Which is it?

[blaxbear]

Californians claim Sierra Nevada, and east coasters claim Sam Adams. Which really was the "cradle" of the craft beer movement? I'm sure other people were integral to the rise of tasteful beer in America, but often these two pillars from opposite coasts are described as the progenitors of the movement. Wikipedia suggests that SN was founded in 1979 and BB was founded in 1984. Age can't be the only factor in this, reach, philosophy, and other things matter of course.

Any thoughts? Growing up (I'm 23 and from the east coast) Sam Adams was the only "craft" beer I knew in my youth, and I remember BB commercials (think Jim Koch getting dunk-tanked into Boston Lager) quite well. Is this simply a coastal thing? Could Californians throw it in my face, and say they remember SN commercials and never even heard of Sam Adams?

I fully understand that neither one was the exclusive "father" of the movement, and I know most of what I've said is based on personal experience, but I thought it might be cool to discuss.

[John Sand]

I don't know. You are right, it can't be age, because Anchor and Yuengling are way older.

[blaxbear]

I had no idea Anchor was older. And I hardly consider Yeungling a craft brewery. Old for certain, but they make a decent lager at best, nothing to write home about.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

I think Sam Adams was the first WIDELY distributed craft beer.

[philm00x]

If I recall, on Brew Dogs they mentioned Anchor being the first craft brewery in the US, and it almost went under but Fritz Maytag rescued it and kept it going.

[mtsoxfan]

Not sure who it is either... related to Brew Dogs, they were at SAm Adams brewing one of their crazy concoctions, and they were souring wort by the three of them bathing in it. Wife nearly lost dinner and swore off beer.

BB is the largest though...

[Chuck N]

This could turn out to be a really good thread.

Personally, between the two original choices I would have to pick Sam Adam's. It was the first craft American beer I ever drank and, after spending two years in Scotland drinking delicious British beers and then returning to the "Land of Bud", I immediately thought the American beer scene was saved. Plus the fact that I don't remember ever drinking an Anchor beer.

[mashani]

I actually was drinking Anchor before SA, but that's just because it happened to be distributed where I was. The are the older brewery. But if you want to count distribution to "everywhere", I think SA wins hands down.

[FedoraDave]

I don't know if it's a question with one pat answer. I get the feeling that the craft movement didn't "begin" so much as "happen". Sort of an organic thing that just flowered, rather than had some sort of inciting moment that can be pinned down.

Small breweries always existed, such as Yeungling, Rolling Rock, Genesee, Hamm's, but I don't know if you can call them "craft" breweries in the same sense as Dogfish Head or Yazoo or Brooklyn, since they have established their house styles and haven't really gone much beyond them. But what's the definition of a craft brewery, anyway?

[Chuck N]

But what's the definition of a craft brewery, anyway?

I believe that, according to the AHA a craft brewery is a brewery that produces lass than three million barrels (gallons?) annually. Either way, that's a lot of beer.

My favorite local brewery now calls itself "Minnesota's original craft brewery". But it's been around for a long time (only Yeungling is older). For many, many years they only had two, three, maybe four beers. But as the craft beer movement picked up steam they wisely jumped on board and now make several different beers. Almost all with a degree of German heritage.

[Banjo-guy]

I had my first taste of "real" beer when a friend who loved German beers gave me a 6 pack of Sam Addams in the 80's. This guy was the first person who I ever heard say that all of the BMC beers where a step above carbonated water. I brought that 6 to my Bud loving in-laws and they hated it. I thought they would go crazy for it.

Fast forward 30 years to my son's wedding last fall. The beer list was amazingly varied ( no BMC allowed ) and the same relatives were scooping up the leftover beer at the end of the party because they are all craft beer obsessed.

For me for it was Sam Adams.

[FedoraDave]

But what's the definition of a craft brewery, anyway?

I believe that, according to the AHA a craft brewery is a brewery that produces lass than three million barrels (gallons?) annually. Either way, that's a lot of beer.

Is that the definition of a craft brewery or a microbrewery? And what's the difference, if any? Because I doubt Hamm's or Matt's has/had a huge annual production run, but they were producing their own versions of American Light Lagers, in other words, BMC clones on a smaller, local basis.

I consider a brewery to be a craft brewery if they're pushing the envelope, the way SN or Sammy or Dogfish, et al. do. They have their defining house beer, yeah, and that pays their bills, but they keep experimenting and introducing seasonals, specialties, limited runs and other editions that aren't targeting the most generic audience. To me, that lifts them above the definition of how much they produce in a year.

Sam Adams is the largest, so if/when they go beyond the three million limit and are no longer a craft brewery, will they cease to have legitimacy, or will they stop introducing seasonals and specialty beers, and new editions? I sincerely hope not.

In other words, to me, small doesn't equal craft, and craft doesn't mean small.

[Kealia]

I believe SA is also leading a charge to get the limit of a 'craft brewery' raised so they (and others) can stay under that definition.

Being on the West Coast, I was introduced to SN long before SA due to proximity to the brewery. Maybe they were on parallel paths at one point, but I think SA was likely distributed wider, faster.

[Chuck N]

But what's the definition of a craft brewery, anyway?

I believe that, according to the AHA a craft brewery is a brewery that produces lass than three million barrels (gallons?) annually. Either way, that's a lot of beer.

Is that the definition of a craft brewery or a microbrewery? And what's the difference, if any? Because I doubt Hamm's or Matt's has/had a huge annual production run, but they were producing their own versions of American Light Lagers, in other words, BMC clones on a smaller, local basis.

I consider a brewery to be a craft brewery if they're pushing the envelope, the way SN or Sammy or Dogfish, et al. do. They have their defining house beer, yeah, and that pays their bills, but they keep experimenting and introducing seasonals, specialties, limited runs and other editions that aren't targeting the most generic audience. To me, that lifts them above the definition of how much they produce in a year.

Sam Adams is the largest, so if/when they go beyond the three million limit and are no longer a craft brewery, will they cease to have legitimacy, or will they stop introducing seasonals and specialty beers, and new editions? I sincerely hope not.

In other words, to me, small doesn't equal craft, and craft doesn't mean small.

Again and, as usual, well said, Dave.

I wasn't saying that I agreed with the AHA definition. In fact, I think you should submit your definition to them. It is a very good point.