Ask a non-beer drinker what the difference is between craft beer and mass-produced beer, and you might hear, “Beer is beer.” Ask a beer drinker the difference? Well, it’s pretty much everything. Mass-produced beer, or macro beer (or what some might call “regular beer”), is made using industrial methods on a huge scale, often with automated equipment. It’s brewed for consistency, efficiency, and a broad, average palate. A one-size-fits-all brew, it’s no fuss. And while there’s a time and place for cheap, standard beer, craft beer is something special. It’s innovation in a pint glass, alchemy that’s complex, with distinctive flavors, unique smells, and a memorable taste.
Most beer is typically made with just four ingredients: grains, hops, yeast, and water. It’s quite an old recipe and was even written into law in 1516 in Germany (the Beer Purity Law) stipulating the use of only those four elements. Think of the last tasty microbrew you had: the smell of citrus-forward hops, the aromas of pine and florals, and the taste of balanced malt keeping any bitterness in check. Just four ingredients made that brew! It’s a bit of magic really, and it’s because microbrews are made with premium ingredients, many of which are often locally or regionally sourced. Quality ingredients rule supreme in the craft beer world and allow for true authenticity. It shows in the many different shades of color of craft beer, from a dark brown porter to an amber red to a grapefruit forward pinky yellow double IPA. Craft beer doesn’t use additives or artificial ingredients, and is cleaner than homogenized commercially made beer. Rather than using hops (which have more than 250 different varieties), many mass-produced beers use rice or corn — and even add corn syrup and caramel coloring. But you won’t find that in your hometown brew, where the ingredients selected are never substandard.
Craft beer is indeed that, a craft. Microbrewers work in small batches so they can oversee every step of the process with precision and masterful observation. They are able to play a bit more, with experimentation and creativity — from ingredients to methods, like barrel aging or open fermentation. And so much of their work is done by hand, like milling, mashing, and monitoring fermentation and temperature. Carefully choosing hops and sniffing samples ensure superior quality and nailing the right rich taste. Take Augustine's Orange Amber Ale, with light hop notes, orange zest, and caramel malt, it tastes like Florida in every sip. Or the award-winning Matanzas River Red Ale, balancing roasted pecan and chocolate for a light sweetness that ends with a mild and dry finish. Microbrewers are making beers like no one else, while also boasting an ability to capture the essence of many commercially loved beers — like everyone’s favorite seasonal beer, a pumpkin ale like Pump-Quistador Pumpkin Ale, or the best-selling beer in the U.S. right now, Mexican-style cervezas like the El Santo Mexican Lager.
And possibly the best part of enjoying a craft beer? It’s made just for you. Literally. If you're lucky enough to be a local, or live nearby, your drinking draft pints straight from the source. The brewery experience makes even the best beer taste that much more crisp and delightful. Brewpubs pay homage to the history of where they’re from — like the Ancient City that is St. Augustine. The charm and personality of a small-crafted beer is that of its community. Hang with the brewer who's handcrafting what’s in your glass. Take a nice pull off your cool pale ale sitting alongside your buds. Drinking craft beer supports your local businesses and the locals who work there. So next time you’re in the mood for something special, come by Ancient City to see what’s brewing.
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