Anybody else noticing positive changes in their local beer?

A sixtel (5.3g) is only 40 pints. You, me and a few "homeboys" could kill a keg in a night.

 

I love positive changes. It was better than 'Cats.' I'm going to see it again and again.

 

It depends on how local you want to get, because I live in rural Moab, UT. Our local brewery here has improved quite a bit. I still don't like most of their 4% tap line but they do a "desert select" line now in bottles to go. Still, the liquor store hasn't improved. I can get a minor selection, mainly from the big guys like deschutes, uinta, and a few different full sails. They are always the same though. I have an interests page on facebook for all the brewery pages (mainly Colorado and Oregon). Looking at their updates makes me sad inside. There is so much going on out in the beer world that I feel I'm missing out on.

 

We are on the rise, no doubt about it!

 

In Wisconsin, our beer availability is overall good (compared to say, North Dakota), but I find that our neighbors by far get better distribution. Except maybe Iowa. For instance, why is Deschutes expanding to Ohio, Pennsylvania and Iowa (and already distribute to Minnesota and Illinois) but seem to be ignoring Wisconsin? Stone, Dogfish Head, etc. do not distribute here but do so in Minnesota and Illinois.. same for Boulevard, Firestone Walker.

I mean I love New Glarus as much as the next guy in Wisconsin but I'd like to be able to drive 5 minutes to buy a six pack of Black Butte rather than the 50 minutes it takes to drive to the IL border.

 

Southeastern Virginia has breweries popping up left and right now, which I enjoy. And the already established ones are steadily improving! Smartmouth recently started brewing a Hefe which is actually fucking great, and being that it's one of my favorite styles, I've been so stoked on local beer lately. O'Connors, Beach Brewing, and Back Bay are all rolling out new beers at a pretty good rate, so life is good beer wise right now.

 

Yeah, MA now has a number of great breweries that opened up. And a bunch of them aren't contract breweries either. Now I just need something local that tastes like Hunahpu's.

 

now if you would just deliver some kegs to Buffalo ...........screw it! I will make the 6 hour trek to Jerz!

 

I have noticed that most of the liquor stores are carrying more of the bigger brands of craft like Boston Brewing company and New Belgium. Nothing amazing but its refreshing to be able to get Fat Tire, Ranger, or a seasonal BBC sixer in rural Indiana.

Some stores are also sporting craft coolers with a handful of good offerings from Bells, Founder, Sierra Nevada, and occasionally 3 Floyds as well. Definitely a big difference form about 2 years ago.

 

They probably sell a bunch of 'em, just not to those of us who are geeks about beer. Maybe Joe Sixpack grabs a couple 22's instead of his usual sixer. Those of us on BA/RB are a very small minority of craft beer consumers.

 

Duluth is all about craft beer right now. So many breweries and the selection is getting better all the time

 

I love that Publix super markets have been selling craft beers. At least now I don't have to travel as far when looking for a milk stout.

 

North Carolina is definitely stepping its game up. Most of our local options are pretty reasonably priced. As low as 7.99 for a 6pack on up to 12.99 for like a Duck-Rabbit seasonal. And there really are some good every day options too. I now count Oskar Blues as local, because everything that has come out of Brevard has been insane delicious so far. Later this year I'll be proud to call Sierra Nevada my favorite cheap local beer. I guess New Belgium too..
Cant wait until NoDa and Wicked Weed start bottling and distributing, its going to be beautiful.

 

Living near Chicago craft beer is booming. Pipeworks, Spiteful, 18th Street, and Solemn Oath (bottling next year) are recent additions. The Selections are getting better with Deschutes and Gigantic coming to the scene this year. I hope this trend continues for all states.