After decades of making beers that defined the word ‘dull’, America’s brewers have thrown off the shackles, and are making some of the most exciting brews in the world. Nigel Huddleston reports

Strange as it may seem, for those who think that US beer equals Bud and Bud wannabes, the US is currently the hippest beer-producing nation at the niche end of the British beer market.

The mass-produced, relatively bland lagers of the major brewers have been routinely (and rightly) derided by beer nerds for years, but it’s a new generation of brewers producing flavoursome and fascinating beers that have brought about the change in perceptions of American beer.

Graeme Craig, sales and marketing director of Shepherd Neame, which handles Samuel Adams Boston Lager in the UK, says: ‘There are a lot of bars that have three or four lagers which are all delivering pretty much the same and these beers give them a way to add variety.’

The beers in question go under the banner of ‘craft brewers’, though the name is something of a misnomer, suggesting wizened old-timers carefully adding hops one at a time to brews that they’ll eventually bottle by hand and sell at the farm gate.

The US Brewers Association defines craft brewers as ‘small, independent and traditional’ – although small in the American context turns out to mean an annual production of less than 2 million barrels.

But it’s the description of ‘traditional’ that’s arguably of more interest. To qualify, a brewer either has to have an all-malt beer as its biggest seller or ‘at least 50% of its volume in either all-malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavour’.

Adjuncts are alternative cereal sources to malted barley used by brewers around the world, sometimes purely because of the availability of barley.

MALTY TOWERS

In the US, the major brewers use adjuncts – usually rice – in addition to malt to keep costs down and to flatten out flavours to give them universal appeal.

But it’s the commitment to using malt which gives craft beer producers an edge in producing beers with character, complexity and flavour. And that potentially translates well to the UK market where beer drinkers are generally used to the more challenging flavours found in many cask ales.

Craft beers are also finding increasing favour on the domestic market, where the Brewers Association reports increased production volumes of almost 12% for 2006, with market share of just under 5%.

In the UK, awareness and passion for these beers is still tiny but increasing noticeably, with brands like Anchor, Goose Island and Sierra Nevada winning critical plaudits along with listings in beer-friendly bars and restaurants.

EXPORT FOCUSED

Nigel Stevenson, sales manager at specialist beer importer James Clay, says it’s looking to expand its portfolio of US beers on the back of that interest.

‘We’ve got eight or nine beers already and Brooklyn lager and Anchor Steam are the most popular ones. If you asked me three or four years ago, they’d have only been in real specialist outlets, but not any more.’

Clay will soon be adding Left Hand Brewery and Flying Dog from Denver to its range, plus Great Divide from Colorado.

‘The problem is finding brewers that have got the quality but are also interested in exporting and prepared to alter their labels,’ says Stevenson. ‘There are some really good brewers who just don’t want to export.’

Richard Dinwoodie, co-owner of the Rake in Borough Market, recently named the second best bar in Britain in the Observer Food Awards, feels the market for contemporary beer is definitely ready to move into its next phase.

‘Customers are very clued up on what’s available,’ he says, ‘and we’re looking forward to getting more beers in. There’s a reliance on the pale ale style at the moment, but where we have had things like Sierra Nevada Porter or Brooklyn Stout they’ve sold well.’

IT AIN'T BUD

This variety is one of the prime assets of the smaller US brewing movement. After decades of uniformity, brewmasters have become like kids let loose in a sweet shop, prepared to try anything and everything.

The level of experimentation with ingredients and techniques has produced some of the world’s most stunning beers, even if it has meant the occasional overdose of some of America’s typical varieties.

‘Generally, we’re very happy with the quality,’ says Dinwoodie. ‘Sometimes you say American beer and people think of Bud, but comparing these beers with Bud is like comparing great cask ale with John Smith’s Extra Smooth.’

WHAT ARE CRAFT BREWERS

SMALL...

well, less than 2m barrels.

TRADITIONAL...

high percentage of malted barley.

CHARACTERFUL...

wide range of styles, from pale ale to porter and stout.

SUCCESSFUL...

grew at 12% last year.

Editorial feature from Imbibe Magazine May/June 2007