craft beer

noun

plural craft beers
: a specialty beer produced in limited quantities using high quality ingredients and traditional brewing methods
Reno beer drinkers may soon be able to enjoy a craft beer made from hops grown locally.—The Associated Press
… shares his shortlist of five burgs where the cutting-edge craft beer is worthy of a stopover …—Wine Enthusiast
More Americans are becoming interested in … artisanal craft beers and the creativity and artistic expression they represent.—Lauren Buzzeo
… sales of craft beer—the umbrella term for high-end, flavorful and usually pricey beers made by independent breweries—soared …—Douglas Hanks III

Examples of craft beer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Grab your friends, order a craft beer or cocktail, and settle in for a night of music and dancing. — Morgan Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 20 Aug. 2026 Tap into your creative side with craft beer at Headlands Brewing’s Walnut Creek Taproom and Beer Garden. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026 Stephanie Vermillion is a freelance writer and filmmaker focused on travel, offbeat adventures, craft beer, and the great outdoors. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Aug. 2026 What began as a beer brewed to celebrate the brewery's 1,000th batch has become one of craft beer's defining annual releases, inspiring countless breweries to launch their own barrel-aging programs along the way. — Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for craft beer

Word History

First Known Use

1986, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of craft beer was in 1986

Rhymes for craft beer

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Browse Nearby Words

craft
craft beer
craft brewery
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Cite this Entry

“Craft beer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/craft%20beer. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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