Craft Beer Blogs Worth Following
- Clyde
- Sep 27, 2024
- 6 min read
With over 150 different beer styles and 1000's of brands to choose from, craft beer has become a lifestyle culture and a tasting experience. We present some of the most up to date, fun & worth-following Craft Beer Blogs.
Craft Beer has emerged as a worldwide phenomenon, rapidly growing since the 1990's. Some of the best craft breweries are located in Europe and the U.S.A. - but not exclusively. Countries like Canada, Japan, Australia and many more also feel proud of their world-class craft production. Slowly but steadily, the whole planet has become thirsty for craft beer.
Why has craft beer become so popular?
There are numerous reasons explaining this awesome global craft brewing movement.
Here is a brief analysis of some of the reasons behind it:
Home brewing is a fast-spreading hobby. We can all try to brew our beer by simply ordering an amateur home-brew kit on the internet for a low cost. This is the first step. Then, friends & family will become our first ''customers''... a new star is born.
Becoming a gipsy, nomad or contract brewer is a common second step. It requires no money investment for large-scale equipment; just the beer recipes. Then, creating our micro-brewery is the next step, which comes naturally. Finally, we have more craft beer available in communities around us.
Buying second hand brewing equipment or importing equipment from other countries at affordable prices, was simply not an option, few years ago. This is now commonplace practice & helps new brewers to make their first steps.
Home brewers go the extra mile by trying to brew beers with new tastes, ingredients or bring back to life old recipes. Their real-time testers are their friends, family and local community who provides them with useful feedback. In the end, we have more people involving with craft beer, its lifestyle & philosophy, while supporting the local economy.
Craft beers simply taste better than mass production beers. Brewers put their heart & soul in a bottle, can or keg, together with quality ingredients and they pay attention to all the small details during the brewing process.
Food pairings. Craft beer pairs surprisingly well with almost any kind of food. It is a great match for different cuisines all around the world (white or red meat, seafood, pasta, cheese, desserts, etc.) and a true fit for outdoor events. Different beer styles can be matched with a wide range of palettes of food pairing that will blow your mind. This was the idea behind, when we created our Craft Beer & Food Tasting Tours in Crete, back in 2021.
The huge variety of distinct beer styles, flavours & specialized craft brewers is so vast that it is nearly impossible not to satisfy everybody's taste: India Pale Ale's (IPA), New England IPA's, Berliner Weisse, Dark IPA, Red Ales, Blondes, Dry Hopped, Imperial Stouts, Hoppy Lagers, Summer Ales, Honey Weiss, Dunkels, Sours, DIPA, Saison's - are only just a few beer styles that can be easily turned to a new style (New England Weiss) by mixing the ingredients. The list keeps growing while brewers' creativity & imagination keep innovating.
Craft Beer society is expanding, while beer tasting has become a highly interesting hobby; a fun learning experience and a social phenomenon.
When we created the First Craft Beer Tours ever in Greece in 2021,we took this element in deep consideration.
We keep all of Our Tours highly personable, in small-scale groups, non-touristy, fun and also a craft beer learning experience, focused to Greek craft brews.
The stories behind each beer or brewer make the experience even more engaging.
The Craft beer festivals which taking place all year round worldwide, together with the beerhouses & taprooms, bringing craft beer people closer, while creating a strong international network.
Local economies and independently owned businesses are growing & expanding. The outcome is a need for more people to be involved with craft beer (brewers, specialized bottle shops, artwork, merchandise, etc.) or Travel Agencies operating craft beer tours all around the world.
The Birth of Craft Beer
To begin, we must examine why and how the craft beer brewing movement emerged in the 1960's in U.S.A.'s Golden State: California.
Craft Beer begun as a revolution to the profit-driven, big beer industry.
Craft Beer's genesis was to make beer great again.
Read all about it, in our blogpost:
and read about the best Craft Beer Blogs worth following, below.
Craft Beer Blogs worth following
The Beer Connoisseur® magazine and online stands as the foremost authority for the beer and beverage industries, offering comprehensive coverage across various consumer and professional domains. This includes news on beer and beverages, profiles of key individuals, culinary and travel insights, beverage trends, educational resources, expert reviews, blogs, and lifestyle features spanning areas such as cannabis, CBD, spirits, gaming, gambling, casinos, technology, consumer products, and beyond.
*The BeerConnoisseur in March 2024, included a detailed articled about our Travel Agency and our Craft Beer in their: Tasting Greece: The Search for the Best Greek Beer .
The Craftbeer.com website is published by the Brewers Association, the national organization that represents the small & independent craft brewers in America. Their mission is to bring to light the stories behind these people & their businesses but also to support the beginning of new breweries with advices or to educate their members about issues that threaten local craft brewers. Additionally, you may find Beer School, educational resources and amazing tools like: brewery finder, demystify beer styles, beer & food pairings & highly interesting blogposts. A must visit/follow website.
3. Brew York
Brew York was established in 2009 as a resource for craft beer drinkers, bar owners, brewers, and distributors in the New York area. The site provides news and information about craft beer events, bars, breweries, and new beers available in New York City and surrounding areas. In addition, Brew York covers regulatory issues affecting the beer industry, legislative updates from City Hall and Albany, plus other news that impact everything from the brew kettle to the pint glass.
The Full Pint has been a trusted place for craft breweries and those who want information about craft beer for over 10 years now. The Full Pint is an independently owned niche website that features beer news, beer reviews, beer event listings, opinion articles on beer and within the last year, a podcast where they have fun conversations with important people in the beer industry. A free platform for small, medium and large craft breweries to get their good news out, and a free resource for people who love craft beer to get the latest scoop.
The CBC is a multi award winning youtube channel, dedicated to great beer, food & travel. Join Johnny & Brad, as they travel the world to discover the best beers, brew collaborations, foods & beer matchings (also in our philoshophy during our craft beer tours) and generally geek out about craft beer.
Their aim is to entertain first and to educate second. Beer is supposed to be fun, so they try to keep it that way.
There are many beers in the world, and many flavours when it comes down to it. At The Craft Beer Diaries, however, there’s only one beer worth talking about: the whole beautiful world of craft beer. Their goal here is simple – to share the best in local craft beers and brewing from all over the world, talk to brewmasters, fellow craft beer fans, home brewers, and more. They also share some of the best beer festivals, tastings, brewmaster dinners and other community events, so you can meet up with fellow craft beer lovers near you.
** The Craft Beer Diaries was the first craft beer website that ever approached us back in 2021 & they very kindly dedicated a full article: Experience: Craft Beer Walking Tours in Greece .
7. Zythopedia
Zythopedia is the Greek getaway for beer & brewing and more than anything else, it is a very useful Beer Encyclopedia.
The word Zythopedia comes from the combination of two words: Zythos (brew in Greek) & Encyclo-pedia ( zythos+pedia).
A real pioneer in the Greek beer world that keeps evolving & stays up to date. Definitely a must-visit website from absolute beginners to experienced brewers and beer enthusiasts of all levels.
Of course, the beer blogs presented above are only a limited selection. There are many more for you to discover, according to the variety of information that you are looking for.
Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours is a Travel Agency that operates non-touristy tours for young-at-heart-travellers in Crete, Greece.
Through our website we promote craft beer & cool events (like beer festivals worldwide) while we express our thoughts, personal experiences & providing travel information by writing our Blogposts.
Part of our mission is creating and developing a stronger Craft Beer network in Greece!
Stay tuned by signing up to our newsletter; about craft beer & travel.
Keep spreading the love of craft beer!
Cheers,
- Clyde
I love this video from the Craft Beer Channel which looks at the origins of the New England IPA (they went to new england from london!)
Thank you for the beer blog recommendations and the brief history of craft beer. Super interesting.
I also recommend the craft beer channel on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheCraftBeerChannel