Frequently Asked Questions
What makes American craft beer different?
American craft beer is known for bold flavour, modern hop varieties and a willingness to experiment. Independent breweries helped redefine modern brewing through hop-forward beers, barrel ageing and fresh interpretations of classic European styles.
What styles is American craft beer known for?
American craft brewing covers everything from crisp lagers and pale ales to hazy IPAs, West Coast IPAs, imperial stouts, farmhouse ales and mixed fermentation beers. While IPA may be the style most closely associated with the movement, there's an enormous variety to explore.
Why is American IPA so influential?
American brewers transformed IPA by embracing expressive hop varieties such as Cascade, Citra and Mosaic, creating beers packed with citrus, pine and tropical fruit character. Those hop-forward styles went on to influence breweries across the UK, Europe and the wider craft beer world.
Is American craft beer only about hops?
Not at all. While IPA helped define the movement, American breweries also produce outstanding lagers, porters, saisons, sour beers, mixed fermentation ales and barrel-aged stouts. Today's best breweries place just as much emphasis on balance, drinkability and fermentation as they do on hop intensity.
Why is American craft beer important to modern brewing?
The American craft beer movement reshaped beer culture by encouraging independent brewing, experimentation and flavour-led beer. Many techniques and styles that are now common around the world, including modern IPA and barrel-aged stout, owe much to pioneering American breweries.