Craft
beer is an American term which is common
throughout North America and New Zealand and
generally refers to beer that is brewed without
adjuncts and with an eye to beer style rather than
mass appeal. It has gradually replaced the term
microbrew as the most popular term to describe the
output of micro or craft breweries.
Craft beer may refer to the products of brewpubs and
smaller breweries, as well as some all-malt beers
produced by larger breweries and applicable brews
from outside the US. Many craft beers are
unfiltered, bottle conditioned or cask conditioned.
They generally contain fewer adjuncts than
mass-produced beers.
In the United Kingdom, CAMRA use the term "real ale"
to refer to unfiltered beers that are not
force-carbonated, such as cask ale. In the US, such
cask ales are uncommon, and craft beers on draft are
mainly served from pressurised kegs, though American
bottle conditioned beers are real ales.
The interest in beer styles in the US has increased
steadily since Michael Jackson's 1977 book The World
Guide to Beer was published in America.
Additionally, the enactment of laws clarifying the
legality of homebrewing in 1979 encouraged an
increase in hobbyists who contributed greatly to the
trend. Pioneer breweries such as the reinvigorated
Anchor Brewing and newcomers Samuel Adams and Sierra
Nevada, along with many others which have not
survived, brought the concept of craft beer to a
wider audience and provided the foundation upon
which today's market is based.
The American craft brewing industry was profiled in
the feature length documentary American Beer which
was released in 2004. Breweries featured in the film
include Dogfish Head, Victory Brewing Company,
McNeill's Brewery, Climax Brewing, Sierra Nevada
Brewing, Anchor Brewing, New Glarus Brewing, New
Belgium Brewing, Bell's Brewery and others.