There is no stopping the craft juggernaut

For me, great tasting beer is nothing new. But first let's clear something up. There is no difference between beer and lager. That’s because lager is a type of beer. So is ale for that matter. Beer is the name given to a group of alcoholic drinks that include lager and ale. As for the word craft, well you've guessed it. Typically these are small batch made from micro to medium breweries and often experimental in hop types, plus with a dash of other wonderful stuff... marshmellow or chocolate orange IPAs immediately spring to mind.

For the purists however there is a technical difference between the beer categories, which is how they are brewed. Lager is a German word that translates as "storage" which gives a hint as to its method of brewing. Lagers are beers that are fermented slowly at low temperatures. They also ferment from the bottom up. Ales ferment quickly from the top down and are brewed in a warm environment.

But getting back to the craft theme. I always loved the advertising tonality from Wychwood Brewery and their Hobgoblin range "frightened you might taste something lager boy" was a brilliant line once upon a time, to describe what was a pretty dull offering. How times have changed.

But craft doesn't just relate to ales, there are some stonking craft lagers out there. A firm and unbiased favourite from the Champers team is Moosehead Lager from Canada. This golden, refreshing lager offers a fine balance between malt sweetness and hop bitterness. Brewed with 100% Canadian two-row pale malt and Moosehead’s own lager yeast, Moosehead Lager is cool-fermented and cold-aged to impart its award-winning flavour. And it just happens to be distributed exclusively in the UK by our good friends at Lighthouse Brands; www.lighthousebrands.co.uk

Let's also dive into some pretty impressive stats. Research from the Brewers Association in Europe identified that, in 2019, there were 11,048 brewers across all of Europe and that, together, they produced a total of 401,948,000 hectolitres (HL) of craft beer. Among this, over 88,203,000 HL of the beer was exported to other markets showing the demand is high in all countries.

What is an interesting trend however is the relationship between craft and low ABV. Take the brand SMALL BEER as an example. Typically 1% to 2.3% ABV or Big Drop Brewing Company, with a cracking stout at 0.5% ABV. Consumer preference for low-ABV and non-ABV craft beers remain a core of the craft beer trends. This trend has been on the rise for a long-time. However, it is an open-secret in the beer industry that high-alcoholic drinks continue to lower in sales, with demand for freshly-brewed, diverse-flavoured, and mildly or non-alcholic drinks gaining demand.

And if you are looking for a great selection of beer...Champers have you covered. Bottoms Up.