The Fundamental Differences Between Craft Beer And Commercial Beer

When Fritz Maytag bought the nearly shut-down Anchor Brewing Company in 1965, the purchase loosely signified the beginning of the craft brewery movement in the United States. The revamped operation began bottling beers like porters, ales, and barleywines, all styles that were unfamiliar to Americans accustomed to light lagers.

Next would come the New Albion Brewing Company in 1976, which produced traditional European-style beers, and in the early 1980s, Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale would be one of the first American hoppy ales in the country. By 1994, there were around 500 companies in the United States making what is considered to be craft beer. But before all of these breweries sprung up, before 1965, and way back before the Industrial Revolution, all beer was essentially craft beer, because independent brewers making small productions was the standard.

Now, in the twenty-first century, what sets a craft beer apart from the commercial variety? Does it have to be made by a small team of people at an independently owned brewery? Are special ingredients required? And is anything other than a light lager considered a craft beer?

Size does have a lot to do with the difference between commercial and craft beer. The Brewers Association defines craft breweries as those with an annual production of under 6 million barrels – this is the main criterion that determines if something is craft beer.

However, there are plenty of other components and ideas that are typically associated with craft brewing. Production techniques play a part in craft beer; because annual production is lower, this allows for more time and focus during the production process. Quality is prioritized over quantity, so there's room for experimentation and time to utilize artisanal and unconventional techniques like barrel aging and wild fermentation. Innovation has always been a part of the craft brew scene; for example, the first whiskey barrel-aged stout came from Goose Island in 1995.

Ingredients are also a focus for craft beer. The base remains a standard mix of ingredients like water, hops, yeast, and malted barley, but sometimes, craft beer will utilize different hops and yeasts not commonly used in commercial beer brewing in order to change the flavor profile. It's not uncommon to see additions like locally sourced fruits, flowers, nuts, chocolate, and other interesting ingredients. There is more variety of beer styles in craft beer, so instead of just seeing a basic lager or ale, you'll see a diversity of styles, including double or triple IPAs, sour beers, lambics, and barrel-aged stouts, as well as special seasonal releases.

Commercial beer is made for the masses – it's intended to be drunk by a wide range of people and be easy to find at any grocery, liquor store, or restaurant. Domestic companies categorized in the commercial beer space are easily recognizable, like Corona, Coors, Budweiser, and Heineken — you'll see these beers advertised on TV and at sporting events like the Super Bowl. Commercial beer can be both imported or domestic — in fact, Mexican beers are some of the most popular in the United States. Commercial beer brings in annual sales in the hundreds of millions and more per year — Anheuser-Busch, the largest beer company in the world, achieved $57 billion in sales in 2023.

It's not true to say quality goes out the window with commercial beer, but quantity certainly is a priority for production. Consistency is key for commercial beer — it should taste the same every time you drink it, wherever you buy it from. Brewing methods are standardized to maximize efficiency, and commercial beer is brewed in factories with massive steel tanks.

The idea is to appeal to the majority of people, so commercial beer sticks to a few core styles of beer that most are familiar with, like ales and lagers. Flavors are typically crisp, refreshing, and light, and these beers should be easy drinkers, with no ingredients that are too wild or unfamiliar. They should also have price point that appeals to most people, so affordable ingredients like rice, corn, and wheat are often used to keep the price low and accessible.

Beer labels can carry a lot of terminology that the average person may not be familiar with, including the phrase "independently owned." Many craft breweries have this label, which means the majority of the business is owned by an individual or family rather than a corporation. According to the Brewers Association, a brewery is considered independent if less than 25% is owned or controlled by a beverage alcohol industry member who is not a craft brewer. The owner of an independent brewery could be the original founder, or the business may have changed hands while remaining independently operated.

This is where things get complicated, because commercial brewery corporations can and do buy craft breweries. Large beer companies often acquire craft brands to open up a new stream of revenue. These corporations typically own multiple brands and produce commercial beer alongside their craft releases. When a corporation acquires a craft brewery, it is no longer considered independently owned, but it doesn't necessarily lose its craft beer status. However, if a brewery's annual production surpasses 6 million barrels each year, it may no longer qualify as a craft brewery under the Brewers Association's definition.

Is easy to argue that craft beer is better than commercial beer; after all, the quality of ingredients, time, and energy involved in the production process is certainly higher. That said, there's a time and place for both. Craft beer is more lovingly and thoughtfully crafted, but along with that priority in quality over quantity comes a higher price tag. Craft beer is typically more expensive than commercial beer, so for those on a budget, it may not be a frequent purchase.

While a crisp lager might not necessarily be everyone's favorite, it's still considered a decent or good beer by most. On the other hand, while you might love a raspberry oak barrel-aged stout, your friends might hate the sweet and woody flavors. Some craft beer flavors can be very niche and downright appalling for some. At a backyard barbecue or a birthday party, you can keep a few cans of your favorite craft beer on hand, but it's probably a good idea to have a commercial beer options for the majority of people who will be drinking.

Commercial beer is convenient and dependable, while craft beer is ever-changing and more elusive. So while brands like Coors, Budweiser, and Guinness — the most popular beer in America — can be found at virtually any grocery store or corner market, if you have a craving for the lime and sea salt sour beer that's only stocked at certain bottle shops, you might have to do a bit of hunting to find it.