If you’re big craft beer enthusiasts like us, you shouldn’t need the reasons why it is superior to mass-produced beer explained to you. Let’s be honest, we all know that craft beer will always have the upper hand; there’s certainly no competition between the two when it comes to taste and variety.
Although the craft beer market has shown huge growth over the past few years, it still represents a fraction of the commercial one. It’s argued (and is the only way that it could possibly make sense) that this is due to the lack of involvement of large-scale producers.
Craft beer is generally made by small, local and independent brewers who work hard to create rich, unique flavours and put time and effort into what they do, in turn creating products that large corporations fail to attain.
Is craft beer better?
Yes, there is no doubt about that (and that’s not just us being biased). Craft beer takes years to produce…perfecting the taste and finding the right, high-quality ingredients is a long process and a labour of love.
To prove our point, we’ve come up with 5 reasons why craft beer is the only winner in this debate…
1/ Its rich and distinctive taste…
Craft has a richer and more distinct taste than mass-produced beer.
We know from first-hand experience that craft brewers are passionate about perfecting the taste and flavours of their beer. Brewers put their passion into producing a high-quality, unique product, rather than a mainstream one that is mass marketed.
The flavours of craft beers are determined by each particular combination of carbonation, malt, hops, water and yeast. Each of the brewer's personal touches through the process makes each craft beer distinctive.
Craft is brewed specifically with flavours in mind. You will most definitely struggle to find two craft beers that were exactly alike. Whether it’s a fruity pale, a hoppy pilsner, or a chunky porter, each one has its own unique attributes.
2/ Its greater variety…
If the last paragraph didn’t put the point across already, you should know that when it comes to craft beer, the choice is seemingly endless.
From pilsner to porter, and pale ale to IPA, there is a type of craft beer to enjoy, whatever your mood.
There is a wide range of varieties to choose from, many with a distinctive difference, unlike mass-marketed lagers which in reality, are all just different variants of the same taste.
The main goal and focus of commercial beer companies is profit, which leads them to supply the same generic product with little distinctive difference from one another. Independent craft breweries, on the other hand, produce beer with variety in mind.
Craft beer breweries aim to give beer enthusiasts a unique taste experience away from the mainstream market.
3/ Better quality ingredients
When it comes to beer, it typically only contains four ingredients; grains, hops, yeast and water. However, a major difference between mass-produced beer and craft beer is the difference in the quality of the ingredients used for production.
The majority of local craft breweries only use the highest quality of ingredients to brew their beers, whereas the same can not always be said for mass-produced ales.
Through mass production, cheaper ingredients inevitably become part of the process, as using the best of the best wouldn’t be very cost-effective.
Craft beer breweries on the other hand, with the majority of them being smaller, independent businesses, can invest in higher-quality ingredients that are usually organically or locally sourced. This results in a better taste and a better quality product.
4/ The health benefits…
Believe it or not, craft beer can be a much healthier alternative to regular beer.
Certain varieties offer potential health benefits because they contain antioxidants, protein and vitamin B complex.
Research has suggested that the vitamins and antioxidants in craft beer can lead to decreased risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and diabetes and may even potentially prevent osteoporosis!
It’s even been suggested that the hops used in craft beer could act as a barrier against the gradual decline of the brain’s cognitive functions, decreasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease in regular consumers.
5/ A beer for every season…
Whether it’s winter, autumn, summer or spring, there are craft beers specially brewed to match the season.
The world of craft beer is rooted in creativity, and one of the ways its brewers showcase this is through the production of seasonal beers.
Seasonal beers adopt flavours and tastes from each season we experience. From citrus beers for the summer to pumpkin beers for autumn, and floral notes in the spring to satisfying porters in the winter, why not mix things up? Drinking the same mainstream lager year round is dull and boring!
These are all just some of the many reasons we think you should choose craft over mass-produced beer. From the exceptional taste, high-quality ingredients, and being able to support your local community, we can’t understand why you would still be choosing mass-produced.
Have you been convinced to make the move to craft beer? What are you waiting for? Give one of our award-winning brews a try today…you won’t look back! Check out our range here.