to help them formulate their own views. "We can ask ourselves when is a craft beer a craft beer, and who should be allowed to use that term. Should the government define this term via the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (the progenitors of the Waco disaster), or should we ask Congress to give us an appellation, and if so what should that appellation be? Should we allow only small brewers to brew "craft," and if so when is a brewer small ? Should craft beers be brewed only in small batches, and if so, when is a batch small enough?

"How much "hands-on" is to be expected? Can we brew with the aid of computers? Do we mean is it technologically crafted, or must it be done by hand. Must we allow just any brewer to call his beer "craft?" Is it craft if Budweiser brews 20m barrels at a time? 500 barrels? Can Budweiser even brew "craft?" Can a "craft beer" have adjuncts?

"If a brewer uses "wild" rice in his beer, and brews in small batches, is that craft beer? What if a brewer in Arkansas uses Arkansas rice in his beer, and brews in small batches, is that craft? How about if he has that beer contract brewed by G. Heileman, is that craft beer? What if Budweiser brews 20m barrels of a beer almost identical to that beer?

"Can a craft beer be mass produced?

"Can a craft beer be bland and tasteless?

"Can a craft beer be cheaply made?

"Can a craft beer be computer generated?"

Not all of the folks I contacted answered, but here are the views of those who did, shortened somewhat, and arranged alphabetically by brewery. I apologize for any misunderstanding these shortened quotes may generate. Incidentally, there appears to be some confusion between the terms, craft beer and microbrewed beer.

In my view, "microbrewed" refers to the size of the brewery, generally accepted to be 15,000 barrels (465,000 US gallons; 17,602 hl) annual production or less. I have tasted pathetic "microbrewed beers" that barely qualified as beer, never mind "craft brewed." With apology to Fritz Maytag, whose opinions follow, I think "micro" should refer to size, not quality. What we are defining here is quality.

Anchor Brewery, San Francisco
President and Master Brewer Fritz Maytag

"Craft beer" is any malt beverage sold by a crafty person . There is too much gratuitous defining and categorizing going on in the brewing industry for our own good. Let the brewers brew and label and create on their own! When the term "micro" was coined, there were maybe three of us ; I thought the name was great, and still do (but) almost immediately critics and experts were defining what "micro" meant, and to my amusement, the definitions usually excluded us, even when we were really tiny. "Craft" brewer (is) terrible (but) a microbrewery is a relatively small brewery that is dedicated to making really traditional beer and ale with the most modern equipment possible.

Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis
Tom Schmidt, quality analyst and annual judge at the Great American Beer Festival

I donât believe there is anything such as "craft beer" . The use of the term may lead consumers to believe that beer made in some small, quaint place is much better than beer that is produced in a large, efficient brewery, where quality and consistency are the hallmarks. We all fight the same battle using the same raw materials. These supposedly "craft breweries" are finding that, to produce consistent products, they require process controls much the same as the larger breweries. Our brewmasters are (dedicated) "craftsmen," not just brewing "engineers" who monitor the process from afar. Just because we are successful should not detract from the fact that we are also quality "craftsmen."

Boston Brewing Co., (Samuel Adams), Boston
President James Koch

"Small independent traditional brewer."

Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Brewmaster James Emerson

1. All production in 100-percent-company-owned facilities.
2. Product brewed all malt with traditional ingredients.
3. A large beverage industry partnership limited to less than 26 percent ownership.

Great Basin Brewing Co., Sparks, NV
Brewer Eric McClary

It would seem impossible (to define) in a legal sense (and) cannot be legislated. However, one of the appealing characteristics (is) regional and even neighborhood specificity. Restless (consumers look) for an enhanced "quality of life" (and) take pride in the products of their own local brewery . Bonds established between (the consumer and a) local craft brewery cannot be severed.

Mendocino Brewing Co., Hopland, CA
Michael Laybourn, chairman

I (dislike) the name microbrewery based strictly on size; (it does) not convey the artisan touch the new brewers were bringing to the brewing industry. (Microbrewery is clearly) an insufficient term. What we (are) doing is more a craft sensibility, artisans that created and recreated the traditions of brewing in all its variety . Donât over define it; itâs an attitude. If you donât know what it is, we canât explain it to you. Craft brewing says...more of what we have done to change the history of brewing in America than any other term (we could use).

Peteâs Brewing Co., Palo Alto, CA
Pete Schlosberg, founder

I donât like this word. (I) believe most, if not all, brewers have craft, even AB, Miller, Coors, Stroh, etc. What we are producing are special beers; I (call them) "specialty beers." The big guys do (brew craft beer). Do the beers change (when brewed in larger batches)? No! This new revolution is really about beer fan acceptance of these "new" styles. As far as "hands-on" brewing, give me a break. A brewery that is all hands-on will survive for (only) the briefest time. My two short definition(s): 1), Specialty beer is traditional ingredients, styles (and) methods; and 2), (they) have color, taste, and aroma. (No- taste) beers are not specialty beers.

Rogue Brewing Co., Newport, OR
Jack Joyce, president

What does craft mean? To whom? For Rogue, it means artisans of integrity . The original meaning has been successfully appropriated by crafty marketeers, copying the friendlier aspects of the term undeterred by integrity, with no interest in fueling the flame. The world can do without any more government rules. We will rely on the famous definition of pornography: "You know it when you see it."

Stoudt Brewing Co., Adamstown, PA
Carol and Ed Stout, owners

Quality (is) of utmost importance-not price or mass appeal. (It) can be mass produced (but must) have character, body, aroma, drinkability; it cannot be cheaply made (and it must exhibit) the skill of the brewer. (We believe) that "micro" should be used by small independent brewers, 15,000 barrels or less, (using) traditional ingredients (German, English, American, as called for), still making great, well made, interesting beers. (Changing) the word "micro" to "craft" and excluding the large breweries is ludicrous; (they) can produce specialty beers as well as any small brewery. A large regional brewery should not put "micro" on their label, but (rather should use) "specialty." The consumer needs to (be able to differentiate between) contract, regional, and national brands. The small brewery needs to be protected (in order to) survive-and to continue to encourage entrepreneurship in this industry.

Vermont Pub and Brewery, Burlington, VT
Greg Noonan, founding brewmaster and brewery consultant

I wish that Vince Cottone had trademarked the term. (He would be) a good arbiter of what is and what isnât "hand-made." (He would reject) beers made in "microindustrial" quarter- million barrel breweries and "fruit beers" made with 0.003 percent fruit-flavored extract. (If Congress were to legislate an appellation, the licensing board should include) Cottone, Carol Stoudt, Randy Reede and Teri Fahrendorf (to ensure) its integrity. Craft brewed (should) mean pure, natural beer brewed in a nonautomated brewery of less than 50-barrel brew length, using traditional methods and premium, whole, natural ingredients, and no flavor- lessening adjuncts or extracts, additives or preservatives.