There have been a number of trends that have come into vogue over the last couple of decades, and perhaps one of the most significant of these has been the emergence of craft beer brewing. Even though there have been some very prominent names in the beer industry for many decades, a select few individuals decided to blaze their own path & make the kind of beer that they’d been looking for but couldn’t find.
It is this adventurous spirit that has taken the craft beer movement to new heights, but as with any trend, there is always the anticipation that there will be ebbs and flows, ups and downs, and, well, you get the idea. Still, for some reason, craft beer has been able to not only remain on the radar, it has actually become more popular than ever. Here are a few possible reasons:
An Appreciation of the Brewing Process – Making beer goes back a very, very long time. When you take into consideration how few ingredients it takes to make beer, it is amazing that there can be so much variety between brewers. It’s all about experimentation with different ingredients and a willingness to keep trying to find exactly the right combination.
Attempting to Know More About Ingredients – There has been a greater attempt for people to know where their food is coming from, which is kind of refreshing. Part of it has to do with a general want to know what they are consuming as many are choosing to do away with overly processed food products. They are also being more mindful of keeping tabs on their kids’ dietary issues & allergies. With craft beers, you know what you’re getting, and it’s nice to know that you can pronounce every ingredient.
A Willingness to Support “The Little Guy” – Everyone always wants to cheer for “the little guy” trying their hand at taking on the big guys at their own game. Whereas the big players in the beer game have a lot of capital to carry their marketing & advertising, small brewers have to rely on word-of-mouth and one heck of a product.
The “Foodie” Revolution – Most people who call themselves “foodies” tend to focus on the notion that they take food very seriously. They want to know the history of their food, the origin of the ingredients in their meal, and they are intrigued in the mastering of age-old processes of food preparation. One great byproduct of this “foodie” revolution has been the application of these same principles to beer production.
Craft beer and the craft beer process is all about using quality ingredients to create a final product in relatively small batches that favors great flavor over mass production. Even though this beer revolution has seen tremendous heights now, there is no telling the amount of success these small brewers will experience. Moreover, it makes one very curious about what future brewers may also bring to the table.