Answers.Body: <p>That is the difference. The distinction is purely one of size, and exists mainly for purposes of trade and legal organization. The gulf between the two wasn't always so large, but as the Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) has grown, the standard for 'Craft Brewing' has been increased to allow for their continued categorization as a Craft Brewer. Even with the increases, the gulf in capacity between 'craft' and the various major macrobrewers is so large as to render the adjustments to the definition of 'craft' largely benign. The additional standards that a so called 'craft' brewery must restrict the use of cheap adjuncts in their grain bill keeps out the few smaller regional breweries that might otherwise fall under the umbrella. There's no 'craft' in making cheap alcohol water out of rice and corn. </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-23T13:17:39.243Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-01-23T13:25:28.247Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-01-23T13:25:28.247Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: LessPop_MoreFizz
Body: <p>Microbreweries make less than 15,000 barrels per year, and craft breweries make less than 6,000,000 barrels per year.  </p>
  
  <p>Aside from this distinction, are there any differences in the styles of production by the two entities?  If there's no difference in production technique, why make this distinction at all?</p>
  
Tags: <brewing><breweries><production>
Title: Aside from the number of barrels they produce, what is the main difference between a craft brewery and a microbrewery?
UserDisplayName: jonsca
ThreadText: # Aside from the number of barrels they produce, what is the main difference between a craft brewery and a microbrewery?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-23)
  
  Microbreweries make less than 15,000 barrels per year, and craft breweries make less than 6,000,000 barrels per year.
  
  Aside from this distinction, are there any differences in the styles of production by the two entities? If there's no difference in production technique, why make this distinction at all?
  
  **Tags:** brewing, breweries, production
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2014-01-23. Score: 9 | Accepted answer
  
  That is the difference. The distinction is purely one of size, and exists mainly for purposes of trade and legal organization. The gulf between the two wasn't always so large, but as the Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) has grown, the standard for 'Craft Brewing' has been increased to allow for their continued categorization as a Craft Brewer. Even with the increases, the gulf in capacity between 'craft' and the various major macrobrewers is so large as to render the adjustments to the definition of 'craft' largely benign. The additional standards that a so called 'craft' brewery must restrict the use of cheap adjuncts in their grain bill keeps out the few smaller regional breweries that might otherwise fall under the umbrella. There's no 'craft' in making cheap alcohol water out of rice and corn.
  
  
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