{"id":109388,"date":"2020-04-07T07:41:43","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T13:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.craftbeer.com\/?p=109388"},"modified":"2020-04-13T11:37:51","modified_gmt":"2020-04-13T17:37:51","slug":"how-we-talk-about-craft-beer-basics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.craftbeer.com\/craft-beer-muses\/how-we-talk-about-craft-beer-basics","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Time to Rethink How We Talk About Craft Beer Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you heard the story about how IPA was invented in the 1800s because brewers were trying to figure out how to make a beer that could be shipped to India without going bad? They figured out that increasing the amount of alcohol and hops would help preserve the beer and a new style was born.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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This story is not true. By the time I started working in the beer industry this myth had been widely debunked yet still spread. Those of us who know try their best to set the record straight.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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In the same way it\u2019s important to re-explore history, it\u2019s valuable to re-examine how we talk about beer basics. Beer basics include ingredients and process, styles and flavors and pairing beer with food\u2013what people need to know to start their journey as a beer geek.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(More: Nationwide List of To-Go Beer Options by Breweries<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

As craft beer has made great strides, the topics and techniques we follow to educate should too. As a craft beer and sensory consultant, international judge and Master Cicerone\u00a9, my mission is to help drive the craft beer movement forward. And I keep coming back to this thought: It\u2019s 2020, and I think it\u2019s time to re-think beer basics.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Examining how we talk about beer basics isn\u2019t just about eliminating inaccuracies but making sure we\u2019re mindful about how we talk about beer basics to make sure we\u2019re not overwhelming people who are new to it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Homebrewing and Wine\u2019s Influence on Early Craft Beer\n<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

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The exact origins of the beer basics we share now are unknown. This being said, we can see clear influences from both homebrewing, and wine appreciation.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Although beer has been around for thousands of years, the way we currently talk about it has its origins in the late 70s homebrewing movement. Inspired by foreign beers and the writings of Michael Jackson, fine folk across America started making a range of beer styles at home. These are the roots of craft beer.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Those days, if you were into craft beer, you were either a homebrewer or a friend of a homebrewer. It\u2019s therefore understandable that much of our jargon in beer is highly technical. Think IBUs.<\/span> This is a technical specification and, yet, it\u2019s a measurement that\u2019s often requested by beer drinkers. By contrast, wine or spirit drinkers are not seeking out and sharing technical specs on their respective beverages, apart from ABV, which is required by law.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(More: Helping Our Craft Brewing Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the wine influence on beer basics can be found in how we divide beers and pair them with food (both of which are explored below) as well as the basic tasting and <\/span>palate cleansing technique we use for beer. Wine has also informed how we choose the best glass to highlight the attributes of different beer styles, for example, the long narrow shape of a pilsner glass mirrors the champagne flute, which was designed in the 1750s to preserve carbonation and concentrate its delicate aromas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n