What's the difference between craft and industrial beers?

More and more often, when people find themselves discussing beers among friends, many wonder what is the difference between craft beer and industrial beer.
To answer this question, one can start with a simile: the difference is comparable to that between watching a film at home or in a cinema. A craft beer gives drinkers a series of sensations (to the sight, to the smell, to the taste) that are impossible to replicate for an industrial beer, much like a movie in a cinema turns out to be more engaging and enjoyable than a film watched at home, regardless of what advanced television or stereo system one possesses.
Craft beer is born from the passion of the artisan who produces it using fresh raw materials that enhance the quality and fragrance of the finished product, releasing aromas that make its flavor unique. But to better understand the differences that craft beers offer, it is necessary to first know the characteristics of industrially produced beers.

Industrial beer: characteristics

The first thing that characterizes industrial beers is that they are always filtered and pasteurized: a process that serves to guarantee maximum conservation of the product and to eliminate any flavor variations compared to the “original model.” For multinationals, it is indeed important to standardize the taste of their products: by eliminating differences, they achieve a beer that is recognizable anywhere by any consumer.

But what is pasteurization? It is a thermal process that, through steam, brings the beer to a temperature of 60 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Along with microfiltration, it helps to purify the drink from any microorganisms. However, this process stops the mechanism of transforming sugars into alcohol, thus depriving the beer of many of its peculiarities, such as the aromas and scents that are instead created in a craft beer.
Industrial beers are also often produced with chemical additives, preservatives, and with substitutes for barley malt (such as rice and corn), which allow for reduced production costs but greatly compromise the tasting experience.

Peculiarities of craft beer

The craft beer, on the other hand, is not subjected to chemical processes, it is unpasteurized and intact. It must be kept at low temperatures and consumed quickly, since it does not contain the preservatives that are often added to industrial beer. Craft beer thus retains all the original aromas and scents, and flavor variations define its differences.

Craft beer producers focus on high-quality ingredients and, given their “local” nature, experiment with new formulas highlighting typical local products. The craft beers are therefore often the fruit of specific territories. Moreover, the craft producer, driven by love for their product, constantly seeks new flavors, experimenting with new spices and ingredients to delight the palate of their consumers.

Craft beers and industrial beers: how much do they cost?

One of the main parameters that differentiates the two types of beer is undoubtedly the price: an Italian craft beer costs more than an industrial beer. Many wonder why, but it is essential to consider a long series of factors that inevitably lead to increased costs of craft beer production compared to industrial beer.

First of all, the ingredients: they are of first quality and are purchased in smaller quantities compared to industrial breweries. The shelf life is also inevitably shorter, given that we are talking about a product that can be defined as “alive” and unpasteurized. This means that craft beers also suffer from long-distance transport, unlike pasteurized industrial beers that, when consumed anywhere in the world, will always have standardized organoleptic characteristics.

The spread of craft beers

The number of craft beer producers in Italy has increased exponentially in recent years: currently, there are about 700 between microbreweries and brewpubs, with at least one company present in each province. Leading the way is Lombardy, followed by Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, and Veneto. These are small companies, mainly made up of individuals under 40, capable of employing an average of 2 to 5 people, with an annual production average per company of about 411 hectoliters.

For some time now, enthusiasts have preferred the taste and aroma of craft beers, but now even among occasional consumers, the pairing of “craft beer and quality” is a truth that cannot be contested: the success of craft beer is ever-increasing and seems destined to grow even in the coming years.

Federico Risi