Craft Beer

What makes a beer a craft beer?

Craft beers originate from small and independent breweries. By regulation, the brewery needs to produce six million barrels or fewer per year to qualify as a craft brewery. To be eligible for consideration as independent ownership, no more than 25 percent of the ownership can be held by an outside alcohol interest. The limitations on qualifying as a craft brewery contribute to the uniqueness and quality of the beer.

What is special about craft beer?

Craft beer customarily has a richer taste and more distinct flavor than mass-produced beers. Craft brewers work with an assortment of quality ingredients to offer a variety of unique beers to compliment the seasons and flavor preferences. The alcohol content in most craft beers is higher than the typical commercial beer, averaging between 5 and 10 percent alcohol by volume.

What is an IPA?

IPA stands for the type of beer called Indian Pale Ale. It has a hoppy flavor, is distinctively bitter, and is light in color. Some of the most common types of IPAs are English-style IPAs, Imperial IPAs, and New England IPAs. English-style were the first type of IPAs, and are usually grassy and earthy with hints of citrus and have a dry finish. The Imperial style are strong and bitter with hoppy flavors and are available in heavier versions called doubles and triples. The New England styles are juicy, hazy, and lower in hop profiles.