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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.

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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

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  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

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  3. Krones AG says

    September 1, 2015 at 5:51 am

    Krones AG liked this on Facebook.

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  4. Jim Danger Fisher says

    August 31, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Jim Danger Fisher liked this on Facebook.

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  5. Beall Brewery Insurance says

    August 31, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Beall Brewery Insurance liked this on Facebook.

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  6. Robert Maragliano Sr. says

    August 31, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Robert Maragliano Sr. liked this on Facebook.

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  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

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  8. Sean Barnett says

    August 31, 2015 at 2:22 pm

    Sean Barnett liked this on Facebook.

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  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

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  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?

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