Craft Beer Stronger Than Regular Beer? « (6 Key Differences)
When researching home brewing beer, I suddenly kept asking myself if craft beer is generally stronger than regular beer.
The aim of this blog post is to provide an answer to this and to give info on the different properties in craft beer versus regular beer.
Is Craft Beer Stronger Than Regular Beer? In most cases when drinking high alcohol beer, it will be a craft beer. Regular beer is usually mass-produced and is typically a pale yellow that is enjoyed ice cold in large amounts. Craft beer focuses more on flavors and nuances and often has a higher alcohol content than regular beer.
Continue reading as I dive into what general makes craft beer stronger than regular beer, and the main reasons people choose craft beer over regular.
Read Also: Best Beer Recipe Kits
So, Is Craft Beer Stronger Than Regular Beer?
Generally speaking mass-produced beer usually has an alcohol content of anywhere between 3-5%.
When it comes to craft beer, the alcohol percentages can be quite a lot higher. From my own experience, the craft beers I have tasted usually never go below 7% alcohol content.
Some craft beer even goes as high as some liquors. In a specialist beer store, I have seen craft beers with alcohol content at 30% and up to a whopping 40%.
Making craft beer is a process that is more delicate than the mass production of beer. The brewers of craft beers are able to get a lot more flavor into the beer, giving the room for higher alcohol content.
The more taste you can add, the more alcohol your beer can handle.
REMEMBER: When brewing beer there is a fine line between a great taste and a high alcohol content without ruining the flavor.
The Difference Between Craft Beer And Regular Beer
There are some key differences when comparing craft beer to regular beer.
Below you will find some bullet points about some of the main differences between craft and regular beer.
- Craft beer has more taste. Craft beer enthusiasts will tell you that the mass-produced beer typically consumed among most people is “water” compared to craft beer.
The craft breweries usually put a lot more effort into their beer recipes, giving their craft beers unique tastes and properties.
These craft breweries are generally considered to care a lot more about their craft than the large manufacturers of regular beer.
If you want to test your abilities as a brewer, try these recipes for iconic commercial beers. Can you make them tastier than the original?
- Alcohol content. As the general question in this blog post asks, is craft beer really stronger than regular beer? The answer has to be a resounding yes. Some craft beers can be lower than regular beer, but the vast majority of craft beers have a higher alcohol content than regular beer. When drinking craft beer you have to watch out, since one craft beer can be the equivalent of 2-4 regular beers depending on brand. Make sure you understand the alcohol levels of the craft beer you are drinking, to make sure you don’t over-drink.
- More variety. Personally, if you blindfolded me and gave me different regular beer brands I probably wouldn’t be able to taste much difference.
Craft beers are very unique in their taste compared to most regular beer, giving a new taste experience every time you taste different kinds. As mentioned, the craft breweries pour alot more time and effort into their making of these beers, and they get interesting results.
There are thousands of different craft beers, each with a unique taste to give you a reason to try different brands and labels.
- Potentially Cheaper. A drinking session of regular beer versus craft beer can prove to be quite different in terms of price.
Depending on what type of craft beer you are drinking, due to its probable higher alcohol content, you may only need to drank half of the amount compared to drinking regular beer.
This can end up saving you money, even though craft beer is generally more expensive per bottle than regular beer.
TIP: Some local craft breweries have a store attached where prices can be very low for good quality beer.
- More personal. When you look at a craft beer, the label itself will often contain a lot of information regarding the origin and the vision behind that specific beer.
This is one of the main reasons people choose to drink craft beer because they get a feeling that the manufacturers really care about their craft.
In the US there is a huge amount of craft breweries, and the chances that one is near you is pretty high.If you want to take the personal level to a maximum, you can even visit the brewery that makes your favorite craft beer, and see what they do to make it so tasty.
If you are a in the US you can check out this site to find a craft brewery near you - Pairing with food. Like most wines, different craft beers are made for the purpose of enjoying it with certain foods.
It has become more and more popular to enjoy craft beer with quality 3-course meals or others, just like you would an expensive red or white wine.
The development of unique tastes and nuances in beer has reached a level, where you can make a beer suitable for specific foods and create an excellent taste experience.
In conclusion, craft beer is indeed stronger than regular beer in general. The reason for this is the different processes when mass producing regular beer versus making craft beer.
The craft beer breweries have more refined recipes with a lot of extra taste, giving the room for extra alcohol percentages.
This is the reason why most craft beers you see will have a higher alcohol content than regular beer brands.
Is Craft Beer Healthier Than Regular Beer?
In general, due to the process and content of making craft beer, they do have a higher calorie content than regular beer.
However as we mentioned, due to the higher alcohol levels you usually drink fewer amounts of beer overall when drinking craft beer, resulting in the same calorie intake or possibly lower than when drinking regular beer.
Research has shown that craft beer is better for you than wine.
Experts and doctors have been promoting the heart beneficial properties of the antioxidants in, especially red wine.
However, as it turns out that craft beer might just as good, if not better than wine for healthy purposes.
The general assumption that beer isn’t as healthy as wine, is probably due to the higher calorie levels because grains and malts are used in the brewing process.
If your goal is to lose weight, wine might be a little better for you than beer, but beer can’t hurt you in terms of general diseases.
Drinking any alcohol in moderation has been proven to have health benefits.
A study made by the University Of California & San Diego School of Medicine over three decades show that regular “moderate to heavy” drinkers are generally more healthy than nondrinkers
Here they define moderate drinkers as people who consume one alcoholic beverage per day, and heavy drinking as people who drank between two and three per day.
NOTE: drinking more than this is considered excessive drinking, and is not recommended.
Keep your drinking in moderation, and make sure you don’t drink if you have any complications in terms of diseases or similar that can be worsened by the consumption of alcohol.
Read Also: What Is The Easiest Type Of Beer To Brew?
