Craft Beer: What It Is and Why Everyone’s Talking About It

Forget boring brews — this is beer with backbone.

What is craft beer, really?

If you’ve ever had a sip of craft beer that made you stop mid-sentence and go “Wait… what is THIS?” — you’ve already tasted the difference.

Maybe it was hazy, citrusy, hoppy as hell. Or it smacked you with roasted coffee and dark chocolate vibes. Either way, it wasn’t another forgettable pils from aisle six.

Craft beer is bold, unfiltered (sometimes literally), and brewed with intention — not mass production. Welcome to our world.

So, what is craft beer?

At its core, craft beer is beer brewed in small batches by independent brewers. It’s about passion, not product lines. Real ingredients, not marketing gimmicks.

Here’s the technical bit:
The definition varies per country, but the essence is this: it’s small-scale, independent, traditional, and driven by creativity rather than corporate spreadsheets.

In the Netherlands, the number of craft breweries has exploded in recent years. Nederlandse Brouwers offers stats and updates on our local brewing scene.

Here’s our version:
Craft beer is what happens when brewers give a damn.

It’s experimenting. It’s taking risks. It’s hopping the hell out of a beer just to see how far we can push it. That’s what we do at Moersleutel.

Why is this so popular right now?

Simple: People are done drinking bland beer.

We’re in a time where drinkers want more — more flavour, more authenticity, more story. They want to know who made their beer and why. They want to taste complexity, power, and personality.

Craft beer fills that gap. It’s the rebellion against “one-size-fits-all” beer. It’s about flavour, freedom, and fermentation.

In Europe, and especially in the Netherlands, there’s been an explosion of new craft breweries and beer festivals — proof that people are choosing boldness over boring.

What makes craft beer different?

Let’s break it down:

• Flavour. It’s complex. Funky. Bitter. Juicy. Roasty. Wild. No two brews are the same — and that’s the point.

• Creativity. We mess with styles, ingredients, processes — nothing’s off-limits. Fruit? Coffee? Maple syrup? Go.

• Authenticity. You’re not buying from a billion-dollar marketing machine. You’re tasting someone’s vision in liquid form.

• Community. Craft beer connects people — to brewers, to local scenes, to weirdos who get it.

It’s not about playing it safe. It’s about going all in.

Popular craft beer styles (you should try)

If you’re new to the scene, here are some must-know styles:

• IPA (India Pale Ale): Hoppy, bitter, citrusy. Our Playground.

• NEIPA (New England IPA): Hazy, juicy, low-bitterness. Think orange juice with attitude.

• Stout: Dark, strong, roasty. Perfect for winter… or Tuesdays. Or Wednesdays. Or Thursdays. Or…

• Sour Ale: Funky, tart, refreshing. Not for the faint-hearted.

• Barrel-Aged: Aged in wooden liquor barrels, think bourbon or wine — making the beer more complex and boozy.

At Moersleutel, we live for the extreme end of this spectrum. Think triple IPA and barrel-aged imperial stout with wild ingredients. If subtlety is your thing, we may not be your first stop. But if you’re ready for beer that slaps — we got you.

Why do people love craft beer so much?

Because it’s not just beer — it’s an experience.

People love:

• The flavour ride — From crisp lagers to syrupy stouts.

• The stories — Every beer has one.

• The discovery — Limited editions, one-offs, collabs.

• The community — Taproom chats > supermarket aisles.

• The passion — You can taste when someone brewed it with heart.

There’s also a sense of collectibility. You don’t just drink it — you follow it, trade it, cellar it. You even photograph it (yeah, we see you with your foam shots). It’s a broad experience.

How to start (without freaking out)

New to this world? Welcome.

Here’s how to ease in:

• Start with a beer flight — Try 3–5 styles in one go. Taprooms usually offer them, ask the bar staff.

• Don’t fear the haze — That cloudy beer? It’s flavour.

• Join a beer tasting — or visit a Tap Takeover at your local bars. Good opportunity to discover new breweries or meet brewers.

• Keep an open mind — You might hate IPAs now. Come back in a month.

Want something curated for first-timers? Check our webshop — we’ve got mixed packs designed to help you find your taste (and maybe lose it in the best way possible).

Final thoughts

Craft beer is a flavourful middle finger to boring.

It’s for people who want more: more story, more intensity, more what the hell is this and can I have another?
It’s brewed by people who believe beer should never be background noise.

And yeah — we’re biased.
But when you taste our Motor Oil, you’ll get it.

Ready to taste something bold?
Browse our freshest brews →