All about Craft Beer
Local Craft Beer To Shop The Best Independent Brews Available Online
Whether you're a seasoned craft beer enthusiast or just starting to explore beyond mainstream lagers, GotoLiquorStore has you covered. Browse over 100 craft beer brands, from hoppy IPAs and smooth brown ales to seasonal pumpkin beers, gluten-free options, and non-alcoholic craft brews, all available for local pickup or delivery near you, or shipped so you can try what other states' locals beers.
What is Craft Beer?
Small, independent breweries produce craft beer, often called microbreweries or local brewers, that prioritize quality ingredients, creativity, and traditional brewing techniques over mass production. Unlike big commercial beers, craft beers are brewed in smaller batches with a genuine focus on flavor, character, and innovation.
The result? A richer, more complex taste experience. Craft brewers experiment freely using unusual hops, rare grains, barrel aging, and even unconventional ingredients like coffee, cacao, and exotic fruits to create beers that tell a story in every sip.
A Brief History of Craft Beer
Beer has been part of human civilization for over 7,000 years, with early brewing traced to ancient Mesopotamia. During the Middle Ages, European monasteries refined brewing into an art, producing distinct lagers and ales. But the modern craft beer movement took off in the late 20th century, when independent brewers pushed back against the dominance of mass-produced lagers and began reviving traditional styles and inventing bold new ones.
Today, craft brewing has evolved into a global phenomenon. What started with small microbreweries reviving forgotten styles has grown into an industry of experimental ales, brewery collaborations, hard seltzers, and non-alcoholic craft options.
Types of Craft Beer to Explore
Craft beer is a broad category with something for every palate. Here are the main styles you'll find at GotoLiquorStore:
- Local Craft Ales: IPAs, pale ales, brown ales, porters, and stouts are the backbone of craft brewing. Expect bold hop aromas, malt complexity, and a wide range of bitterness and body.
- Local Craft Lagers: Crisp, clean, and refreshing. Pilsners, bocks, and helles-style lagers made with care and quality ingredients.
- Local Craft Ciders: Fermented from apples and pears, craft ciders are naturally gluten-free and offer a refreshing, fruit-forward profile.
- Local Specialty Beers: Experimental brews featuring chocolate, coffee, fruit, spices, or barrel-aged finishes. For adventurous drinkers.
- Local Seasonal Beers: Limited-time releases tied to the seasons, Pumpkin Ales in fall, Ginger Beers in winter, Marzen/Oktoberfest in autumn.
- Local Gluten-Free Beer: Brewed with alternative grains like sorghum, millet, or rice, with the same great craft flavor, accessible to more drinkers.
- Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer: Full craft flavor with zero alcohol, a growing category for health-conscious consumers and designated drivers.
- Organic Beer: Brewed with certified organic ingredients and sustainable practices, for environmentally conscious beer lovers.
How Craft Beer is Made: The Brewing Process
Craft beer undergoes a careful multi-step process that sets it apart from commercial brewing:
- Mashing: Grains and malted barley are steeped in hot water to break down starches into fermentable sugars, producing a sweet liquid called wort.
- Boiling & Jumping: The wort is brought to a boil, and hops are added at different stages to contribute bitterness, aroma, and flavor complexity.
- Fermentation: Yeast is pitched into the cooled wort to convert sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This stage defines the beer's character and body.
- Conditioning & Packaging: Beer is conditioned (lagered or matured) to let flavors develop and smooth out. Craft brewers sometimes add fruits, dry hops, or adjuncts here before bottling or kegging.
Key Differences from Mass-Produced Beer:
- Small Batches: Typically produced by independent breweries in smaller quantities and with a versatile flavor profile.
- Quality Ingredients: Focus on using quality, often local, ingredients.
- No Preservatives: Generally free of unnatural additives.
Best Craft Beer Brands Available at GotoLiquorStore From Your Local Store and Brewery.
Shop from these top-rated independent craft breweries in our collection:
Craft Beer Trends in 2026
The craft beer industry continues to evolve rapidly. Here are the biggest trends shaping what's in your glass this year:
- Experimental Brewing: Craft brewers are pushing flavor boundaries with coffee, cacao, exotic tropical fruits, chilies, and barrel-aging in wine or spirit barrels.
- Brewery Collaborations: Two or more craft breweries team up to create exclusive, limited-edition releases that blend their unique styles and fan bases.
- Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer: One of the fastest-growing segments in craft brewing, full flavor, zero alcohol, driven by health-conscious consumers.
- Gluten-Free Options: Craft breweries are increasingly producing dedicated gluten-free beers using alternative grains, making the category more inclusive.
- Organic & Sustainable Brewing: Environmentally conscious drinkers are gravitating toward beers brewed with certified organic ingredients and sustainable methods.
FAQs
What makes craft beer different from regular beer?
Craft beer is produced by small, independent breweries using quality ingredients, innovative recipes, and traditional techniques. Regular commercial beers are brewed in huge quantities, prioritizing consistency and low cost, often at the expense of flavor complexity and character.
What is the most popular craft beer style?
IPAs (India Pale Ales) are consistently the best-selling craft beer style in the US, loved for their bold hop bitterness and aromatic profiles. Stouts, wheat beers, and pale ales are also among the top choices.
Can I order craft beer online for delivery?
Yes, GotoLiquorStore lets you browse craft beer from local stores near you and get your order delivered or picked up the same day. Search by style, brand, or price to find your perfect brew.
Is craft beer stronger than regular beer?
Craft beer can range widely in alcohol content. Session ales can be as low as 3-4% alcohol by volume (ABV), while imperial stouts and barleywines can exceed 10-12% alcohol by volume (ABV).
Is craft beer available in gluten-free options?
Yes. Many craft breweries now produce dedicated gluten-free beers using sorghum, millet, buckwheat, or rice. You can filter our craft beer collection by gluten-free to find options that work for your dietary needs.
Where to Buy Craft Beer Online?
You can buy local craft Beer at the GotoLiquorStore. We offer delivery from nearby liquor stores we partner with. If you prefer, you can also place a pickup order from a store. If there are no stores nearby, you can place a shipping order for your desired product, even if you're in another state, and we will ship it to you. Why search everywhere when you can find everything in one place!
