Anybody else noticing positive changes in their local beer?

You're calling Prairie local?

And you get Three Floyds in Sacramento?

I think I'm missing something.

 

I like that RI is stepping up its game (Foolproof hitting the scene and Grey Sail continuing to do well). What bums me out is that local beer is priced the same as out of state beer. Where's the homeboy discount? I don't need a ton, but when a brewery located 3 miles from me charges more for a six pack than Long Trail who is 4 hours from me, well, it's a bummer.

 

Stop bragging!

I do see a little of what you're saying in the Boston area. There are definitely more new breweries and more options than ever. The thing is, for the most part, it's "mid level" stuff, and the prices aren't really coming down. But, then again, we just don't have the breweries in MA that are pumping out barrel aged stuff like you do in CA. I might find a Clown Shoes BA bomber for $13 sitting next to a Boulevard BA 750 for $15. Or a Cisco $20 sour sitting right next to a Bruery $20 sour. Jack's Abby, bless them, seem to be the lone exception to the rule at the moment.

Now, that said, there is so much good beer out there on shelves right now that I'm hardly hurting for anything. If I miss out on one release then I'll probably just stumble across the next one. So from that standpoint, yes, there is more good beer than ever on shelves. But, craft beer is also more popular then ever, so I'm finding any one specific beer harder to get than it was a couple of years ago. So as long as I want "a good beer", and not "this specific good beer", I can leave the store happy.

 

Yes I have. Kane Brewing now exists, NJ now has great beers (especially the hoppy stuff!).

 

I don't trade yet so I almost always just drink shelf beers. I notice a lot of them keep me very happy, and that shelf-turds can still be great. As I am new to the TX beer scene, I am still working my way through a bunch of the regular lineups for my 'local' breweries. It's great that very good beers are abundant.

On the other hand, a few breweries in Austin have just average beers and weren't ready to go commerical IMO (or worse, average and overpriced).

I'd actually like to see more amateur type tasting events (for people without deep cellars and trading partners) where most people don't bring the latest Super-Awesome-Brewery one-off and BA DL verticals, but bring their favorite or new shelf-beers (or out of distro and rares if they want). People would just talk about the beers. What they smell and taste, free from concerns of procurement and rarity. But hype and rarity make everything taste better, so such a beer-egalitarian event is just a dream.

 

The stuff I have tried from Kane and Carton have been phenominal. I'm also excited to see what Rin Duin starts putting out when they go online.

 

Over the past year quite a few new breweries have hit my state. I am also noticing more craft selections at restaurants. We are still way behind average, but making progress.

 

Head High kicks ass! Just got to sample a fresh keg tapping at The Office in Ridgewood this past weekend.

 

I think it competes with the best IPAs around!

 

In Minnesota beer seems to be the next big thing. Every liquor store seems to be dedicating more shelf space to craft beers, and I see more bars adding more craft beer taps. There is a lot of great beer being brewed here now, and it's actually getting the love that it deserves.

 

I went to go try some at Poor Henry's in Montville and it was kicked already. They said it was the record for the fastest they ever finished a sixtel, 1.5 days.

 

Washington has gone from around 140 breweries a couple years ago to around 180 today—not too shabby for a state with less than 7 million people. A number of new, good breweries have popped up in Seattle just in the past year or two. Both quantity and quality are on an upward trend. Plenty of options on both the low and high ends on price as well.

 

Thing I don't like about new brewers... They'll brew a tasty Amber, IPA, Brown what have you, then they'll put it in bombers and charge $6+ for it. Seriously nobody's gonna buy that besides for the tick.

 

Especially loyal homeboys - maybe we could get some kind of frequent buyer card or some such?

There is a lot more selection of "imports" from other states in general in my area of the state - I think the stores are simply "ramping up" on the selection to some degree. Usually these are not complete lines, but usually a decent variety.

The local brews (in state) are really coming on pretty strong too - pretty much mentioned already. Jack's ABby, Foolproof, Mayflower are all doing nicely. VERY local - Berkley Brewing in the town next to me is doing quite well - a perfectly tasty line of brews at the $4.99 price point for 22 ounces. BA-style hype-worthy? No - but I can drink that all day long as a decent brew at a good price made by good folks.

 

I am in the same camp as you when it comes to trading. I have slowed down due the the ever improving selection here in the Sacto area. Not only are we finally getting beers the rest of the state has been getting but also the local scene has exploded and new beers are on the shelves all the time.