Craft beer is an American term which is also common in New Zealand and generally refers to all-malt beer that is brewed without adjuncts and with an eye to beer style rather than mass appeal. It has gradually replaced the term microbrew as the most popular term to describe the output of smaller breweries.

Craft beer may refer to non-American beers, beers from brewpubs and small breweries, and some all-malt American beers produced by larger breweries. Craft beers are generally unfiltered, bottle conditioned or cask conditioned. They generally contain fewer adjuncts than mass-produced beers.

In the United Kingdom, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) term real ale is used to refer to unfiltered beer, especially cask-conditioned ales. In the U.S., true cask ales are rare, and craft beers on draft are mainly served from pressurized kegs.

The interest in beer styles in the U.S. has increased steadily since Michael Jackson's 1977 book The World Guide to Beer was published in America.

The Brewers Association (the trade group for American craft brewers) defines the craft beer industry as follows:

CRAFT BREWER: An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional.

Small = annual production of beer less than 2 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for purposes of this definition.

Independent = Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.

Traditional = A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewers brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

CRAFT BEER : Craft beers are produced with 100 % barley or wheat malt or use other fermentable ingredients that enhance (rather than lighten) flavor.

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