In the past few years, craft beer has found its way into the
hands and hearts of many Americans who formerly relied on locally produced or
imported beers to quench their thirst for that special beverage. In fact, until recently, most beer drinkers
were still satisfied with mass produced beer, unaware of the many craft beer
now available.
What is
considered a craft beer you may ask?
Craft beer is a beer brewed by a craft brewery. Sounds simple enough. More specifically, the Brewers Association
defines an American Craft Brewer as small, independent, and traditional. Basically, this means the brewery produces less than 6
million barrels of beer annually, has less than 25 percent of the brewery owned
or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not a craft
brewer, and the brewer has either an all malt flagship (the beer which
represents the greatest volume among that brewers brands) or has at least 50%
of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to
enhance rather than lighten flavor.
More than
you wanted to know? Then let’s consider
this, what makes craft beer such a delicious option in the beer market? The
very first and foremost reason is all craft beer is created from the very best
ingredients—from the right kind of filtered water to the very best selection of
hops—each ingredient’s quality makes a huge difference in the final product’s
taste. Because the brewers are not
concerned with mass production, they are able to focus on each and every batch
of beer making sure that you get the very best beverage every time you open a
bottle or enjoy a cold glass from the tap.
Your health
is another great reason to drink craft beer.
Everyone knows that a glass of wine a day is healthy for you, but
studies show that craft beer may have even more health benefits than wine. However, not all beers are created equal and
some beers have more good things like antioxidants than others. According to the Beer of the Month Club,
craft beer has up to 30 times more hops, an ingredient containing polyphenols,
an antioxidant which helps lower cholesterol and fight certain types of cancers. Beer can also help lower your blood
pressure. A Nursing Health study of over
70,000 women between the ages of 25 and 42 found that those who drank moderate
amounts of beer had lowerblood pressure than those who consumed other alcoholic beverages, including wine. Craft beer has been shown to help with
cognitive function and memory disorders.
A study at the Rush University Medical Center found “moderate drinkers are 23% less likely to develop memory problems,
Alzheimer’s disease, or other types of dementia.” Since most cognitive disorders are not
reversible, so it is important to prevent them or at least hinder their advance,
meaning you should begin your moderate beer consumption and other preventive
measures as soon as possible. Sounds
like a great reason to find a favorite craft beer.
You may not
be completely convinced of the healing benefits of craft beers and that is
okay. Because the last great reason to
drink craft beer is experimentation and enjoyment. There are so many craft breweries out there
it would take a lifetime to try them all.
Do not let that discourage you—think of it as a friendly challenge to
find some craft beers that you love and just as importantly, figure out what
you don’t like and why. Do not ever
hesitate to ask for help or go to your local brewery and talk to the brewers
about their brewing process. Maybe you
will even discover that you would like to try your hand at home brewing.
In the
meantime, come try some of the Mid-South’s best craft beer at Toast to Heal
Hearts. Check out the Meilgaard’s beer
flavor wheel below. Even if you’ve never
tried craft beer, you can come to the event and talk as though you are a
well-versed connoisseur.
