Small breweries in the UK are ditching the term “craft beer” in favour of “indie beer”, warning that global corporations have bamboozled many drinkers into believing that formerly independent brands are still artisanal hidden gems.
In a survey by YouGov that marks a new phase of the bitter war over what constitutes “craft beer”, consumers were asked to say whether 10 beer brands were made by “independent craft breweries”.
Corporate branding has been so effective that 40% of those surveyed thought that Neck Oil, brewed by Heineken-owned Beavertown, was independent, higher than genuinely standalone breweries such as Vocation, Fyne Ales and Five Points.
More than three-quarters of those surveyed said they felt consumers were being “misled” because pints of Beavertown, Camden, and Fullers were actually made by multinationals Heineken, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Asahi respectively.
The findings lend weight to growing concern about the dilution of the UK’s highly-prized reputation for craft beer, an industry that boomed after Gordon Brown introduced tax relief for small brewers.
The resulting “craft beer revolution” was co-opted in a big money backlash, as multinationals bought up successful brands, such as Beavertown and Camden, to cash in on drinkers’ growing appetite for varied styles such as IPAs and stouts.
Of the brands that have been bought out, many are still advertised as “craft” beers in pubs and bars, which are often owned by, or have a commercial relationship with, global brewing corporations.
The Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (Siba), which commissioned the survey, is responding with a campaign to help consumers identify “indie” beer over increasing concern in the sector that “craft” no longer has the same meaning.
“For lots of breweries across the UK, ‘independent’ has become a lot more valuable and relevant to what they do than ‘craft’ – the meaning of which has been blurred by macro-ownership of craft beer brands,” said Andy Slee, chief executive of Siba.
“The ‘indie beer’ campaign focuses on what unites breweries in the UK rather than what divides us.
“They [independent brewers] are a force for good in the local communities they represent and it’s essential global beer companies are not taking credit for the hard work of true independent brewers.”
Members of Siba must be British, not owned by another brewer and account for less than 1% of UK beer production.
The indie beer campaign includes a mark that will be used on beer pump clips, cans and bottle labels, as well as a website, indiebeer.co.uk, where consumers can check the credentials of their pint.
The move also has backing from the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), whose members have traditionally seen cask ale as something separate from “craft beer”, which has typically been applied to keg-dispensed beer.
Heineken, AB InBev and Asahi have been approached for comment.