If you are one of the Americans who still think that beer is supposed to be fizzy, yellow and devoid of body, it’s time to become part of the Craft Beer Revolution. You can start with this microcourse I call Craft Beer 101.

When the new brewing movement started in America in the 1970s, no one knew what to call these little breweries. Brewery pub, craft brewery and microbrewery were all tried. By the early 1980s, two terms had settled into general use: brewpub and craft brewery. A brewpub is a brewery that sells most of its beer at an in-house taproom. A craft brewery was originally defined by the Brewers Association as a brewery that produced less than 50,000 barrels, with the thought that there was no way that number could be reached. Well, not only was it reached, it was surpassed, so that the current definition of a craft brewery is one that produces six million barrels of beer or less. This will allow some of the craft breweries to expand their production, which in turn will increase their reach into new markets.

When it comes to styles of beer, you might simply be thinking light and dark but in actuality, there are many different styles. Working from light to dark, we’d begin the journey with lager, which is fermented at a colder temperature, making the brewing process almost double the amount of time. Next would come ale, brewed at a higher temperature and darker and fuller in body and color. The most popular ale today seems to be India Pale Ale. An IPA’s characteristics are its amber color and strong hop taste – the most bitter with the most bite. The result is a strong floral scent and a citrus finish. IPAs are the staple of many breweries’ selections and have been made famous by the Southern California breweries.

The next step in our journey is porter. The porter style is a little darker, almost brown. The color is due to roasting the malt during the brewing process. Porter has a heavier, fuller taste. The last major style for the beginner beer drinker to know would be stout, made famous by the Guinness Company. This dark-as-night beer tends to be creamier than other styles. Stout is composed of barley and varied types of malt. Alternatives may be made using oatmeal, which usually produces a sweeter beer.

Now that you know what you are looking for, you may want to know where to look. Long Island is quickly becoming a beer destination, as its craft beer industry is one of the fastest growing scenes on the East Coast. The two Island heavyweights are Blue Point Brewery in Patchogue and the Southampton Publick House. There are at least 13 other breweries that have sprung up over the past 10 years. See the attached chart for a full Who’s Who of Long Island Brew. Cheers!