We call this one a twofer
I've been meaning to write an article about this for a while. Though I definitely rely on the BBC for relevant news articles as well as great facts on events currently occurring, their “culture,” section lacks up-to-date information. In fact, it is just behind the times. It is kind of like talking to a middle-age person about what the kids are into these days. The lingo is off, the references are about six months to two years late, and it is sort of awkward to hear. It is like listening to a Bill Crosby sketch with kids who never saw The Crosby Show or, more importantly, Bill Cosby’s comedy skits. The beeping and the bopping is just not relevant anymore, just like when the BBC tries to write an edgy cultural piece. This is exemplified in their newest piece about American craft beer.
To preface this, I’m a beer snob. I come from a state with the most microbreweries per capita in the United States of America. On top of that, the town where I am from, along with the town I went to university in, are both are known for their exceptional craft brews. Colorado is basically the mecca of craft beer in the nation, and in all reality, the nation is arguably the mecca of craft beer around the world.
While, according to the BBC, the U.S. may have previously been known for its bland beer (when?), only a select few would believe names like Miller, Budweiser and Coors are what define our nation when drinking beer. The United States is now the leader in craft beer export, selling a record $49.1 million worth of beer to other countries. This is an outstanding number in the world of beer exports.
In the BBC article, the idea is that only “hipsters,” and “connoisseurs,” drink craft beer, when really, in the U.S., good beer is ubiquitous. Good, craft beer is found all over the U.S. Even with a large chunk of the breweries being found closer to the west coast of the states, some of the award winning, world-renowned locations are on the East Coast. The craft beer scene in the U.S. spans from coast to coast, offering different takes on standard beers, as well as exciting and progressive small batch creations.
The idea behind the influx of American craft beers is actually not a new idea. In fact, the idea is that the U.S. is reverting to times before the prohibition in the 1920s. When prohibition hit, over 1,500 breweries in the U.S. were closed. During that time, immigrants from Scandanavia, Germany, Ireland and other places around the world were bringing in a diverse range of brews. With these breweries closing, the U.S. was thought to have lost much of their beer diversity, which didn't recuperate after prohibition was repealed. Maybe it took generations, but the nature of diversity in beer has definitely returned to the United States.
So as an article trying to knock out two birds with one stone goes, there are two conclusions. First, the BBC is far from having its finger on the pulse of new and emerging cultural ideas. While the publication offers relatively unbiased news, as well as great background to almost all of the larger news stories hitting globally, it is not the place to look for up-to-date cultural ideas. The BBC has definitely missed the boat on being on the cuff of aspiring news on ideas outside of current world events.
Secondly, while the “real ales,” of the UK, and all the quality brews from Germany will continue to push boundaries, the fact is, the U.S. has completely cornered, as well as created, the market for craft beer worldwide. With over 2,000 craft breweries existing in the U.S., and an increase in sales by around 72 percent in 2012 of United States craft brews around the world, the fact is, U.S. beers are defining the market.
Though they create the framework of beers from all around the world, their variations and takes on these beers are defining the markets globally. Regardless of what the BBC may say, U.S. craft beer is not a commodity for hipsters and connoisseurs; it is a product for the masses. The U.S., though previously seen as a country that doesn't know how to make a good beer, is now defining beer culture all around the world. Make sure to visit your local craft brewery. Their ideas may be shaping the face of beer around the globe.
