Beginning in the 1970s, a renewed interest in artisan beer began to emerge in countries in Europe and North America, with Britain leading the charge. This trend, which has not slackened over the ensuing years, was a direct response to the streamlined production, generic taste, and market hegemony of Big Beer.
另一方面，早自 1970 年代起，歐美國家就以英國為首，展開一場迄今方興未艾的工藝啤酒復興運動，以反制大型酒廠的機械化作業、大眾化口味乃至強勢的行銷包裝；而與台灣背景類似的日本乃至對岸的中國，也從十多年前起投入啤酒產業的多元發展（請見副篇「全球啤酒文化脈動」）。