Craft beer is many different things to many different people and most beer lovers have a story of discovery to share. Craft beer has been described variously as ten minutes of pleasure, pure happiness in a glass, full flavored, authentic, archetypical, an intellectual beverage that is to be savored not swilled and much, much more. It is enjoyed for everyday celebrations and is viewed by many as one of the special things in life that makes the day taste and feel a little better. It is also regarded as living liquid history. Each glass displays the creativity and passion of its maker and the complexity of its ingredients. Craft beer is treasured by millions of beer lovers who see it as not merely a fermented beverage, but also something to be enjoyed in moderation (see Savor the Flavor), shared and revered. It is a versatile beverage, often enjoyed over a discussion of the important issues of the day and sometimes used as an ingredient in cooking.
Charles A. McGorray 11.06.10
My reasons for loving “craft” beer are numerous. Being an avid home brewer for several years, I’ve learned much about the art of “crafting” a great tasting beer. With no local brew pubs or pubs specializing in great beer, I’ve been able to make many good ones of my own. From Belgian style Triples to mild golden ales, I’ve had success 5 gallons at a time. My favorite? A robust porter with Maker’s Mark and toasted oak cubes in the secondary. Tastes much like G.I. Bourbon County Stout. Many friends have bemoaned the fact that we lack access to many different craft beers too. Hence, I’ve come out of retirement and have opened a restaurant/indoor golf center with a great bar serving over 65 craft beers, 20 domestic beers and 10 imports. Most of the local folks that I talked to before opening didn’t think the craft beer adventure would work in our mid-sized community with a rich tradition of being “light lager” beer drinkers. We’re selling craft beers at a rate of 65% to 35% greater than the domestic/import beers and I’m proving them wrong. For adventuresome beer drinkers in Central Illinois, we now have a great spot to try new beers, McGorray’s Golf & Grille in Decatur. I plan on heading to the the GABF next year and hope to catch up with Adam Avery, a Decatur native doing great things in the “craft” beer world!
David Grabosky 05.22.10
When a beer afficianado appreciates the beauty of a kellerweis freshly poured into a sleek weizen glass, with its opaque, but majestic yellowish hue, and its soft, white, pillowy head, there is much more being perceived than a beverage in a glass. No, it is the joy, almost the ecstasy, of all 5 senses being employed, even strained to imbibe the simplicity and complexity of the masterpiece set before him or her. The splash of the beer, strongly yet delicately filling the glass is music to the ears. It is the mesmerizing appearance of the two-inch foam, sitting gently on the beer, as light carbonation produces small bubbles, greeting the head time and again from below. It is the touch of the hand to the glass, feeling the beer at just the right temperature to unleash the magic of the malt onto his or her tastebuds. It is the powerful deluge of aromas, dense with banana, clove, honey, and wheat, raining upon the nostrils as the glass is raised. And it is that reward of all these senses coming together and persuading the tastebuds (which really need no persuading for the truly good beers) that this is really something to enjoy, something in which life can truly be lived and savored. And through this, the afficianado can imagine the master craft brewer pouring his or life, heart, and soul into the contents of his weizen glass. The taster can feel what the brewer had felt, think what the brewer might have thought, and connect just a little closer than the customary six degrees. And what better way to do this than share with friends and strangers who become friends. Prosit!
Patrick Truby 05.14.10
My memories of craft beer come from a close friends dad.
During my early twenties I often found ways to escape some tough family problems by staying at friends houses. A close friend whos dad was a NASA scientist was a master at the home brew. We would sit in his basement during the holidays listening to his records of old time vocal groups and sipping on his latest recipe while he talked about calculating bitterness ratio, carbonation volume and yeast fermenting temps. These were some of my fondest memories during those years. His passion instilled in me a love of craft beer that I still carry with me. I am a graphic designer now living in DC. I have designed some labels for him over the years and it was always an excercise in complete artistic freedom. The wild design of craft beer labels is half the fun for me.
Marie Wallach 05.14.10
Continued from above:
In fact, we loved Fire Rock and Longboard all throughout our honeymoon in Hawaii and would often look for it once we returned to the east coast (we actually saw Longboard on tap at one NYC bar–very exciting)! Nonetheless, this experience would certainly be one that we would never forget and would provide us with an amazing One Year Anniversary. We would be able to re-experience the progression of our relationship since we would be able to associate a memory and story with each craft beer we have the opportunity to savor!
Marie Wallach 05.13.10
In a nutshell, my husband and I absolutely love microbrews….we view craft beer as creativity that results in success! We actually met in college over 8 years ago (at GW in DC) and we got married on June 6th, 2009 in DC. We currently live out of town, but we are already booked to stay in DC the weekend of June 4th to celebrate our One Year Anniversary. It would be absolutely amazing and unforgettable if I could give my husband tickets (paper—1st anniversary traditional gift) to Savor for June 5th! Anytime we travel anywhere, we always have to try the local beer (…..multiple local beers) and end up looking forward to traveling back to these locations again to explore and drink more of the local beer! By attending Savor and sampling so many different beers from various locations, memories of countless locations we have traveled to over the past 8 years would be evoked. I can’t think of a better way to spend our One Year Anniversary than to have the opportunity to travel back over the past 8 years of our relationship and remember all of our wonderful memories together through experiencing Savor. We are huge fans of both craft beer and all food and Savor would undoubtedly be an optimal way for us to spend our One Year Anniversary!
John Garder 05.13.10
Craft beer is the way beer is supposed to be. It gets at the root of the tradition that’s made beer great: creativity, innovation, and a sense of adventure. “Throw even more hops in there and see what happens!” “Substitute a little of that chocolate malt instead, and let’s see what that does for it!” These are things I imagine being said as these fine crafts are made. It’s fantastic to see Americans taking an old world craft and making it new world art with exciting ideas. It actually gets at what is really fundamentally American about our country. Most of all…man, I just love to sip the stuff; nothing is more yummy to my palate.
Lauren Giles 05.13.10
I absolutely love craft beer because of its personality and uniqueness. When I crave a beer (which is quite often) I automatically want a small brewer and something that I have never had before. I am 1 year out of college so none of my friends TRULY understand the taste of a good beer. Instead of those high-volume, “anyone can have a sip of this anywhere” kind of beer (please don’t tell my father, he used to work for one of those places!), I prefer a beer that is too good to be used for beer pong. You know, those kind of beers that you can only get in Colorado…or you can only get at a certain bar or small town. The greatest thing about a small US producer is that every state, town, city, you name it grows its own crops, herbs, and plants, and has a different culture, style, and people. All of these affect the way a beer is produced–every drop has been carefully brewed with personality and taste to create something truly unique. And when you get to take that sip, time stops and you get to take in THAT very moment…and that crisp aftertaste leaves you with satifaction. Combine that with your atmosphere–you can be sipping this in the backseat of a car, in the bathroom, in a fancy restaurant, a frat house, or on your living room couch, and you will feel different than anyone around you and even more special. A microbrewed beer is not just about taste, but about the feeling and overall body experience. Its personality will encompass you and its unique taste will add some flavor to your day. Beer pong doesn’t sound so good anymore, does it, “Natty Light?”
Zach Carter 05.13.10
It may sound funny, but craft beer is one of the reasons that I got together with my girlfriend. When we first met I was lucky enough to be attending the Northern Virginia Beer Festival in Manassas the next week. She was interested in going, and, because of the weather, it turned out to be just the two of us. We clicked as we wandered the muddy field and enjoyed some great American Craft Beers. Seven months later we are looking forward to the spring version!
Grace Hannafin 05.13.10
Just like creating a delicious gourmet meal or a beautiful painting, making beer is an art. As an art lover, I value the creativity the goes into the craft of brewing. Brewers are artists who hone, obssess, and perfect their craft just as any master sculptor, master chef, or musician does. Just as I may not like all works by Van Gogh or appreciate certain delicacies enjoyed in different parts of the world, I may not enjoy every Craft Brew I come accross. However, I appreciate the passion and patience behind every product, and enjoy learning about the process and motivation behind each brewer as they share their creations with the world. And every time a new delicious, refreshing, incredibly unique Craft Beer crosses my palate, it’s truly a joyous, intensely personal, and extremely satisfying moment that is unlike the enjoyment that comes from any other art form.
William Roberts 05.06.10
If I was better person, I would say that I love craft beers because they support smaller businesses and the local/regional economy, and because the smaller distribution areas have a reduced environmental impact or some other altruistic reason. The truth is, I love craft beers because of their wonderful freshness and the continually amazing variety of styles and incredibly rich flavors. I love craft beers because they taste so damn good!
Edward Chin 05.05.10
Beer is such a refreshing pastime. It’s a thirst quencher, conversation starter, and a hobby, all in one. Then there’s all the variety, flavors, labels, and colors etc. It’s simply a feast for the spirit.
Eric Murphy 05.05.10
I love craft beer first and foremost for the taste. Obviously, craft beers provide a much more diverse spectrum of possibilities than megabrews, and the ability to choose the perfect beer, for pairing with food or for drinking on its own, is a wonderful thing. However, what I really love about craft beer, and American craft beer in particular, is what I also love about American artisanal food in general: it allows a regrowth of regional American cuisine. For some time, it had become difficult to find local food or craft specialties that set one region apart from another, as homogenization of food and beverage choices across the country allowed (or forced) travelers to eat and drink from the same choices one had back home. By promoting craft brewing, especially for smaller brewers who might only provide their product to local pubs or stores, we can begin to recreate and recognize differences across the country. By recreating the thrill of discovering regional specialties, craft brewers (along with all artisanal purveyors) allow both travelers and locals alike to truly enjoy what is special about where they are.
Jonathan Phillips 05.04.10
Many things in life pose simple questions. Often times the food and drink we consume boils down to the simple question of “did you enjoy it?” Craft Beer however is a much deeper experience, it is not just if you enjoyed it but rather “how did you enjoy it?” and “what senses and memories does that pour elicit?”
Craft Beers often bring us to a place in time… whether it is that Amber Ale your friend brought with him from Maine that one weekend early in the baseball season, you remember that you picked it up off the wooden patio table with the palms of your hands, pushing the bottle together with your wrists because your hands are covered in Blue Crab meat and butter, and you needed a healthy sip to wash down your crab cracking efforts of the day and all the great conversation of what the season will hold for the home team, or its that Belgian you swigged in front of a fireplace that was illuminating the wooden walls of a vacation cabin while your legs ached from a long day skiing with friends that meet up only once a year a different powder peak for a reunion, or maybe its that India Pale Ale you swirl at the bottom of a unique-labeled brown bottle, you take one last sip before you leave the beach after a long Memorial Day weekend, you have sand on your toes, bikini sunburns and dry hair from the ocean waters. Its one last swish of freedom you savor as the orange sunset melts away in the final moments before you know you will have to return back to work and face the changing season. The memories are as unique as the flavors which craft beer produces.
I have friends who produce single batches in closets of their apartment, I have made specific treks to such fertile beer lands as Portland and Syracuse to run wild in a buffet of different brews, and I scratch to try something new everywhere I go – flipping to the last page of the elegant restaurant menu away from the wines and martinis in hopes of finding that rare craft beer I have not yet explored. I’ll ask the waiter to leave the bottle too, I want to remember that as well, because I am making a decision of not if I enjoyed my beer – but how I enjoyed it and how I remember those moments in life.
Perhaps that is why I want to attend the aptly named SAVOR event on June 5 in Washington D.C. – I hope you consider this entry On Tap Magazine, I have some more swishing I’d like to do.
Pete davies 05.04.10
I like craft beer for the variety of tastes and it keeps money in the regional economy which makes me feel like I’m helping my neighbor when I drink.
Cecily Hastings 05.04.10
As a 26 year old female, I am a rare candidate for a craft beer connoisseur. However, my first job at a microbrewery enlightened me to the wonderful world of craft beers. Below are a few of the reasons I SAVOR craft beer:
Salud! – The health benefits to drinking beer are often underrated. Beer consumption can help prevent a number of diseases including (but not limited to): cardiovascular disease, blood clotting, gallstones, diabetes, dementia, kidney stones.
Adjuncts – Cost-saving additives that you avoid by drinking craft beer.
Variety – This not only refers to the options associated with beer consumption, but also the foods that quality beers can be paired with. I hadn’t lived until I had a quality stout paired with a chocolate cheesecake.
Occupation – As I mentioned in the introduction, my first job was at a micro-brewery. While I now work in the political sphere, I still consider the pursuit of quality beers a professional obligation.
Reinheitsgebot – The German law of beer that ensures teh purity of craft beer remains intact by utilizing only water, malted barley, yeast, and hops in the brewing process.
Michael Ferry 05.04.10
I hit legal drinking age in the early 1980s, when variety in American beer was arguing over which variety of low malt pilsner you preferred. It was around that time that my father and I began trying beers of the world in restaurants when we would go out to eat. At that time I associated all of those different flavors with exotic and far away places, and always was trying to find a new beer. In grad school in the late 80s, I met a chemist who home brewed. It got me interested. He told me a story of how his keg of Guiness style cream stout blew up in his closet, and all his friends had to come over and salvage his mistake. I was one of them. I was hooked. When I got married in 1991, my wife bought me a starter brew kit, and I started exploring that world that was restricted to restaurants in my own kitchen. Around the mid 90s craft brewing took off, and I could hang up my wort chiller, and buy a decent American made craft beer in the local store. So why do I like craft beer? Well, to me, each new craft American beer is another triumph over the tyranny of American pilsner…each one an excursion to the exotic and exciting. You never know what you will get, and that, sirs, is the fun of it.
William Shensky 05.04.10
Simply put, craft beer tastes better. There is a certain comfortable familiarity with macrobrews, just like a Big Mac, you know what you’ll get. With craft beers, you often get to taste something new and exciting. Craft beer is not for everyone, you must be willing to taste a beer that might be your new favorite beer.
Adam Alfano 05.04.10
i love craft beer because gives the small guys a chance to show their muscle. being just over 5 feet tall myself i understand how hard it is to hang with big guys. but craft beer makes some of the best beer on the market and i am impressed with the determination of small producers to have their product be known. there is nothing more American than a craft beer festival in the middle of the heartland. i’m pretty sure that it is one of the Bill of Rights. so cheers to the little guy and may craft beer live forever!
Chris Tompson 05.04.10
I first fell in love with craft beer at an early age, during our summer trips up to Vermont. My father would be sampling the various microbrews he found at the local town store (it is my understanding that microbrews were not that popular nationally at that time, but were gaining a foothold in VT) and would give my brothers and me tastes if we hadn’t been too obnoxious or rowdy on that given day. I remember immediately loving the copper ales, but hating many of the other stronger beers (particularly the stouts). As I got older, and finally of legal age to drink beer, I began to get a taste for all different types of craft beers – including stouts, which are now my favorites. We still go up to Vermont every summer, and I continue to look forward to tasting the new local brews each night during dinner.
Alfredo Flroes 05.04.10
The event last summer in Washington, D.C. was an eye-opener to some of the best brews in the country. I thought I was a beer fan, until I got to meet some incredible beer experts at the event who shared their passion. I learned a lot that evening and hope to learn even more next month.
William Ballweber 02.17.10
Variety and Creativity. One sip involves all senses working independently yet together to create a million images in my mind. I often imagine the grains, hops, brewers, memories of friends, places, and on special occasions I imagine that I am the beer. Craft Beer always offers a new experience for the person who looks for it.
Rick Blankemeier 12.16.09
As the Denver Craft Beer Examiner, it’s extremely difficult to come up with just one reason why I choose craft beer, but here it goes:
Craft beer combines the elements of art, science, tradition, and progressiveness in ways that transcends all other beverages. This nexus of seemingly polar opposites leads to something wonderful; a beverage with limitless potential.
Many would call this period of time, “The Craft Beer Renaissance”. I contend that we’ve moved past the Renaissance and started the Reformation – respecting brewing traditions of old, but moving on towards brewing new, unique and better craft beer. Using the Reinheitsgebot as a suggestion rather than dogma (or artistic censorship as Sam Calagione likes to say).
I choose craft beer because it brings traditional opposites together – both concepts and people. When opposites combine forces, truly wonderful things happen. Cheers!