SIBA issues craft beer stamp

Tell consumers what’s what. The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) in August 2016 launched a new craft beer classification to help consumers identify what it says is the genuine article.

SIBA’s “Assured Independent British Craft Breweries” initiative is intended to provide greater clarity for consumers, who would like to buy beer from truly independent craft breweries in the UK.

In order to qualify to use the new stamp of approval on their packaging or pump clips, breweries must be independent of any larger controlling brewing interest and pledge to abide by SIBA’s Manual of Good Brewing Practice.

The move comes after years of debate over how craft beer is defined in the UK. While the US has a classification system set down by the Brewers Association, the UK has so far lacked guidelines.

As craft beer has become a success, the big brewers have come under fire for both purchasing independent breweries or launching “craft-like” products.

Market research commissioned by SIBA reportedly shows that 46 percent of beer drinkers regard craft beer as “made by small brewers rather than large corporations”, although one in 10 beer drinkers are unsure what the term means. It added that 35 percent regard craft breweries as “artisanal” with 22 percent associating the term with “small” and 14 percent with “local”.

Mike Benner, Managing Director of SIBA, was quoted as saying: “We have launched our ’Assured’ initiative to help consumers make informed decisions about where their beer comes from and who has brewed it.”

SIBA, which has 850 brewing members in the UK, announced that all of its full brewery members will be eligible to use the stamp.