Classics and the US Craft Beer Industry

This paper explores the reception of Classics by the US Craft Beer industry. It is grounded in a survey of all beer sold between 2011-2021 by the 7800 US breweries currently in operation. With more than 3000 beer names and can art designs with Classical themes (hereafter: Classically-themed, or “CT” beers), Classics represents one of the more common thematic categories of beer branding. Although brewers have accessed various aspects of Classics – from mythological figures to scholiasts’ names – for these efforts, the survey data reveal clear patterns in reception by state, region, brewer background, and beer style. This paper explores the CT beer phenomenon and provides insight into Classical reception by the “hipster”/millennial audiences that populate the industry to a large extent. To date, there has not been such a study for the US craft alcohol industry. While the study’s focus on a modern and popular art/entertainment complements other reception studies, like heavy metal music and video games (e.g., Fletcher and Umurhan 2020; Rollinger 2020), the US craft beer industry has little that directly connects it to Classics. Music and video games, for instance, often retell or re-frame Classical myths and stories, but the public widely recognizes that the Greeks and Romans much preferred wine to beer. The perspective from craft beer, therefore, is unique.

I begin with a discussion of the survey results. The categories of Classical references (e.g., mythology, history), most common CT beer names (most: “Et tu, Brew-te” [Brut IPA]), and distribution patterns by state (most: Connecticut/Pennsylvania), brewery (most: Mortalis Brewing), and style (most: IPA) are all presented. An examination of these data suggests that the use of Classics as a branding tool is largely owed to two seemingly contradictory influences: on the one hand, Classics is appealing because certain elements of Greco-Roman culture are universally known; on the other hand, its languages are often perceived as somewhat inaccessible and sophisticated. The former explains the abundant references to mythology – one of the most recognized elements of Classical culture – and the use of Classics puns (e.g., “Cycl-hops”). The second quality is indicated by the frequent association of Latin and Greek names with the higher priced and longer-aged ales. That such names are intended to convey a sense of seriousness, importance, high value, and quality is supported by the fact that Wild Ales and Imperial Stouts – the beers more often aged in oak/spirit barrels, adorned with refined bottle art, and sold for up to $80/bottle – are the most common beer types with these names (e.g., “Arte Tenebris”). This association is particularly pronounced in California where these names brand the beers as competitors, in a sense, to the state’s haute and established wine industry (Wild Ales are often compared with wine).

The paper concludes with a discussion of the possibilities to use the results and conclusions from the project for creative outreach and curriculum design. Session participants will also be given a guide to the CT-beers available in the Bay Area that are being sold during the Meetings.