Does American craft brewing have a quality problem?

Not seeing this yet, locally here in Salem. The brewers that have opened in the last couple of years seem to be doing the basics first OK

If the goal is to have nothing but flawless, world-class beer produced in the U.S., I guess it’s a problem.

But there seems to be an implication that overall beer quality is better somewhere else. There’s plenty of crappy craft/artisan/small-scale beer production anywhere there is also good beer. In terms of which small-scale beer producers of any nation end up making a national or international name for themselves, typically they’re the ones who are top notch, either from the beginning or from working out the kinks.

Surely some of the critics posting in this thread will find countless examples of widely liked beers being riddled with horrific, gut-wrenching, godforsaken flaws. On the other hand, I unapologetically tend to like more beer than I dislike, even if it’s not the absolute top of the line. There are certainly plenty of breweries I avoid because other options are better, but for me, the wealth of options make the bad breweries a meaningless afterthought, not a "problem."

Do all the wineries producing mediocre or subpar wines mean that wine has a quality problem, or in any way detract from better products?

Originally posted by fredandboboflo
Do all the wineries producing mediocre or subpar wines mean that wine has a quality problem, or in any way detract from better products?

We’re seeing more or less the same thing in Sweden. The number of breweries have doubled in the last 2-3 years and many of the new ones have quality issues. On the other hand, most of those that are brewing great beers now also had problems when they started up. A few new breweries don’t seem to acknowledge their problems ("There’s nothing wrong with this beer, it’s supposed to taste like this. You’re probably just too used to Amarillo US-05 beers."), but I think most of them will improve over time.

Hey in a couple of months we wont have craft breweries in Florida anymore.

Originally posted by konstifik
We’re seeing more or less the same thing in Sweden. The number of breweries have doubled in the last 2-3 years and many of the new ones have quality issues. On the other hand, most of those that are brewing great beers now also had problems when they started up. A few new breweries don’t seem to acknowledge their problems ("There’s nothing wrong with this beer, it’s supposed to taste like this. You’re probably just too used to Amarillo US-05 beers."), but I think most of them will improve over time.

Bad beer will not sell forever. Even homers will abandon a brewery that makes inferior beer when a brewery that makes better beer opens nearby.

I think the difference in metality between craft beer drinkers and BMC drinkers is brand lyoalty. I mean in craft the idea seems to be collect all the beer. So any kind of loyalty is going to fall with the locals/regionals I would think. That’s what is freshest, that should be what is cheapest and it should have a nice representation of styles that you can choose from.

You have to admit though that every brewery seems to following fads and trends like all the session IPA’s you are seeing recently and all teh hop prejects and also lately all the single hopeed beers. I persoanlly would like to see my local/regional brewers ( who happen to be excellent) keep up with beer as thier craft rather than with craft beer. So if that menas they only do a few styles and they do them well that’s good enough. They don’t have put out cases of IPA’s or do a one off every couple of months just so that you can tick it off. t I mean even if someone wants cheddar and bacon flavored beer that doesn’t mean you should make it.

A couple of comments. First, a ton of the local breweries here in chicago, I have no idea who the people are running them. I’ve never seen their names in homebrew comps and don’t have clue where they learned to brew. This may seem myopic, but if you want genuine feedback, enter a handful of competitions. Win some awards and I may trust you. There’s something to be said for testing your ability to brew a classic style before adding a bunch if shot to it. Second, this community is a big part of the problem. It’s not due to the masses buying their shitty beer, it’s people like us that need to try new stuff. Also, to suggest that everybody else doesn’t know what good beer is and that we have better palates is bullshit. I’ve tasted with plenty of people that have a hard on for a vinegar bomb because it’s extra sour, or people that like their beer to taste like an ashtray( that’s fucking roasty, man!) or that think an imperial stout that finishes at 1.050 is okay...

I agree that brewers credentials could stand to be a little more transparent. It just shows you know what you're doing and adds credibility to your product. As far as us nerds thinking we have a superior palette...it's not so much a superiority thing so much as an experience issue. Regardless of personal taste, the seasoned beer drinker can distinguish flavors and understand styles in a way that only experience and further education can provide. That's why good critics are so well respected. They are in tune with their palette in intense ways and can articulate their experience. The line between good and great between beers can be thin and I personally believe in critiquing and having high standards across any industry. It breeds innovation and rewards quality.

---Posted via Beer Buddy for iPhone