Coming Home to Local Beer

If it's equally enjoyable and fresh, local gets my money.

But I don't pass on beers brewed elsewhere just because they aren't local, especially when there's no local counterpart.

 

I will certainly be sure to try local beers of the styles I like, but I won't buy them over out-of-area favorites unless they are better. To me, being local does not add to the taste, it has to stand out on its own merits. I've had a couple of locals that I'll get again, though they're not in my top 20.

 

Mediocre local beer is not fun for me anymore. Competition is too stiff. With that, locals now produce some of the best I have ever had.

I feel bad for those who may have only one or two local options that sort of suck. Support them but at the same time, try to encourage a better product

 

I could drink California beers for the remainder of my life and be completely satisfied, except for Founders beers such as KBS, Founders Breakfast Stout, Backwoods Bastard, Imperial Stout, Porter, Curmudgeon, Sumatra Mountain Brown, these I will always seek out and enjoy.

 

Buying local is a first world problem for me....

 

I like locals such as Oskar Blues, Founders, GI, Prairie, etc. They are all locals to someone.

 

Well, I do feel my locals are freaking amazing and definitely love to support them. Even the most dive-y bars have something worth drinking and going to shows means enjoying a Heady or SOS alongside the music.

Still, it's exciting to get out of state brews, especially on draft, and I always love to give them a try. It's like a road trip without having to go very far or spend gas money.

 

I think I'm more of a "region" guy. New England/ North East beers always seem much more traditional and balanced to me (compared to west coast), and that's usually what I look for. All of my favorite breweries are relatively close to each other (Dogfish Head, Smuttynose, Allagash, Ommegang).

 

I buy regional beers, but most of the local brews aren't as exciting as those in 2 surrounding states.

 

I tend to give locals the nod over their more far-flung counterparts but that's easy enough to do with the options at hand in MA. If I lived somewhere with fewer good local options this policy would likely be subjected to review and revision.

 

I like to support locals (estimate 60% of my drinking), but subjective quality is always the determining factor if deciding between beers I've already had.

 

I support all the local breweries that can/bottle. While I've visited a few of the other draft-only places, I just find it difficult to set aside a time to drive downtown and get a beer. Between training, working, and training - sometimes the only time I can drink a beer is 9 PM after a track workout. I won't be driving around looking for a beer at that point.

Martin City is perhaps one of my favorite local breweries, and the one I've tried the most offerings from. I've dedicated entire NBS days just to what they are doing. It's not necessarily because they are the best in town, but rather they can 6pks and bottle in bombers quite frequently. So it's easy to snag some of their offerings and drink them at my leisure.

 

I buy a lot of locally produced beer but a big factor here is that I have lots of high quality breweries in my area. If this wasn't the case I would likely be buying non-local.

Cheers!

@LuskusDelph

 

Of course I want to support locals be they brewers, bakers or others. Yet I have to ask if they want my support don't they have a reciprocal duty to support me?

Last week I spotted a fresh batch of a local imperial red ale which I have reviewed and rated 4.06. This label was first introduced in a 4 pack of 16 oz cans for $6.99, now it's offered in a 4 pack of 12 oz cans for $10.99.

Within arms reach was a 6 pack of 12 oz Lagunitas Lucky 13 Mondo Red which I have reviewed and rated 4.08. The price of this one was $8.99.

So, two brews that I like equally. I can have either 4 for $10.99 or 6 for $8.99. Which of these brewers is supporting me?

 

I could happily subsist on a diet of beers within 59.6 miles from my home (amended to include HF) with the caveat that I could continue to enjoy "local" beers when travelling. One of my favorite things to do is visit other states and try their brews at the source.

 

MA drinker here. So Many good, fresh local options. I buy Rodenbach and Sierra Nevada for stuff not local , that's it. Some VT stuff when traveling for mt bike stuff. Most within 50 miles. Smuttynose, Harpoon, Jacks Abby, Notch, Cambridge Brewing, Nightshift, Wormtown, Wachusett. etc. And world class. Newer one like Castle Island, Exhibit A, Building 8 are great too. No CA stuff.

 

I don't care if it's brewed on Mars, if it's good, I'm drinking it over the mediocre local breweries in my city

 

Tell the local brewery to shove it.

 

I like the idea of being part of a community and here in Maine and Portland specifically we have a great selection of breweries. I'd prefer a little less obsession with IPA's but thats the industry as a whole (I love IPA's for the record just not that every email from my bottle shop has 7 new IPA's, I like SOME variety). Still I am happy to buy local beers if they are good and I guess would prefer to do so over something similar out of state... I also like to travel though and love exploring other beer communities..