Just remember that “Craft” can easily be turned into “Crap”.
They are creating their own market with mega-advertising and price point. I don’t think they could get away from their product now if they wanted to because they are so far into making, marketing, & selling fizzy yellow that they’d go under without that product.
Maybe we need a new word for small brewers that produce great beer? Craft seems to have taken on a ubiquity that we cannot reign in or define anymore. Artisan?
Artisan is synonymous with craft. That said, I’ve always liked the sound of “artisanal breweries”.
Same… but different. ;)
Artisanal breweries need to define and protect that term and not let it become a diluted phrase like craft has become.
I think some people think too much of their own craft sometimes. I’ve brewed crap, still do from time to time, the really good ones aren’t the norm, exception is more like it. Hence why so many people are looking for a recipe to follow. 
Nobody is perfect, they may come across as if they are but if they’re honest they’ll tell you they’ve brewed crap. After all… shyt happens, and in basic homebrewer settings… when it happens it can happen big and fast. If someone on this board told me every brew went to plan and their beers were all perfect this year… well, let’s just say I wouldn’t trust them any further than I could throw them. ;D
I figured I better clarify what I said and meant.
Whenever big breweries are mentioned, some sort of derogatory statement about what they brew always follows that implies that those same breweries can’t make good beer, and it is just flat out wrong. Look how many homebrewers are looking to or for a recipe to clone BL or MH etc. Its not that these breweries “can’t”… they just don’t need to, they have already impressed enough people to keep their production afloat. So… when I said crap, I’m not “necessarily” saying shyddy beer but beer that doesn’t meet a style perhaps. Brew an ale and submit it as a lager… same thing. And I will say I have made some shydddy beers too, more than I care to think about even. :( Real shyddy ones, bad enough that I wouldn’t drink them and I used to force myself to drink them not too long ago.
With that said, I’m sure there are others and myself that would give a left bodypart (pick one) to be able to brew a BL or MH on a regular basis for those friends that come over and think “that” beer is the shizizzle. I don’t mind knocking one or a few off from time to time myself. ;D I just can’t drink them as a regular anymore. 
Yeah, but after a few artisanal beers I can’t say “artisanal beer” anymore.
Sounds anal doesn’t it? Imagine after a few brews, your words get flustered and it comes out you’re an anal artist. :D :o
[quote]Imagine after a few brews, your words get flustered and it comes out you’re an anal artist.
[/quote]
I think you just described some of the members here.
Sounds like you might have an accent then. There’s no ANAL in artisanal. I suppose the beer could taste that way - but it’s not pronounced that way. 
I like this description I found:
The word artisanal is not in the OED. It seems to have come into use quite recently as a kind of antonym of industrial, referring to small-scale production methods, agricultural or other. On Google it has four million hits.
When Rogue first brought out their version of my rye IPA, it was called “Gone Awry”. They changed it when they found that after a few beers it was coming out as “gonorrhea”.
I just figured out my next beer name.
Tap the Clap Pale Ale
Art is anal Pale Ale.
beerocd… no accent here (depending on where you’re from ) just seeing the words and playing around with them.
Gone Awry - Gonorrhea… now thats just funny in a weird sort of way… and look how it caught on too! ;D
Yeah just messing around. I know where you’re at, you’re probably more likely to put “eh?” at the end of a sentence than actually have drawl. 
I stopped in a Montana roadside tavern last Saturday morning, and I crafted a beer…
I asked the bartender to add a small dose of Clamato juice to the pint of PBR he just drew me.
I do this all the time… Well, not so much the clamato, but blending beers I don’t like. I figure it’s my right as a homebrewer.
Yeah it’s called Red beer…people down at my local bar do this alot. Add about an inch of tomato juice to the bottom of the pint glass then pour a can of PBR in to blend. I wouldn’t wanna do it as I’m good with PBR. But I can see how someone could like it.