How's your local beer culture?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by BBThunderbolt, Mar 3, 2015.

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  1. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    How well ingrained into daily life is beer in your area? I got thinking about this the other day, when I saw in our local paper that one of the bicycle shops in town had gotten a liquor license, and added a few taps. The PNW has a very strong beer culture, it just shows up everywhere. Even the lowest dive bar in town has some craft taps, you can good beer at a bookstore, and while getting a haircut. Even when we drive up into the hills to go shooting, a good percent of the "targets" laying around are craft bottles and cans. One of our city councilmen just posted a vacation pic, and he's wearing a logo T-shirt from a local brewery.

    How is it in other places? Do y'all just have a few "beer bars" that carry craft, or is widely available? How's the selection at grocery stores and mini-marts? Distro and breweries? Craft beer has grown a lot, and there's room for more growth, and as it grows it's gotta be an improvement for all, right? Thoughts and comments?
     
  2. NeroFiddled

    NeroFiddled Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,276) Jul 8, 2002 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Washington... of course. I was guessing Portland though.

    I'm in Philly, which is a beer town, but it's nothing like the PNW. It's very much a draft town, and in that sense I'm not sure there is a lot of room for growth - there are only so many taps, right? What I'm seeing happen, and which I hope will continue to happen, is that some of the lesser quality brews will lose their place in a lot of bars lineups. On the other hand, a lot of good beers are getting kicked to the curb for the "newest" or "biggest" or "weirdest" - which is not good at all.
     
  3. Reds76

    Reds76 Initiate (0) Nov 3, 2014 Maine

    Strong to very strong.
     
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  4. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,710) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'd say it is fucking awesome, thank you.

    EDIT: I do have a complaint about bringing minors though. We have a kid and some places I'd like to go to are 21+, and that pisses me off. I prefer to spend time with my family and don't like to have to choose. Family always wins.
     
    #4 Orca, Mar 3, 2015
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2015
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  5. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,846) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    What, in your eyes, makes that way? Great local breweries? Great availability? Sensible alcohol laws?
     
  6. tjumfrid

    tjumfrid Initiate (0) Jun 15, 2013 Arizona

    Here in Phoenix the craft beer culture is expanding rapidly. About six years ago there were just a few breweries in town, now they are popping up everywhere. Really great breweries too. There have been about 6 new breweries open up in the metro area within the last 4 months.

    We get a wide selection of beers from across the country and the globe as well.
     
  7. ChangSing

    ChangSing Zealot (640) May 5, 2013 Illinois
    Trader

    I'm in a western suburb of Chicago, and where Im at while we don't obviously have the options of craft beer bars as you would find downtown, the suburbs of Chicago have quite the number of breweries blowing up. I can honestly think of about 8 easily off the top of my head that are 30 minutes from my house..rent is much cheaper in the collar counties than in the city.There's also one of the best bars in all of Chicago just a mile from my house. And it's a pretty interesting mix of people..your stereotypical skinny jean wearing hipsters to your business folks. It's a large tent as they say.
     
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  8. Reds76

    Reds76 Initiate (0) Nov 3, 2014 Maine

    Thats a fair question. Maine Beer Co., Bissell Brothers, Allagash, Banded Horn, Oxbow, Foundation, Austin Street and Rising Tide make some of my favorite beers of all time. Solid distro - especially considering where we are geographically. I think that may be because the winters are LONG and beer consumption goes way up - maybe I'm just speaking for me :wink: I grew up in PA which has ridiculous alcohol laws so Maine has been a great change related to that. But really my initial - granted very lazy - post was just one of my favorite obscure quotes from a great movie… What movie was it?!?!?!?
     
  9. frazbri

    frazbri Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2003 Ohio

    Greatly improved here, but it's still a long way from beervana.

    Almost every decent restaurant or bar has at least some good beer, and local breweries are popping up, but there are a lot more places that don't sell, or understand good beer.
     
  10. SaisonRichBiere

    SaisonRichBiere Pooh-Bah (2,033) Mar 23, 2011 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    In Michigan it's awesome. Lots of great breweries making great beers. Too many beers to keep up with at times. Plenty of releases, festivals, etc. I love being in the mitten.

    I had the fortune of visiting Reno/Tahoe and Phoenix earlier this year, and those were both great beer scenes as well. I always like checking out the local beer vibes wherever I travel.
     
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  11. BuffaloBrasky

    BuffaloBrasky Initiate (0) Sep 26, 2014 California

    I live in Chico, CA, so as you can imagine the scene here is thriving. The funny thing is, if you ask most craft beer fanatics here what their favorite brewery is, very few would say Sierra Nevada. Maybe we're just spoiled like that, or contrarians. There are four or five bars here now that serve nothin but craft beer, from a great array of breweries. It's the good life!
     
  12. Genuine

    Genuine Maven (1,347) May 7, 2009 Connecticut

    I can honestly say that I'm generally happy with CT, MA and RI beer culture. I've met so many great people through beer and some are people that I've been friends with for the past 8 years. We have a few home brew clubs that meet locally and put on some great shows. Pretty stoked for this upcoming spring events.
     
  13. digitalflood

    digitalflood Pooh-Bah (1,600) Feb 4, 2011 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    It's flourishing in Orange County, NY. Lots of great bars with craft on tap. Easy access to most of the major craft sellers in local stores. Even some indie breweries popping up that make really great beer. The people are fairly friendly and willing to share their likes/dislikes/etc... and lots of homebrewing going on. Of course you run into the occasional jerk or hipster snob or such... but overall it's very good.
     
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  14. anth0ny

    anth0ny Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2012 Michigan

    Here in Grand Rapids, MI, insanely vibrant. There are at least 7 breweries within a couple miles of where I live. 15 breweries off the top of my head within 20 miles of my house. Annual events like Founders Fest and Michigan Winter Beer Fest draw thousands. Every grocery store has a bare minimum of Bells, Founders, Short's and SN flagship beers. Most of bars and restaurants that serve drinks have craft offerings, even the hole in the wall bars.
     
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  15. bvilord

    bvilord Initiate (0) Feb 14, 2015 Idaho

    Here in Boise things are going great and getting better each year. There are a number of great breweries and more opening up soon. We have nice bars and tap rooms with a good selection on tap. Even some of our grocery stores and gas stations have growler stations. Every year there are a number of great beer festivals and events.
     
  16. Biff_Tannen

    Biff_Tannen Initiate (0) Dec 8, 2013 Missouri

    Best in the country without question.
     
  17. Geuzedad

    Geuzedad Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2010 Arizona

    Have to agree with tjumfrid. Craft beer in the metro Phoenix area and across the state of Arizona is taking off like a rocket. Great breweries continue to open and the beer culture continues to expand rapidly. Great places like Fate, AZ Wilderness, Dubina, and Beer Research Institute to name just a few that are pushing limits and coming out with some pretty amazing stuff. And being next door to California has its perks as well. Lots of amazing brews come here from the San Diego area and also out of the great Northwest and Colorado as well as New Mexico. So yeah Arizona is a great place to be. Amazing beers, amazing folks, and great selection.
     
  18. do_ob

    do_ob Pooh-Bah (1,655) Feb 12, 2015 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    We're way behind on everything, including beer.

    Now if you'll excuse me, my Silver Bullet is getting warm and Saved By the Bell is getting ready to come on.
     
  19. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,710) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    So why do you have Missouri listed as your location?
     
  20. busternuggz

    busternuggz Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2008 California

    I'm so excited! I'm so scared!
     
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