Even before starting Ang Mo Liang Teh, one of the very common questions that i often get is, “What is Craft Beer? Beer is just beer lor”. And to that I say, “No bro, that’s because you only drink commercial beer.” It’s akin to saying, “A car is just a metal shell with 4 wheels, get from point A to point B can already.” Well, that is true if you’re drinking just for fun or getting high for the sake of it.
The Oxford dictionary definition of craft beer states that “a beer made in a traditional or non-mechanised way by a small brewery” and it does hold some truth. Unlike commercial beers such as those that you see very frequently in Kopitiams favoured by beer guzzling retired uncles, craft beers usually are produced by microbrewers, experimenting with different ingredients to produce a myriad of different flavours and styles.
With that, the first major difference between commercial and craft beer lies in the taste. Craft breweries place huge emphasis in their recipes, resulting in unique tastes and properties. You will commonly hear terms such as hoppy, malty, citrusy, fruity, hazy and the list goes on. In essence, craft breweries care a lot more about the craft of brewing beers than large manufacturers of commercial beers.
Next, craft beers also tend to be stronger in alcohol content as compared to commercial beers. While there are some exceptions such as low alcohol or session ales with significantly lower alcohol content, the vast majority of craft beers are generally stronger. Massed produced beers are between 3-5% generally. The process of brewing craft beer is a delicate process and with more flavours cramped into the beer, the rise in alcohol content will also be significant.
Last but not least, craft beer provides the widest range of variety. With the plethora of styles and flavours, it gives a different experience every time you drink. In fact, with so many choices available, you begin to think about which particular beer suits your current mood or food preferences. The thousands if not hundreds of choices with their unique taste profile is the best reason to try different brands and labels.
AMLT is a small but growing bottle shop and we aim to bring a wide range of unique and tasty craft beers at affordable prices, with the sole purpose of getting more people to try out craft beer and experience the journey of finding the beer that best suits them. It is also a place where you can gather with friends (social distancing required) and enjoy a cold one on a hot day! So head on down today and try out our beers!