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"oblivious":2wesrf7e wrote: I think it a little stretch comparing something like New Belgian and Hooker, it’s a good well made beer designed to appeal to a wide market, but its not artisan.[/quote:2wesrf7e]

But the point is just as valid for any beer.

What makes New Belgian artisan and Hooker not, as a matter of interest?

I wasn't actually comparing the breweries or the beer they make. I was merely repeating something a brewer in New Belgium said about the question of styles. He hated being asked what styles they made, as style definitions didn't interest him. Many of us get caught up in strict style definitions set by the BJCP for example, so I thought it was kinda relevant when thinking about the use of the term IPA by the Hooker Brewery. It's not an IPA in strict style terms, but it's an Irish Pale Ale by Hookers terms, which is fine by me. <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->

&amp;quot;sbillings&amp;quot;:dtk0s0e7 wrote: What makes New Belgian artisan and Hooker not, as a matter of interest?[/quote:dtk0s0e7]

Because it probable a standard IPA/pale ale recipe, but well made.

My idea of an artisan beer would be to go beyond the standard brewing practices, such as the addition of spices, the use of different/unusual micro flora for a style, oak aging of the beer and/or serving cask conditioned beer. In the sane way I would consider Goose Island or Sierra Nevada IPA to craft and not artisan beer

Interesting question Séan.

An artisan is someone who practices a skilled craft, so I'd imagine two blokes in a small brewery doing everything by hand would count. But maybe that's too simplistic a definition? <!-- s:? --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_confused.gif" alt="" title="Confused" /><!-- s:? -->

Methinks this needs a new thread. Could be a good discussion <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

The style defenition thing is an interesting one. I've had similar discussions with people concerning genres in music. You can't always pigeon-hole a beer into a specific style, but it helps to give it a general style defenition, just so you know where it's generally coming from. So Hooker and Goose Island may fall broadly under the same IPA/APA/IPA category, but within that category they are some distance apart.

Sorry to trivialise this discussion (it's not a "Hooker" thread now!), but it reminds me of debates we used to have about music; whether something was rock, country, blues, pop etc. It is very hard to pin some music/beer down as being "true to style".

I tend to agree with Huey Lewis; "there is just 2 types of music, good and bad". Enjoy the brews!