Craft beer is the best type of beer…and that’s it. We hope you enjoyed this informative blog. Thanks for reading!
Juuuuust kidding. We’re not here to just make wild claims. We’re here to back them up too.
Craft beer is often made by smaller, independent breweries that focus on creating unique flavours for the more adventurous, discerning beer drinker. Craft beer is ‘crafted’ – hence the name – by a team of expert beer makers who use higher-quality ingredients to bring you the best flavours possible.
And you know what? The extra thought and care that goes into craft beer is paying off since, according to Morning Advertiser* 69% of London beer lovers prefer craft beer over mainstream beers. Nice.
So, if you want to blast off and join the craft beer hype, keep reading to learn more!
HOW IS CRAFT BEER MADE?
Humans have made beer for thousands of years. We’re talking so long ago that even the smartest people on the planet can’t actually figure out when the first beer was made. But, the craft beer movement started in the 1960s in the US.
In 1965, the pioneer of craft beer, Fritz Maytag – a brief round of applause for Fritz Maytag, please – started playing around with different beer flavours and learned how to improve the quality. It’s safe to say that everyone’s minds were blown when they realised how much better beer can taste!
In the late 70s, home-brewing beer became legal, resulting in many beer fanatics making their own specialty beers. This eventually led to small craft beer businesses opening up and experimenting with different flavours. The creative beer juices were well and truly flowing.
Obviously, craft beer kept on growing in popularity, and now more and more people all over planet Earth are aware of what craft beer actually is, where to find it, and, crucially, how it's made (cue a very smooth segue into the next paragraph).
So, just how is craft beer made? Well, it’s funny that you ask. Beer is made with just four ingredients: barley, hops, yeast and water. We’ll try not to bore you with the technical details, but basically, sugars are extracted from the grains so the yeast can turn them into alcohol. Magic? Yes, but also science.
Craft beer will be made from the best ingredients on the planet. No cutting corners! The grains will be mixed and mashed together with boiling water (Really really don’t recommend drinking it at this stage; we learned this the hard way). Then, the natural starches will be revealed with a dramatic flourish and converted into sugars. Then the water is drained, and the sweet, syrupy liquid is left behind, which will eventually turn into beer.
This weird-looking sugar liquid is then added to what’s known in the business as a big ol’ kettle and boiled for a long time. At this point, the hops, spices and whatever other flavourings are added too. When the boiling is finished, the brewers can sit back and relax as the fermenting part of the beer-making process begins.
When the oh-so-talented and hard-working brewers are happy with their creation, it then needs to be conditioned to let the flavours and aromas develop. It’s then packaged up in our super awesomely designed cans and sent to you.
What does craft beer taste like?
It’s hard to nail down the exact flavour of craft beer because they can taste so different. But once those flavours touch your tongue, there’s no going back.
Craft beer has a robust flavour that regular beer might lack. It’s more hoppy. And bitter. And bursting with all sorts of different flavours. Think pine-y earthiness, bright citrus flavours, juicy tropical notes, or a bring-it-back-to-Earth earthiness. Each beer has a different blend of flavours. And it (mostly) depends on the types of hops (hello old friends).
For example, our OG super session IPA, Neck Oil. It has a bunch of different hop varieties in the mix to create its unique flavour. Mosaic hops give it a mango and citrus flavour with a pine-y punch. Combined with Amarillo hops, you get a zingy, zesty flavour sensation with moderate bitterness.
Now, let’s zone in on Lazer Crush. This crushable low-alcohol creation uses Azacca, Amarillo, and Citra hops, which give it a really refreshing fruity juiciness. Perfect for lazy afternoons on the lounge desk of your spaceship.
So you see – craft beers can taste like anything that the universe (and our brewers) can cook up.
What is Considered a Craft Beer?
So what exactly means a beer is a craft beer? Well…. The answer is a bit muddy. It’s not 100% clear.
But it’s usually thought that any beer made on a small scale, with high-quality ingredients, and designed to be enjoyed by a more experienced palette can be called a craft beer. So a lager made by a macro-sized brand on a large scale – not a craft beer. But a small batch of IPA made with really good quality ingredients (and maybe a couple of experimental ones thrown in)? Totally a craft beer.
What Types of Craft Beer Are There?
You may think that only Ales can be craft beers. Well, you’re wrong! Any type of beer can be a craft beer as long as it’s made with high-quality ingredients by a small brewery. So Bones lager? Totally a craft beer. So is Spresso, our black coffee stout. And obviously, all of our stellar IPAs.
Beavertown Craft Beers
Since we know a thing or two about craft beers, let us direct you to some of our favourites:
Gamma Ray - Bold and iconic, our Gamma Ray craft beer will make you feel like you’ve been teleported to America. With a rich and refreshing taste inspired by pale ales from California’s Pacific coast, this is our original craft beer that every Beavertown fan needs to try.
Neck Oil – The people’s favourite. Light and zingy, Neck Oil has a perfect balance of hop flavours for an extra special taste. It’s ultra-refreshing and goes down easy, too.
Regular Beer VS Craft Beer
So, what’s the difference between craft beer and regular beer? Wait for it, you’re gonna love it…FLAVOURS!
Regular beer is made using traditional methods in big industrial breweries on a large scale. It has that classic, bitter beer taste we all know and love.
On the other hand, craft beer offers a unique flavour experience. There’s way more variety to choose from, and people who don’t like the flavour of regular beer can still find a craft beer flavour to enjoy. Craft beer also often has more alcohol content than regular beer. Unless you go for one of our low and no-alcohol craft beers, which still has all the great taste but a featherweight ABV.
Where do I find craft beer?
Craft beer used to be kinda difficult to find. It was the kind of thing you’d only be able to try if your mate knew a friend of a friend of a relative’s mother-in-law who brewed it in his bathtub. Thankfully, these days, it’s much easier to find (and way more hygienic) and sold in basically any pub or supermarket.
Beavertown’s Most Popular Craft Beers
Since we know a thing or two about craft beers, let us direct you to some of our favourites:
- Gamma Ray - Bold and iconic, our Gamma Ray craft beer will make you feel like you’ve been teleported to America. With a rich and refreshing taste inspired by pale ales from California’s Pacific coast, this is our original craft beer that every Beavertown fan needs to try.
- Neck Oil – The people’s favourite. Light and zingy, Neck Oil has a perfect balance of hop flavours for an extra special taste. It’s ultra-refreshing and goes down easy, too.
Check out our whole range of Neck Oil, from clothing to bundles and even a crate of Neck Oil and Gamma Ray.
