• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

U.K. association looks to define British craft beer

August 31, 2015Keith Gribbins

English London beer thames big ben
Do not be deceived: That beer is not the size of Big Ben.

Our scientific age demands that we provide definitions, and well, so do our trade associations. The Brewers Association gives a very specific definition for a craft brewery and many hold to it — not these folks of course. If you want to be in a club, you have to be a member, you gotta pay your dues (literally) and you must meet the criteria. Now, a British trade association called the United Craft Brewers (UCB) is looking to do the same thing for the U.K. brewing scene. There’s a good article on London’s HITC website in its Lifestyle section.

This attempt by the new United Craft Brewers (UCB) to codify craft is essential in their mission to, “promote and protect the interests of British craft brewers, their beers and beer enthusiasts.” UCB has been established by the scene’s big guns — Brewdog, Beavertown, Magic Rock and Camden Town Brewery are among its founders — but, nonetheless, and despite the upbeat “Hey guys!” tone of their first public statement, I cannot help but think they have set themselves a thankless task, and a pointless one.

What is the point? Well, marketing of course. The “craft” title gives the consumer the impression that their buying the people as the much as the product — small, local-focused and privately-owned vs. big, multinational and investor-run. Is that the truth? Is anything 100 percent the truth?

Even those things which UCB should logically demand of its members (a ban on third-party contract brewing; no-membership for “small breweries” that are owned/funded by multinationals), would pose immediate issues for its founders. Brewdog is about to (albeit as a one-off stunt), effectively contract brew a beer in the UK on behalf of the US brewery Stone while fellow UCB founders James Clay distribute Founders’ beers, a company 30% owned by Mahou San Miguel.

We’ve preached some of the same things on CBB: The problem with definitions is that they tend to constrain. We’ve also come up with our own definitions. In the end, definitions are what people want and it’s definitely what trade associations do. And here’s a final thought: Perhaps that definition could provide the competitive advantage a smaller company needs, regardless if it’s 100 percent accurate.

seal_cling Brewers Association seal cbb crop
Brewers Association is eyeing an amendment to its definition of craft beer (again)
Wow. Non-alcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing was the 27th biggest craft brewery in America in 2021
human-resources-advice
Brewers Association focuses on craft brewery human resources programs with new hire
Could this government report on competition help modernize America’s antiquated alcohol regulatory system?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. mrbrewreview says

    September 3, 2015 at 9:19 pm

    A U.K. association looks to define British craft beer http://t.co/jaJCXMsoC2 via @craftbrewingbiz

    Log in to Reply
  2. brewerysoftware says

    September 2, 2015 at 11:12 am

    The U.K is taking on the tough task of trying to define #CraftBeer http://t.co/CFcS8xIrEc

    Log in to Reply
  3. Krones AG says

    September 1, 2015 at 5:51 am

    Krones AG liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply
  4. Jim Danger Fisher says

    August 31, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Jim Danger Fisher liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply
  5. Beall Brewery Insurance says

    August 31, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Beall Brewery Insurance liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply
  6. Robert Maragliano Sr. says

    August 31, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Robert Maragliano Sr. liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply
  7. liverbashers says

    August 31, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    RT @LVRGLLC: #CraftBeer #CraftBrewing #Beer #BeerBiz U.K. association looks to define British craft beer http://t.co/umopMJv2C5

    Log in to Reply
  8. Sean Barnett says

    August 31, 2015 at 2:22 pm

    Sean Barnett liked this on Facebook.

    Log in to Reply
  9. LVRGLLC says

    August 31, 2015 at 2:17 pm

    #CraftBeer #CraftBrewing #Beer #BeerBiz U.K. association looks to define British craft beer http://t.co/umopMJv2C5

    Log in to Reply
  10. sean01russ says

    August 31, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    RT @CraftBrewingBiz: A U.K. association looks to define English craft beer: http://t.co/Rw4f2AOeyk #CraftVs.Crafty anyone?

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • We’re on vacation this week, so enjoy 25 of the best posts of 2022 (so far)
  • Beers to know this Fourth of July, including creamsicles, Cold IPAs and rescue dogs
  • Photos: After a three year hiatus, Savor returns to DC, rocks out cool new concert venue
  • Hey Vermont non-profits, Lawson’s Finest Liquids is accepting applicants for its 2023 Sunshine Fund

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • We’re on vacation this week, so enjoy 25 of the best posts of 2022 (so far)
    July 6, 2022
  • Fam vaca fam in background_2-001Beers to know this Fourth of July, including creamsicles, Cold IPAs and rescue dogs
    July 4, 2022
  • Photos: After a three year hiatus, Savor returns to DC, rocks out cool new concert venue
    July 1, 2022
  • People moves: Ohio Craft Brewers Association tap new board members + news from Migration, Bell’s, New Belgium and MobCraft
    June 30, 2022
  • A behind the scenes look at branding a startup brewery
    June 28, 2022
  • robot beer salesThe future of retail beer sales is here
    June 27, 2022

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2022 · CBB Media LLC

Posting....