microbrew

noun

mi·​cro·​brew ˈmī-krō-ˌbrü 

: a beer produced by a microbrewery

microbrewed

ˈmī-krō-ˌbrüd 

adjective

microbrewing

ˈmī-krō-ˌbrü-iŋ 

noun

Did you know?

Microbrews are usually beers or ales made with special malts and hops, unfiltered and unpasteurized, and thus distinctive in their aroma and flavor. Many microbreweries double as bar/restaurants, called brewpubs, where the gleaming vats may be visible behind a glass partition. "Craft brewing" and the opening of local brewpubs began in earnest in the U.S. in the 1980s. But not everyone is willing to pay extra for a beer, and lots of people are simply used to the blander taste of the best-selling beers, so by 2008 microbrews still only accounted for about 4% of all beer sold in the U.S.

Examples of microbrew in a Sentence

The restaurant serves several locally produced microbrews.

Recent Examples on the Web

For all the new, some familiar traditions will remain, including proper high tea service and, naturally, an outpost of the Golden Lion pub pouring Cunard’s own microbrews. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023

Nothing beats a lobster or crab sandwich and a microbrew at this shack with a terrace overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Tête d’Allumette: In St.-André-de-Kamouraska, this microbrewery uses a traditional wood fire to brew the beers served in the pub or on the terrace. —Nina Caplan, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2023

Closer to the beach is Howler’s Beach Lounge, an al fresco spot that has the best carpaccio and fish tacos in town, plus Costa Rican microbrews on tap. —Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 July 2023

Food and microbrew trucks start serving at 6:30 p.m. in the green space. —oregonlive, 27 June 2023

Both Seattle and Portland had more than twice the national average for consumption of microbrews or craft beers, which was 18%. —Gene Balk, Anchorage Daily News, 26 May 2023

Mnuw Restaurant & Nautical Bar serves crowd-pleasing food and drinks — including microbrews from Yap’s own Stone Money Brewing Company — aboard a 170-foot phinisi schooner that's docked in front of Manta Ray Bay Resort. —Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2023

That may mean dipping into the hotel spa for a pre-flight treatment or indulging in a few microbrews before getting a cab to DIA. —Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2023

Visitors will find endless entertainment within the village of Big Bear, from brunch at Teddy Bear Restaurant to midday microbrews at Big Bear Lake Brewing Company. —Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above