Behind the trend: Craft beer

By Natalie Hardwick – Editor, bbcgoodfood.com

This month, we chart the rise of craft beer, from its origins in the States to the global phenomenon that has taken the UK by storm in recent years.

In the beginning

Beer has been brewed for centuries, but the modern craft beer movement has its roots in 1970s America, when home-brewing was decriminalised and flavour explorers recreated Belgian, British and German beers in innovative ways.

Then

In the Nineties, these bold and beautiful US-style beers began to inspire UK brewers like Dark Star. Craft beer became mainstream when the likes of BrewDog Punk IPA – the textbook modern craft brew – was stocked in supermarket.

Now

The global brewing giants have started buying up smaller craft brands, like Camden and Meantime, signalling a huge worldwide shift in the consumption of beer.

Try it yourself

Steve Taylor, from The Bottle Shop, says: ‘When picking a craft brew, freshness is a key factor as some of the more fun flavours are fragile and taste best within 8-10 weeks of being brewed. We recommend visiting your local independent beer bar or shop and asking your beermonger to help you pick a selection.’

In the beginning

Then

Now

Try it yourself

Further reading…