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What's all the brew ha ha about American craft beer? You see them on tap at your favorite watering hole; they stare at you on the shelves at specialty beer stores, and they've even invaded local grocery stores. Your friends are dropping words like "IBU" and "high gravity" while downing a cold one.

Most American craft beers are high gravity, a term used in the brewing industry when referring to beers that are brewed with a strong alcohol content. Generally it's any beer over 7 percent alcohol by volume (abv); they can range from 7 percent to 14 percent.

Needless to say, less is more when it comes to craft beer. Gravity is a measurement of the density of the beer compared to water. Brewers use an instrument called a hydrometer to determine the density of the beer before, during and after fermentation.

The emergence of craft beer has taken the country by storm over the past several years. Today is a great time to be a beer lover, and as a nation, we have more beer styles and beer brands than any other market in the world. In 2001 there were 1,753 breweries operating, the highest total since the late-1800's. Growth of the craft brewing industry in 2010 was an estimated $7.6 billion with 11 percent by volume and 12 percent by dollars. In Charleston alone three independent breweries have emerged: Coast, Westbrook, and Holy City.

A craft brewer is defined as being small, independent and traditional. Small, meaning an annual production of 6 million barrels or less. Independent meaning less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is controlled or owned by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer. And traditional is defined as a brewer who has an all malt flagship or at least 50 percent of its volume is either all malt beers or in beers, which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten, flavor. The Brewers Association has defined 140 beer styles.

Craft brewers are also small brewers who believe in innovation. They interpret historical styles with unique twists and develop new styles that have no precedent. For example, Delaware's Dogfish Head's slogan is "Off centered stuff for off centered people." Their new twists and new styles include Chicory Stout with a touch of roasted chicory and organic Mexican coffee or Festina Peche brewed with peach concentrate. And who would have thought of brewing ale with black chai tea and juniper berries as found in Sah Tea Ale?

There are enough flavor profiles for everyone from refreshing pale ales to heavy stouts brewed with coffee.

Craft brewers also tend to be very involved in their communities through philanthropy, product donations, volunteerism and sponsorship of events. SweetWater Brewing Company in Atlanta is recognized as a champion for clean water throughout the Southeast with their Save The River Campaign. Stone Brewing Company's Japanese Green Tea IPA sales' proceeds were given to the Japanese Red Cross after the earthquake. Stone pledged the sum to be a minimum of 50,000.00.

A few other concepts that apply to craft breweries are as follows: They have distinctive, individualistic approaches to connecting with their customers. They maintain integrity by what they brew and by their independence, free from a substantial interest by a non-craft brewer. And the majority of Americans live within ten miles of a craft brewer.

So now that you know you're within a few miles of a craft beer, what do you order? An IPA, an American Porter, an American Barley wine…? It's time to step up and see what all the brew ha ha is about.

The next beer series will feature the styles of American craft beer along with food pairing suggestions by Executive Chef Matt Brigham of Laura Alberts. The series will continue to appear monthly in the online version of The Moultire News.

Laura Alberts Tasteful Options was established in 2002 by mother-daughter duo Laura Leppert and Karen Elsey.