Monday, June 11, 2018

An Experience at Crate Brewery: Craft Beer in the UK versus in the US



Bar View at Crate Brewery 


















As our group entered the Crate Brewery for the first time I couldn't help but notice how similar the vibes in this brewery felt to those of Alpine Brewery in San Diego, but also how much different the atmosphere really was. The space was open with a few tables, stools at the bar, and a quaint patio area with a few tables that had a view of the small river. 

One big difference in Crate Brewery from Alpine Brewery was the absence of screens and visual entertainment. Crate Brewery had no gimmicks present anywhere in their Brewery, they went as far as not serving mixed drinks inside the Brewery to promote drinking their own brand of beer. As our tour guide said they are a DIY type of Brewery, and used recycled materials to construct light fixtures, tables, shelves, and much more. These DIY accents made the Brewery feel distinctly hipster, which can be compared to the same vibe that many Breweries in San Diego seek to achieve. 

Once our tour began we started with an regular ale from Crate Brewery, it was a light crisp beer with subtle citrus accents. The ale was brewed freshly, because that is how that type of beer was meant to be enjoyed. We enjoyed this beer in a small room with four brewing vats that were still active, but was not the main brewing area. The first question our guide asked us was what we knew about the difference between craft beer in the UK versus the US, to which no one had an answer. He explained that in the US craft breweries are only allowed to make a certain amount of beer, but these restrictions don't apply in the UK so the business is a little different. He explained that he likes to think about craft beer in the UK as "beer you give a shit about." He then explained his answer by explaining how some major beer companies in the UK claim their beers are "craft" when they really aren't and it's the consumers job to now the difference between real craft beer in the UK.  Shortly after a brief history lesson in beer, which types of beer comes from which part around the world, and a solid IPA we moved outside. 

Once outside our guide explained some basics about the area in which we were and some of the land marks, then got on with the next beer. The Craft Brewery Stout was the next beer we tried, it had accents of coffee and despite its dark color was rather smooth. We chatted a little about the surrounding landmarks, and we were on our way to the next area and beer.

Next we got to take a look at the inside of the actual brewing facilities which was open, and smelled deeply of beer. This was much different from breweries in San Diego given I have never seen an actual facility on site. After this tour we enjoyed the sour brew outside the facility, and chatted up a little bit about it and its unique brewing style. 

Overall this experience was way more in depth and informational than expected, and our tour guide seemed to really care about the beer and brewing process. Our group was also treated to pizza and beer after the tour by our awesome professors.  

No comments:

Post a Comment