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Food Recipes

By Lindsey Shafer
Jun 29, 2008, 22:36

Every beer is as unique as we are.  Craft, micro and macro are all hot beer buzzwords that are thrown around when trying to categorize different beers.  What exactly makes a beer a craft or a micro or macro?  Unfortunately (or fortunately), those definitions are as unique as the person describing them.
 
Generally speaking, craft refers to a beer that was created in a brewery who brews in limited amounts with a primary focus on using traditional brewing methods (i.e. does not use any adjunct grains like rice or corn).  Two great examples are Goose Island in Chicago and the RedHook Brewery out of Washington.  Micro follows the exact definition of craft while adding a specific production number that must not be exceeded (15,000 barrels per year).  These would be your individual brew pubs that are found throughout the country.  Macro refers to the large brewers (i.e. Anheuser-Busch) who have strong distribution throughout the country and the world. 
Many beer drinkers get caught up on which of these three categories hold the "better" beer.  However, it is not a matter of who does what better, but that what they do is done well. 

Here is a great example of a craft brew that is "done well" and brewed by a "macro" brewery.  First brewed in 2005 and part of Anheuser-Busch's award winning seasonal line, Beach Bum Blonde Ale is an attractively dark blonde all-malt brew with a delicate citrus/spicy nose featuring a balanced hop/malt flavor.  This brew is easy to drink and offers a little bit more body than a lager while still maintaining that refreshing crispness we all love during these humid summer months.  In addition to being a tasty brew, Beach Bum Blonde is very versatile when it comes to food pairings.  Think of pairing this All-American brew with All-American celebrations and All-American fare; burgers, tangy bbq, grilled chicken, steak, ribs, chili - the list could go on and I encourage you to try a variety of foods with this beer - you won't be disappointed. 

 It is said that beer has 5 main ingredients: water, barley malt, hops, yeast and the passion of the brew master. 
Craft, micro and macro breweries all use the same ingredients with each brew master as passionate as the next.  What makes us unique as individuals does not make us better than the next person, just different - I encourage you to take this approach with beer and not limit yourself to one "category".   At the end of the day what matters the most in the world of beer is the brew that we enjoy as individuals and that we deem great enough to share with others - regardless of the brewery's name or style.  Expand your ex-beer-ience responsibly.