Are you seeing competition improving quality?

I don't have a lot to contribute except:
Due South is way better than when they first started.
Funky Buddha Oakland had a lot to learn when it came to large volume brewing, but they are finally on par with Boca.
Rapp brewing is on equal quality with Cigar City in my book.
The best beers I've had have come from breweries that don't have a location yet. J Wakefield, Wild Oak, Tangent, Angry Chair.
Wynwood is making solid ass beers and are very new.
Saltwater has to get it's shit together.

 

Locally, not really (improvements at least not because of competition). they have a sort of cooperative, team approach as local breweries. Very odd to me.

I am looking forward to the increased distribution of great breweries. Hopefully this will keep less than stellar local places in check. Founder's and Victory are two recent examples that come to mind.

 

Yes and No.

New breweries have a higher bar to get started (and stay)-lots of competition for handle space or taproom stools.

Older established brewers which may have offerings that remain solid with good following aren't changing their flagships to match the trends. They may not have highly rate beers but usually have solid lineups. If quality is ratings then no but I would argue that is not an adequate measure of quality. Highland in Asheville (20 years of brewing) is an example.

 

Right. The beers that our little niche geeks out over are not the beers that keep a great brewery running. Dogfishhead wouldn't be doing any of their experimentation without steady sales of 60 minute IPA. Hopslam wouldn't exist if it weren't for 2-Hearted and Oberon. Without Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale they wouldn't be doing half of the collaborations and specialty beers they do. Sam Adams Utopias don't exist without Boston Lager. etc. etc. I'll stop now...