DEFENSE PAPER

Defense Paper
Joe Tierney
UWRT 1102
Ms. Caruso

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Abstract
As the curiosity of the world of craft beer becomes more prevalent it is clear that it is starting to
take over the beer industry. There are more and more breweries that specialize in craft beer
opening all over the U.S. There is a definite market for these brews due to the fact that people
want something different. Of course there are the people that will not venture from what they are
familiar with but they just may enjoy the many different varieties available to them.

Defense Paper
Have you ever gone to a bar or restaurant and while looking over the drink menu and
seeing many different choices for beer? It has not always been this way. Several years ago there
were just a few options to choose from. Nowadays when somebody walks into a bar there are
most likely going to be many more options to choose from. These selections come from many
different brewers that specialize in the craft beer industry. From the many tantalizing flavors to
the variety of colors and aromas craft beer has been sparking the curiosity of many people
seeking adventure. Believe it or not but there are actually different glasses designed specifically
for different types of craft beer as well. Craft beer enthusiasts love trying the different types of
craft beer and many of them can track their progress on several different apps available on their
smartphones. There are a few broad categories for craft beer that cover most of what is out there.
I decided to go along with the idea of a menu that somebody may see in a bar or restaurant to
show the many more diverse options for craft beer. There may be a beer that somebody may
enjoy and they do not even know that it is a craft beer. Is craft beer dominating the market?
Absolutely yes they are.
Imagine for a minute walking into a bar and seeing a large crowd. As you survey the area
you notice that all the beers look different in color and the glasses are funny shaped. Upon
further investigation you notice a wall with spouts coming out of the wall with handles on the
top. These spouts are the taps and the handles are tap handles. These taps are connected to
various kegs that are in a cooler using rubber tubing. There are many colors and shapes and sizes
to these tap handles. Your curiosity gets the best of you and you approach the bar and seek out a
menu. While looking at the menu you notice there are many different options with many

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different descriptions. There could be options for draft and bottled beer but you are not sure if
you want to try something different so you order a miller lite to start. Generally, in bars that serve
many craft beers there will be little options for the usual beers like Miller and Budweiser. The
bartender serves you a Miller lite in a bottle. Some people gawk at you so you decide to ask what
is best to try. Some people offer up so decent selections so you decide to try them. Now whether
you enjoy them or not is based on your taste palate.
There are several broad categories that can sum up the taste profiles for craft beer which
are crisp, hoppy, malty, roasted, smoked, fruity and spicy, and tart and funky (Engert, 2013).
Crisp beers tend to be the lighter beers with lower alcohol by volume and the color varies from
straw to amber in color. The flavor is cleaner and they are a more refreshing beer to drink. Hoppy
beers are the more aromatic beers with the addition of hops. The taste profiles are determined by
how much hops are added to the brew and they usually have a very distinct flavor and aroma
which to me tastes how a pine tree smells. This is one of the most popular styles of craft beers
that is sought after by enthusiasts. With the malty profile it can be expected to be a bit on the
sweeter side with some hints of nuts, toffee, and caramel. The coloration of malty brews may fall
between being copper to dark brown and they are light to full bodied. The roasted profile is used
to obtain the coffee or cocoa flavors. These brews will have a good mouthfeel with very dark
appearances. They smoky taste profile derives from brews using malts smoked over wood fired
or aged in whiskey barrels. These beers will be dark amber to dark brown in color and are
medium-light to full bodied. The fruit and spice profile use actual fruit and spices to create the
flavorings and usually the fruit and spices are added at the end of the brewing process. The body
is light to full and colors are light to dark brown. The final category is tart and funky which is
described as sour with earthy tones. These are generally light to medium-full bodied and colored

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straw to dark brown. Most common menus that are found in bars that specialize in craft beer
usually categorize their beers under these descriptions or some sort of variation of. People want
more and are getting weary of the same old same old. These new and exciting flavors offer
people with different taste palates a chance to explore and break the mold of the norm.
With all of these tastes and aromas brewers created special glasses to enjoy their brews
from. This is another niche taken out of the common beer market. Most of the chain restaurants
will still serve beer from a shaker glass but more bars are switching to different glasses for each
different beer. The glasses are designed to capture eighty percent of the aroma which is most of
the taste profile anyhow (Craft beerware, 2015). There are several styles of glasses to
compliment the profile of the beer that is served. Some craft beer specific stores that offer beer
on draft will have these different styles of glasses. Many craft beer enthusiasts will turn their
noses up to somebody that is using the wrong glass.
The growth of craft breweries is astounding considering the competition out there. Since
December of 2012 to December 2015 the number of craft breweries has grown substantially. In
2012 there were approximately 2,751 operating craft breweries (Satran, 2012) across these great
United States and that number grew to a whopping 4,144 operating craft breweries (Brewers
Association, 2015) by the end of 2015. If this is not substantial growth, then I do not know what
is. These numbers are why the big hitters like SAM Miller Coors and Anheuser-Busch are
shaking in their boots. The only thing that the larger brewers are doing to try and stop the craft
breweries is buying them out. Just recently, April of 2016 in fact, Anheuser Busch finalized
contracts in purchasing the craft brewery out of Virginia called Devils Backbone (Freed, 2016).
Anheuser-Busch wants to spread the Mid-Atlantic brew to the entire nation and let the people
enjoy this blissful beverage.

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For many years Americans have grown to know and love the precious liquids emerging
from St. Louis, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Milwaukee, and New York. But now other cities are
entering the radar by having these smaller breweries pop up and offer a change. A change that
can and will eventually turn the way we enjoy beer into a hobby and not just a way to get drunk.
Beer is becoming a discussion topic, it is being written about in reports, it is being entered into
contests for tasting and aromas, it is not just beer anymore, it is a form of art. Many of the local
breweries here in Charlotte, NC offer their products at the brewery themselves for many local
people, and tourists, to enjoy. Craft beer is here and it is slowly climbing the ranks in recognition
and it is here to stay.

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References
Brewers Association. (2015, December 2). Brewers Association. Retrieved from Brewers
Association: https://www.brewersassociation.org/press-releases/the-year-in-beer-u-sbrewery-count-reaches-all-time-high-of-4144/
Craft beerware. (2015). Craft beerware. Retrieved from Craft beerware:
http://www.craftbeerware.com/beer-glass-types
Engert, G. (2013, March 21). The 7 flavor categories of beer: What they are, how to pair them.
Retrieved from The Spledid Table: http://www.splendidtable.org/story/the-7-flavorcategories-of-beer-what-they-are-how-to-pair-them
Freed, B. (2016, April 12). Washingtonian. Retrieved from Washingtonian food:
https://www.washingtonian.com/2016/04/12/anheuser-busch-buys-virginias-devilsbackbone-brewing-company/
Satran, J. (2012, December 13). The Huffington Post. Retrieved from The Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/13/craft-beer-breweries_n_2287906.html