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A couple of weeks ago we raise on these pages the issue of the definition of craft beer. As expected, the comments were not long in coming and a heated debate begun, looking for an effective and comprehensive definition of what “craft” is. Although some aspects considered crucial by all (or almost all) were established, the discussion remained far from arrange a definitive verdict. Not that I expected the opposite: the post was only a way to nourish the discussion, hoping that it might be useful for its participants.

Today I take the conversation again, giving a look at how the problem has been considered abroad. The aim is to offer new ideas for discussion and to draw any possible inspiration from other scenarios, which perhaps faced problems we don’t even consider, because of their seniority.

The considerations of Andy Crouch, who has sought a response retracing the way in which the definition of craft beer has changed in the United States are a good starting point. The Brewers Association offers a very detailed interpretation:

An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional.

Small means that the annual production of beer must be less than 2 million barrels. Independent means that less than 25% of the craft brewery should be owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. Finally, traditional means that at least 50% of production must be represented by a pure malt beers or by beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavour.

Curiously this definition in 2005 was shared by Jim Koch, founder of Boston Beer Company. In the following years the Boston company continued to grow, so that soon breached the limit of 2 million barrels per year. In 2008, the same Jim Koch proposed a change in the definition of the Brewers Association, at least for what concern the “smallness” issue:

The production of beer must be less than 2 million barrels a year, or more than 2 million barrels if the brewery was originally founded as a “craft” and still satisfy the other criteria of the definition.

The correction arose from the need to continue to consider Boston Beer a craft brewer. It was a purely formal issue, as the company continued to be considered like that by enthusiasts, despite the rise in production volumes. The problem is that the term “craft beer” has a strong connotation of quality, which is not associated with industrial brewers. That’s why Jim Koch bother to propose a change to the definition: the Boston Beer was no longer a craft brewery in the literal sense, but continued to be “craft” as far as ethic and quality are concerned. It was right to affect its image just because it had exceeded the limit of 2 million barrels?

In his article Andy Crouch therefore underlines the inadequacy of the definition of the Brewers Association, declaring himself in agree with the proposal from the Beer Advocate website, whereby the craft beer is:

Beer brewed in limited quantities often using traditional methods.

Consequently, a craft brewery is a company that has as its primary objective to produce craft beer, as defined. It’s obvious that such an interpretation is extremely flexible and does not propose measurable boundaries. Whether a beer should be considered “craft brewed” will therefore hinge on assessments made from time to time.

The limits of the definition proposed by the American association are also highlighted by the Top fermented blog, which also introduces a significant aspect, that of passion:

Behind craft beer there are characters and a passion for the product. This reaches the consumer easily in small areas. It’s something that corporations will never be able to get because they are too distant from the consumer.

But passion is not easy to define. The solution proposal is to leave this burden to consumers. The Brewers Association may fix the criteria that identify a craft brewer, but consumers should decide what a craft beer is. To do so they have only one instrument, choice. Finally, here is the definition of the author:

Any well-made beer that was obviously made with passion. You can see it in the labels, the names, in the bottles, cans, or glassware, and in the ingredient selection.

I mentioned these two articles – obviously there would be many more to report – because they start from a strict definition and then get to a very faint one. Furthermore, they start focusing on technical aspects and then the human and emotional component becomes important.

Needless to ask again what you think on the issue, but I hope that these ideas can be useful to introduce new points of view.