It might be one of the great understatements of our times, but craft beer is pretty popular in the United States and has been for about the last 15-20 years. As more and more people have chosen to step away from the more mass-produced, well-known brands that have been around for a few generations, more independent-minded folks have decided that beer needs to get back to its roots. We’re talking small batches, the highest quality of ingredients, and a willingness to keep tweaking a recipe until it is just right.

There is a persistence in the craft beer brewer that can sometimes be viewed as a bit of tenacity, but it’s this fighting ambition and search for the right taste that makes craft beer offerings really highlight the beauty of this age-old beverage.

As with any big cultural movement, there are those that aren’t sure what to think, but in the end, they want to be a part of the shift. The problem is knowing how exactly to do this. Questions run amuck and misconceptions are rampant. Do I need to know how to brew my own beer? Can I visit a local brewer? Do I need a massive beard & flannel shirt to fit in? All in all, knowing where to begin on your quest to get into craft beer is a bit daunting.

But fear not, gentle soul. Here is a basic guide to lead you through the craft beer movement:

Identify What You Like – It seems like too simple a notion, but if you’re a fan of beer & have been for a while, you have a pretty good idea about what you like & what you don’t like. By identifying your likes and dislikes, you are better able to discuss the notes & flavors you may be seeking in newer beers.

Visit A Local Brewery or Taproom – It may be surprising to know that a high number of brewers love to have visitors come check out how the magic happen. Take advantage of it. You’ll not only gain a great appreciation for the process, but you’ll be able to build a relationship with a brewer.

Experiment with Flavors via A Beverage Specialty Store – Beverage superstores that have beer, wine, and spirits are very popular all over the country. Even though it may be intimidating to venture away from your usual convenience store or supermarket, these specialty stores have a wide selection of beers & experts on hand to guide you in the right direction.

Maintain A Beer Log – It may seem a little silly, but in the same way you might maintain a journal or diary, maintaining a beer log is a great way to make notes about your flavor likes & dislikes, as well as different brands you’ve tried.

Craft beer is nothing more than a resurgence of the traditional tried-and-true beer brewing methodology that is as old as time. As out of touch as you think you might be, if you’re willing to be open to new and exciting experiences in your beverage consumption, you’ll no doubt find craft beers incredibly accessible.

Daily we are bombarded with change; sometimes the change is immediate and often it is a work in progress. Not all this change is forced upon us by such things as laws or societal impacts. One specific component of change moves us in the direction of “trends”; less immediate but still change. There are many things that make for change; wine and beer industries also respond to change. The beers that are hot styles today will no doubt change as perception and taste’s change. All change also add to a specific trend or sometimes general trends.

In reality beer trends have been in progress and with us since 3100BC. I guess then we could say craft beer is at least that old. Based upon the fact that prostitution is reported to be the oldest profession, craft beer brewers could be the second oldest profession.

It could be said that the craft beer industry started with home brewers. Some even say that a small brewery in Sonoma, CA, (Albion Brewery), was the start of a recognized micro movement. Depending on appreciation of beers, a case can be made that the industry started in 1980’s and became a significant force in the 90’s. The first brewpub was established in 1982. But, without a commitment to quality and creativity styles the industry probably would not have grown.

Beer trends today are generally defined as styles versus types of beer. For example, look at the strong popularity of the IPA style which is based upon hops. (IPA’s account for approximately 25% of all craft beer sales.) One thing for sure, no matter how small a change is today, any change in an industry could eventually lead to a trend. Before the current craze of craft beers, there was talk of beer falling out of favor with consumers; wine, some prophisied, was the beverage of choice. Now beer is the drink of choice trending with Generation X and Millennials.

The Beer Store (a Canadian beer only retailer) has done an excellent job defining type and styles of beer to help people understand the profiles of beers. Interestingly, within “styles” there can be hundreds of variations in any specific style and those variations are often influenced by regional tastes and ingredients coming from within those regions.

TYPES

Ales-Brewed with top fermenting yeast at cellar temperature, ales are fuller-bodied with nuances of fruit or spice and a pleasantly hoppy finish. Generally robust and complex with a variety of fruit and malt aromas (ales come in many varieties). They could include Bitters, Milds, Abbey Ales, Pale Ales, Nut Browns, etc.

Lagers-Lager originates from the German word lagern which means ‘to store’ – it refers to the method of storing for several months in near-freezing temperatures. Crisp and refreshing with a smooth finish from longer aging and lagers are the world’s most popular beer (this includes pilsners).

Stouts and Porter-Porter is a dark, almost black, fruity-dry, top fermenting style. An ale, porter is brewed with a combination of roasted malt to impart flavor, color and aroma. Stout is also a black, roast brew made by top fermentation.

Stouts, not as sweet to the taste, features a rich, creamy head and is flavored and colored by barley.

Malt-Sweeter in flavor; malts contain hints of caramel, toffee, and nuts. They can be light to full bodied.

STYLES

Amber-A very versatile beer, Amber beers are full bodied having malt aromas with hints of caramel; could be either lager or ale.

Blonde-Blonde ales are very pale in color and tend to be clear, crisp, and dry, with low-to-medium bitterness and aroma from hops and some sweetness from malt.

Brown-Brown ale have evidence of caramel and chocolate flavors and may have a slight citrus accent or be strong, malty or nutty; depending on the area of brewing.

Cream- A very mild, sweetish, golden style of ale.

Dark-Dark ale is a British type beer, combining hops, yeast and a blend of malts. It’s a medium chestnut brown color, with a delicate fruity smell and robust, malty character. This is a great example of regional taste preferences.

Fruit-Most fruit beers are ales. However, they typically do not carry an ale character. To allow for the fruit flavor to come through, the flavor of malt is not dominant and there is a low bitterness level to the beer.

Golden-First developed in the UK, Golden ales are straw colored with a slight hint of citrus and vanilla. The beer can sometimes contain spicier flavors.

Honey-A full-bodied beer with a creamy texture and copper color. Honey beers are slightly sweet with hints of caramel. Not malty in taste.

India Pale Ale-A hoppier version of pale ale. Originally brewed in England with extra hops to survive the journey to British troops stationed in India.

Light-Light in color and mild in flavor. Light beer has fewer calories and/or lower alcohol content.

Lime-Light in flavor with a refreshing lime taste. The intensity of the lime can differ from very subtle to strong.

Pale-Pale ale is a fruity and copper-colored. It originated from England. Pale ales are robust beers that can be enjoyed with strongly spiced foods.

Pilsner-Made with neutral and hard water. Tend to be golden in color with a dry, crisp, and somewhat bitter flavor. Pilsner stands out from other lagers due to its more distinctive hop taste.

Red-Red ales can either be red or light brown in color. They are moderate to heavy in flavor and contain hints of caramel that is offset by the predominant hop characteristic of the beer.

Strong-This is a broad grouping that can describe any beer over 7% ABV. Strong beers are typically dark in color, some are almost black. Different styles can include old ales, double IPAs, and barley wines.

Wheat-Light and easy to drink with very little aftertaste. Wheat provides a soft character to beer and is sometimes hazy or cloudy with a touch of spice notes.

Is the craft beer industry worth all the attention? The answer depends on the definition of “craft”; there are between 4,269 to 5,000 such establishments today and growing. By comparison there are approximately 10,000 wineries in the U.S. Home brewers are estimated to be as many as 1.2 million. Data from the Brewers Association indicates that new craft breweries are coming on-line faster than closings. Not surprisingly, California is the largest craft beer market with more than 25% of craft beer sales, followed by Pennsylvania.

Based upon the beer marketplace, the traditional styles are trending favorably again by consumer: Pilsner, Lager, Helle’s and Ales. Still, the target market for craft beers is the 25 to 34 years-old consumers. But, here loyalty can be elusive. Loyalty from this demographic is not necessarily brand based, rather taste, the feel of community and experimentation. Community refers to brewers with a local brand identity (drawing heavily on locally produced ingredients). Experimentation is a common thread amongst this class of beer drinkers; it seems that this market regularly seeks out new beer experiences. The Millennials are the ones in the sweet spot of the craft beers.

Realizing craft brews are generally more expensive than traditional legacy beers, consumers demand quality above even community. Experimentation will rapidly sort out producers that do not produce quality beers. Most successful craft breweries today are based upon “community”, “quality”, and “style/taste”. As noted by Max Rothman in Brew Bound, in 2007 craft beer sales were $5.7 billion, in 2012 that number was $12 billion and in 2017 it is projected that this category of beer will sell $18 billion-a 50% growth in 5 years. Without community and quality this growth would not be possible.

Styles of beers will always exist to excite the imagination and foster experimentation. For example, in the America Amber style there are approximately 5,824 labels, the Blonde style has 3,804 and the IPA has over 19,079 offerings. The numbers do not reflect cider, fruit, herbal/spice, soda beers.

As an aside, there are many examples of companies missing the signs of emerging trends. The Ford Edsel was one missed trend. Closer to home is the example of what happened to Schlitz Brewing which was arguable the largest brewery in the U.S. at one time. They decided to reformulate their style of beer in the early 70’s and as a brewery they virtually vanished within 5 years. Many groups have tried to resurrect the brand, only to realize that beer trends had passed them by. Trends can be interesting to follow, but if interpreted wrong it can be an expensive and cruel lesson.

As noted, there are many factors within each type and style that drive product development and marketing: demographic, evolving tastes, pricing, perceptions about producers, quality and results of experimentation. For decade’s beer drinkers were satisfied with beers that had similar profiles. Then came craft beers with hundreds of profiles-hops, flavor infusions, holiday oriented, condiments (oranges, limes and lemons) and flavor profiles (sour, fruit, stouts and browns).

A beer style is a description of a beer that defines its ingredients and maybe region of origin. In the craft beer category style is what seems to be driving evolving changes. For the past, several decades, hops have been the driving force in craft beer sales; taste is dominating in craft beers and hops offers huge taste profiles.

Are there signals on the horizon that craft beer is losing favor with consumers? Short answer is: Probably not in the short-term but the dynamics of the market seems to dictate that craft brewers will be changing or adding new products and doing so very rapidly, as trends dictate. For example, trends seem to be shaping up that taste for hop loaded beers may not be growing as fast as in the past.

What are some predictions/guesses for trends in the craft category?

· Change may be in the offing relative to tastes as more local/community brewers continue to grow in numbers.

I have a close acquaintance who lives in Northern California and every visit seems to involve a visit to a local brewer. Those visits are entertaining, relaxing and always a learning experience that helps me understand brewing techniques and my changing tastes.

· In the wine business “Direct to Consumer” (shipping) programs continue to grow. In 2016 the growth was 17% over 2015 and represented $2.33 billion in sales, as reported by Kent Nowlin in February 2017. This growth is driven by people wanting access to wines not available in their local marketplace. Could this market driver also foster a new trend for craft breweries and potential experimenters in other communities/regions?

Some crowler (on demand cans available at breweries) and 22 oz. bottled craft beers sell for more than $12.00 each. At these price points, direct-to-consumer shipping options become reasonable relative to shipping costs as percent of product value.

· Currently 7% of craft beers are bought and consumed at a brewery. With the continued growth of breweries, it does stand to reason more beers will be experimented with and consumed at breweries as that concept reflects “community”.

Canada has brought forth a new approach in a company call “Beer Store” that is jointly owned by 32 brewery owners. These individual owners supply and promote their beers in these stores which number over 100 in a couple of Canadian Provinces.

Maybe there could be some changes in–on premise and off premise beer marketing. Most likely we will see restaurant venues (brew pubs) sponsoring formal pairing events and special beer features.

· Some in the industry are anticipating a trend back to more traditional styles, away from flavored beers. Like the wine business, there are some signs that beer is gravitating to less alcohol and wheat beers. Personally, I hope for more offerings of malty style brews.

· Potpourri trends: • Home brewing will continue to grow as new approaches make home brewing easier, • A move away from IPA’s, • More “community” restaurants will become brewpubs and offer pairings. For this discussion “organic beers” are a separate discussion relative to trends.

If trends were easy to decipher and then act upon, horse races would be sure bets. But consumer trends are difficult to forecast. Trends come from opinions. “People’s opinions depend on various factors such as their immediate perceptions, social factors, and existing knowledge and system of beliefs, and values,” notes Innovate Us. “Public perceptions can change easily.”

The Brewers Association has an interesting take on craft beers: the hallmark of craft beer and craft brewers is–innovation; craft brewers interpret historic styles with unique twists and develop new styles that have no precedent; craft beer is generally made with traditional ingredients like malted barley; (sometimes non-traditional ingredients are often added for distinctiveness); and, the majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft brewer. Long live craft brews.

Craft beer. These two words stand as some of the most profound words in our world today as more and more people decide that they are taking a more in-depth look at what they eat and drink. Craft beer is the artisan approach of making beer, and while it tends to be shrouded in images of horn-rimmed glasses, bushy beards, and tattoos, craft beer, as a movement, is more of an answer to the idea that consumers want something more than just the stock libations on the shelf.

In light of the want for more, here are five fairly cool facts about craft beer that will be give not only more knowledge than you had before, but it may help shine a light on an artisan movement of which you may be missing out:

1. Hops are poisonous to pets – This is important if you happen to be a regular home brewing machine. Aside from just keeping a tidy brew area, you definitely don't want something to happen to your furry buddy.

2. Medieval Europe depended on beer for their health – Whether it was a known fact by those enjoying the suds or not, beer ended up being a safe alternative to just plain water because it had gone through fermentation, thereby helping kill of harmful harmful matter in the water.

3. "Rule of Thumb" – This particular phrase seems to have origins to beer brewers who used their thumb to test temperatures in their brewing to find the ideal time for the addition of yeast.

4. Beer goes well in the garden – Get it? Beer? Garden? Biergarten? For those choosing a more organic approach to pest removal, beer seems to work by attracting slugs and snails.

5. Craft beer is an American tradition – In many respects, the idea of ​​craft beer & small batch beer production goes all the way back to this country founding fathers. Both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were no strangers to brewing beer, even maintaining breweries on their plantations. Recall that Benjamin Franklin is also credited with perhaps the most often-quoted anecdote about beer: "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Move over apple pie, and bring on the brew!

Though the craft beer movement in this country, and even the world over, is one that is much maligned as an offshoot of the hipster movement, it may be time to give craft beer brewers their due and realize that what they bring to the table is old world methods and supreme flavor. They have an appreciation for the work it takes to make a good beer, and they understand that by the very nature of what the beer process is, they are working with something that is alive.

It may be time to venture beyond our preconceived notions of what beer is and see what is could be. Cheers!

Long gone are the days of giant corporations peddling their mass produced and flavorless ales and lagers to all who are unsuspecting and unaware to the fact that small batch brews often times contain more flavors and varying levels of alcohol content. In short, you can find and select many beers that fit your exact specifications for flavor and potency by trying out the plethora of smaller batch brews that are currently available. Getting to know the language of this beverage takes some effort so here are 7 craft beer terms all beer drinkers should know.

1. ABV

ABV is the acronym that stands for alcohol by volume which represents exactly what it states- the amount of alcohol per volume of liquid the brew contains. Small batch crafted beers can contain ABV’s that are both lower and higher than mass produced ones. Often times certain styles such as IPA’s and stouts will contain slightly higher ABV’s in general.

2. Hoppy

Beer is primarily made from a mixture of barley and hops that are boiled, mashed up, and fermented as the main ingredient. Hops provide the spice and bite commonly found in India Pale Ales. Raw hops will have a strong scent and flavor resembling that of a pine cone. Many drinkers enjoy highly hopped brews and there has been a trend to see how “hoppy” you can make a brew without thoroughly ruining it.

3. Wort

As previously mentioned, this drink is created from a mixture of barley and hops. At first boiled and malted barley are mixed with hops and boiled to create a sugar rich liquid that then ferments once yeast is added. Wort is the beginning ingredient for all styles and may be brought up in conversation when discussing how particular flavors are introduced.

4. Specific Gravity

Similar to ABV the specific gravity of a beer will eventually refer to the total amount of alcohol that resides in a glass. However, a major difference is the specific gravity will usually refer to the amount of sugar in the wort prior to fermentation. The higher the gravity of the wort, the more sugars included to ferment and convert to alcoholic content.

5. Session Beer

A session brews is a slightly reduced alcohol version designed to be enjoyed over longer sessions. They generally contain ABV’s of less than 5% and became more and more popular as a trend for lighter brews arose.

6. Growler

A growler is not a wild animal, it is a container made from ceramics, glass, or steel used to transport draft brews that are not created for retail sale.

7. Bottle-Conditioned

Some brews are given an extra infusion of yeast after being bottled for the purpose of a secondary fermentation process that will bring out more complex and desirable flavors in the bottle. These beers are known as bottle conditioned and are sometimes more expensive.

By becoming more familiar with beer terms you can quickly become an expert and impress all your friends at your next brew session social.

The craft beer movement is all the rage and has been for a number of years now. Part of what has made this particular fermented beverage renaissance is the fact that so many people have decided that they want more of a farm-to-market approach to their beer. So much emphasis is placed on knowing the places where are food comes from that it was almost inevitable that something as socially, and culturally, important as beer would follow suit. It’s also become important for many people to revisit the old ways of doing most things, and if there is one beverage that is ripe with historical significance from “the old world”, it is certainly beer.

The kicker, though, is that you actually have to know where to find craft beer in order to try it, and depending on where you live & your comfort level, you may be reticent to expand your horizons, even if it means great tasting brew. Well, rid yourself of that mindset, and get with the craft beer program!

Here are five places you can discover your next great, or perhaps your first, craft beer adventure:

1. Your Neighborhood Super-Market – It’s no surprise that most super-markets have everything you could need in life, but they are also becoming quite important in providing a number of alcohol options. Not only can you find great wine at variable price-points, you can also find great craft beer options from even local brewers.

2. Local Watering Hole – In an effort to bring in a more varied customer, local taverns & pubs have expanded their beer offerings so as to include some tremendous craft beer selections. In many cases, they will even go so far as to match their food offerings up to their beer selections so that you can get the best experience available.

3. Specialty Markets – As with most specialty stores, alcohol-related markets are now open that offer sometimes hundreds of beer selections from around the globe, thereby expanding the variable amounts of tastes from every corner of the planet. Why limit yourself to only a zip code over from your own city when you can get craft beer recipes that date back hundreds of years from Europe?

4. Mail Order – As with just about anything you can think of, you can also have fine suds sent directly to your home. Whether by an a la carte fashion or via a “beer club”, you are able to select from a wide selection of finely crafted brews and have them come to you for a relatively small fee.

5. Local Movie House – You also have local dine-in brewery movie houses that offer the best of all worlds. Not only are you able to choose from some serious, award-winning beers on tap, you can also order some gourmet eats & have it served to you while you watch the latest movies in a luxurious theater! It will forever change your movie-watching experience!

Don’t let the craft beer movement pass you by. Let yourself experience new tastes & be willing to step into unfamiliar territory. You’ll be very glad you did!

If you're a fan of televised sports, you are, no doubt, full aware of the amount of money that is spent by major beer manufacturers for advertising. The crazy thing is that even though their names are very well-known, even by non-beer drinkers, you do often find yourself asking the question, "Are there any breweries near me?" Moreover, are there any that absolutely need to be known about?

It's a legitimate question given the pervasive nature of the big beer guys seemingly being everywhere. This is why so many folks have decided to bring back the small-batch beer breweries. For far too long, there has been a reliance, if you will, on big-brand beer being the only choice. Now, smaller companies with a handful of employees are taking a lead in the beer game one bottle at a time.

As such, we're localizing our area to one of the best places to look to for a haven of beer-brewing, and that is Carmel, Indiana. One of the biggest cities in Indiana, Carmel is a major suburban city in Hamilton County and is quietly pushing a population of nearly one-hundred thousand residents. Along with this growth comes one of the most important microbrew & craft beer scenes in the country (you can even take a ride on The Brewsline, Hamilton County's own brewery tour).

If you are a serious beer drinker & are a fan of beer that is well-made, has a dedication to excellence, and is hotbed for some of the best beer around, you might want to get yourself to the Carmel area to check out these Three breweries:

Union Brewing Company (UBC) – Though their website is sparse, you can tell there is a dedication to their beer unlike many other places. The convivial atmosphere that greets you is sublime, but the truly awe-inspiring part of Union Brewing happens to be their list of beers. UBC lists what they call their "Flagship" beers but boasts about their dedication to experimentation with different styles & ingredients. Some beers of note are: The Diffie (milk stout), Saul Silver (single-malt American pale ale), The Juice (double IPA), and Red Carpet (Irish Pale Ale).

Upland Brewing Company – Carmel Tap House – Considered by many to be one of the best brewers in the country, Upland Brewing has not rested on its laurels, choosing to push the boundaries of their own successful beers & constantly refining their craft. This work ethic has shown in their success, spawning various locations offering a little something different to each location. They choose to take unique twists to traditional recipes, and strive to be good stewards to their community. Beers of note include: Wheat Ale (Belgian witbier), Coastbuster (imperial IPA), Champagne Velvet (pilsener), and Easy Chair (amber).

Danny Boy Beer Works – Appreciative of those breweries that enjoy pushing boundaries, Danny Boy Beer Works made its mark by working to perfect the iconic styles of craft beer & brewing as a whole. Originally, the brewery operated off of five-gallon batches, but popularity to their well-crafted beer led to bigger production. Beers of note include: Training Day (American Pale), Miss Ginger Witte (Urban Wheat), Church (Irish sweet milk Stout), and Money Maker (extra pale ale).

If excellent beer is important to you, right now is a great time to find dedicated brewers making fantastic beer. "Are there any breweries near me?" If you're in the Carmel area, you no longer have to ask this question – there are.

Vaginal yeast infection is a common fungal infection caused by fungi of the Candida specie. It results in excessive itching and burning sensations of the affected area. Wet and moist conditions are favorable for their growth and if not cured in time, the infection becomes severe. Beer is known to make a vaginal yeast infection worse because yeast is used in brewing. Although it does not constitute yeast of the Candida variety, it is enough to allow the Candida albicans that is the yeast infection causing fungi, to grow. Since the yeast infection causing fungi is already present in our body in small quantities, favorable conditions are likely to cause an overgrowth that leads to infection.

Therefore, holistic healers advice against the intake of beer along with other food such as sodas, sugars, vinegar and cheese which are likely to worsen a yeast infection. Moreover, beer is an alcoholic drink and like any other hard drink, it affects the intestinal lining. The permeability of the intestinal lining increases. This allows Candida to pass through it and infect the digestive system. Apart from these, beer can affect the liver and cause severe damage to the body. In such cases the need to take antibiotics may arrive. Antibiotics are known to kill the bad bacteria for helping the body fight the infections. But, in doing so, it actually kill the good and useful bacteria as well. It is this bacterium that fights against fungi like Candida and prevent yeast infections. Therefore, beer can make a vaginal yeast infection worse.

There are a number of food items that stimulate the growth of yeast infection causing fungi. Refined sugar, bread, white flour products, soft drinks and lots of other things contribute towards the overgrowth of yeast. Alcohol is also a major culprit in stimulating yeast growth. So, beer can worsen a vaginal yeast infection. Beer is often consumed by a lot of women and if they are not aware of the manifestations that consumption can have on their infection, their condition deteriorates.

While dietary modifications are required for treating the yeast infection, medicines and home remedies must also be used at the same time. The diet must contain things like yogurt which naturally creates acidophilus which is useful in combating the yeast. Similarly natural antifungal and antibacterial substances like garlic can be implemented into the diet. And since beer and other alcoholic drinks are likely to worsen a vaginal yeast infection, it is necessary to completely stop drinking till the time the infection is cured. Beer, is commonly consumed by people and sometimes they are themselves unaware of the complications associated with it. Therefore, it is necessary to limit consumption of alcoholic drinks, including beer during a vaginal yeast infection.

There have been a number of trends that have come into vogue over the last couple of decades, and perhaps one of the most significant of these has been the emergence of craft beer brewing. Even though there have been some very prominent names in the beer industry for many decades, a select few individuals decided to blaze their own path & make the kind of beer that they'd been looking for but couldn't find.

It is this adventurous spirit that has taken the craft beer movement to new heights, but as with any trend, there is always the anticipation that there will be ebbs and flows, ups and downs, and, well, you get the idea. Still, for some reason, craft beer has been able to not only remain on the radar, it has actually become more popular than ever. Here are a few possible reasons:

An Appreciation of the Brewing Process – Making beer goes back a very, very long time. When you take into consideration how few ingredients it takes to make beer, it is amazing that there can be so much variety between brewers. It's all about experimentation with different ingredients and a willingness to keep trying to find exactly the right combination.

Attempting to Know More About Ingredients – There has been a greater attempt for people to know where their food is coming from, which is kind of refreshing. Part of it has to do with a general want to know what they are consuming as many are choosing to do away with overly processed food products. They are also being more mindful of keeping tabs on their kids' dietary issues & allergies. With craft beers, you know what you're getting, and it's nice to know that you can pronounce every ingredient.

A Willingness to Support "The Little Guy" – Everyone always wants to cheer for "the little guy" trying their hand at taking on the big guys at their own game. Whereas the big players in the beer game have a lot of capital to carry their marketing & advertising, small brewers have to rely on word-of-mouth and one heck of a product.

The "Foodie" Revolution – Most people who call themselves "foodies" tend to focus on the notion that they take food very seriously. They want to know the history of their food, the origin of the ingredients in their meal, and they are intrigued in the mastering of age-old processes of food preparation. One great byproduct of this "foodie" revolution has been the application of these same principles to beer production.

Craft beer and the craft beer process is all about using quality ingredients to create a final product in relatively small batches that favors great flavor over mass production. Even though this beer revolution has seen tremendous heights now, there is no telling the amount of success these small brewers will experience. Moreover, it makes one very curious about what future brewers may also bring to the table.

Call for Fun and Profit

Have you thought about working with something that is both TASTY and LUCRATIVE? Do something that you will delight in delighting and at the same time making money from what you are “delighting”? Producing / making Handcrafted Beer will give you this.

And here in Brazil we still have a lot of market to absorb, I’m talking about producing for your consumption, your family, your friends “$$$” and, mainly, third-party consumption “$$$”, and this is called Artisanal Brewery.

A sector that attracts an audience that is increasingly thirsty for differentiated flavors, then we can say that microbrewery craft were the subject of a study by Sebrae that identifies opportunities and characteristics of this branch of activity.

Brazil is one of the largest beer consumers in the world, behind only the United States and China. Today, they represent only 1% of the total production of the brewing sector in Brazil, according to the latest data from the Brazilian Beverage Association (Abrabe).

Did you know you can do this at home?

Yes, you can do all this in the comfort of your home or even your apartment. And how to do that? Simple, you can produce smaller cams, which will automatically have smaller equipment. And everything fits.

Artisan Beer Revolution in Brazil

In Minas Gerais the craft beer revolution began in Juiz de Fora in 1861 with the arrival of the Germans and resumed in 1998 with the arrival of the German factory of Mercedez Bens. Today in Brazil, we see the so-called artisan beer revolution happen, which consists of a greater education of the general public towards the drink, the many styles and the possible complexity, thus refusing the beers of large breweries with minimalist tendencies (consists of transforming the beer in the closest possible water using the minimum hops and malt, replacing them with cheaper inputs that thus cheapen the product and impair the quality, causing such breweries to encourage the consumer to drink the beers at temperatures well below acceptable for style, thus disguising its clear defects). This movement becomes evident when one notices the quantity of new bottles that we find in the supermarket and that are produced in Brazil. Those who adhere to such a movement refuse to drink beers produced massively by large industrial conglomerates (mainstream beers) preferring to consume artisanally produced beers such as Bodebrown, Waybeer Candanga, Dum, Jupiter, Landel, Mal, Morada, Naif, Rio Carioca, Seasons, Urbana, among others.

From the mid-1990s a movement of micro-breweries began in the country. Initially stronger in the German immigration regions, such as Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, the movement was limited regionally, because the brewed craft beer was served as chopp only in the nearest localities.

The production of chopp for local consumption was also the goal of the micro breweries that began to appear in São Paulo (and inland), Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. It was only in the mid-2000s that they began to venture into the bottled craft beer market, risking new styles and new marketing strategies.

In Rio de Janeiro, in 2016, taking advantage of the bustle of the craft beer market in Brazil, the Rio Carioca brewery is adventurous, being the first artisanal brewery in Brazil to be linked in a commercial on an open television channel.

This market is experiencing a moment of ascension, with the award of Brazilian beers in international competitions and the discovery by the consumer public.

For many of the people that enjoy beer brewing, this hobby has become an obsession. They have elaborate beer brewing equipment set ups and regularly brew either partial mash or all grain recipes. However, they had to start somewhere, and for many, it was a Mr. Beer brewing machine.

Unfortunately, many brewing snobs look down on the Mr. Beer brewing machine. However, you have to start somewhere, and Mr. Beer is a great way to get into this hobby. You can make better beer using beer brewing equipment and more elaborate brewing methods. However, you can also make some good beers with a Mr. Beer, and many brewers continue brewing using it. These beer brewing machines offer convenience and simplicity, and for people that are short on time or space, it allows them to enjoy a hobby that they may not otherwise get to try.

Mr. Beer is also a great introduction to the world of home brewing. It allows someone to get in cheap and see if this is a hobby that they will enjoy and stick with. If not, then you are not out too much money, and you don’t have a lot of home brewing equipment that you won’t use lying around. If you get hooked into beer brewing, then you can take the plunge and buy more elaborate set ups. Either way, you can pass along your Mr. Beer to someone else and see if they enjoy beer brewing.

While Mr. Beer has its limitations, you can actually make some very good brews with it. Here are some suggestions on ways to improve your results using a Mr. Beer brewing machine. The first recommendation is using better ingredients than what first come with the kit. The starter ingredients aren’t the best quality, and aren’t designed to make great beer. Rather, the point is to make something drinkable and teach you the very basics of home brewing.

The website has refill mixes available at reasonable prices, and these are better products than the initial ingredients. However, to make even better beer, skip these refills and look for recipes for Mr. Beer. These are available at the website, as well as at many beer brewing forums. As opposed to using the booster that comes with the ingredient kits, try substituting unhopped extract. Using all extract (and no booster) for a batch of beer will produce better results.

Additionally, one of the knocks on Mr. Beer is that many of the beers made result in a cidery taste. The booster has a lot to do with this result. Ignore the instructions to use table sugar. DO NOT use table sugar! You can make good beer, but not with table sugar. Instead, substitute corn sugar, also known as dextrose. You can find this at the LHBS or online. You could also get more malt extract, or use two cans of extract and skip the sugar altogether. Generally speaking, more malt makes better beer.

It seems much of the blame for negative reviews has more to do with the ingredients used as opposed to the Mr. Beer brewing machine itself. Remember the saying, quality in, quality out! Remember not to judge the Mr. Beer on the ingredients you get with it when you first purchase it. The first ingredient kit that comes with it will have prehopped extract and the booster. Your first beer will hopefully be drinkable, but won’t be a very good beer. Just keep in mind that you are first and foremost learning the process, so the first batch is the test run.

After that, purchase some unhopped extract to replace the booster. This combined with another can of malt (hopped or unhopped) can make some very tasty beers. Another tip is to join their club on the website, this will allow you to order ingredients and avoid the costs of shipping. Other suggestions for improving your beers is to find a dark place to ferment your beer, such as a closet. A great place is to use a cooler, and this can help to maintain the proper temperature as well.

The instructions included should also be taken with a grain of salt. Rather than following them to a t, it is better to follow good beer brewing advice. For instance, when it comes time to carbonate the beer, instead of adding sugar to each bottle, add up the total amount of sugar needed, then boil a cup of water and add all of the sugar to it and completely dissolve. Boil for 15 minutes. Let the sugar solution cool down for awhile, and then add to your Mr. Beer and stir gently, but thoroughly. Fill your sanitized bottles and cap.

No matter what the instructions say, bottle conditioning tales more than a week. For that matter, it will only make your beer better to let it ferment for an additional week or two. It doesn’t take just two weeks to make decent beer. You can drink it in two weeks, but your beer will be so much better with the additional time. The two weeks is a clever marketing ploy. They know you want beer and you want it as soon as possible. If they told you it took 4-6 weeks to make beer, they wouldn’t sell as many kits. Don’t drink your beer before the magic is finished, you will wind up drinking flat, cidery beer. Wait at least 2 weeks, and preferably 4, before cracking that first bottle. The beer only gets better the longer you let it mature in the bottles.

Also be careful not to overtighten the lid of your Mr. Beer brewing machine. The lid has to allow gasses produced to escape. This is especially true for beers with higher alcohol levels. If you overtighten, you could wind up with spilled beer and a ruined keg. Another good tip is to purchase the sugar measure they offer if you will be using the 12oz, 22oz, or 1 liter bottles. The sugar measure is very easy to use and provides the correct, exact measurement.

Finally, the best tip is to do a Google search. There are numerous beer brewing forums out there in cyberland that have entire threads dedicated to the world of Mr. Beer. You can learn some more great tips, as well as recipes, to really enhance your beer brewing experience and the resulting beers using a Mr Beer brewing machine.