Ever heard the term “craft beer”? Chances are you probably have—especially lately. As diners look for more and more variety in the food and beverages they want to try, craft beer is growing in popularity.
So what is it, exactly? Craft beer is beer brewed at a microbrewery—a small, independent beer brewery that can only produce up to 6 million beer barrels a year. Now, that may sound like a lot, but when you consider how much beer companies like Annheiser-Busch produce annually, it’s really not that much. Craft beers, as a rule, receive smaller distribution than commercial ones, making them a little harder to find—but very worth it when you do!
Some breweries also allow customers and visitors to buy beer on their properties—these are known as “brewpubs.” Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, FL, is a great example of a brewpub—it brews 11 beers throughout the year and distributes them to local bars and stores throughout the region—such as Mr. Beery’s in Sarasota, which prides itself on serving up the best craft beers in the area. You won’t find Budweiser or Michelob on tap there, but you will find beers like Cigar City’s own Jai Alai or Southern Tier’s Choklat.
Sarasota’s Mad Crow Brewery & Grille also brews its own beer in a beautiful space in the city’s Rosemary District, and then serves it up to customers at the adjoining restaurant, which features sophisticated takes on traditional pub fare. Owner Darren Fehring brews new beers every week and claims that every beer appears once and that’s it.
Speaking of food, beer is all well and good by itself, but it’s even better when paired with a great bite. How to decide what food goes best with your beer? Here are some tips from craftbeer.com (a.k.a. craft beer mecca):
- Find similar flavors in your beer and your food. An English-style brown ale and homemade cheddar cheese would be lovely together; same with an imperial stout and chocolate truffles if you’re craving something sweet. Or—yum—how about an Oktoberfest lager and roasted pork?
- Look to classic cuisines for inspiration. Beer-drinking countries—like Germany—have beer/food pairings down to a science. You’re bound to find inspiration there.
- Make sure to consider the season—in other words, foods that you serve in spring are going to be different than foods you serve in the middle of winter. Strive for balance. (You can see even more great beer-pairing tips, including a chart, at http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/beer-and-food/pairing-tips/pairing-chart.)
But the biggest tip I can give you when it comes to craft beer? Experiment! Find what you like best—nd when you do, crack open a bottle with good friends and just enjoy!