Many of you consider “local” to be a lot wider range than I am considering. I’m only considering local to be the breweries right around me within 15-30 miles or so max (which is like 20 or so breweries). When I think local drinking it’s beers served at a brewery nearby, buying to-go beers, a local brewery beer served at a local restaurant in my area or maybe at a local retail store. Almost all of my locals sold in retail stores are mostly more expensive and lower quality than beers distributed in from further distance out. So I’m probably 20% local…mostly when I visit a brewery every couple weeks and have a pint or 2. My beer fridge right now: DFH Liquid Truth Serum IPA -150 miles away Schlafly Vanilla Pumpkin - very far Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest - very far Bells Tropical Hopslam - very far FoundersBackwoods Bastard - very far Evolution Amber Ale - 150 miles Ever Grain Iris West Coast IPA - maybe 50-60 miles away? Duechess Red - Belgium 3 F Gueze - Belgium nothing really local.
Definition of local seems to be a sticking point here. I'm going to go with the Whole Foods definition of "withing 100 miles of your location." Pretty much, if you could make a day trip to the brewery and not have being in the car and visiting the brewery be your whole day.
I specifically did not define local and permitted each BA to do so. Maybe some BA would have no compunction driving x hours to buy beer so…. I just purchased a 12-pack of a locally brewed IPA (brewery less than 15 miles from me) and I purchased it at my local Retail Beer Distributors (about a mile from my house). Cheers!
Perhaps. It just seems like I read a lot of posts from members, lauding the quality of their local beer scene. 15 or 20 years ago, then sure, I would have expected the percentage to be well under 50%. When I lived in Baltimore back in 2007 to 2012, I would have voted no. A lot has changed since 2012.
Can you list the top 5 or 10 ‘local” breweries that you purchase ? Curious as what is the majority are . TY
For me it is definitely a NO. We in (AZ) get drops from all over the country coast to coast ,so im lucky . I will buy 10-12 singles of drops every 2 weeks or so , the rest in between are regional favorites like FW Union Jack Elevated and several macros like Hamm’s High - Life and Banquet.
Our local SD breweries seem to make good beers that other locals like, though few that match my style preferences. In other words, they seem to make mostly bitter, or puckeringly sour, or blah weak beers, while I prefer strong/BA dark beers and pastry/smoothie sours. My bad, can't blame them for chasing the money.
Without a doubt it has shifted that way over the last several years. I drink at local breweries, take home their cans and often buy more local stuff at the store such as Wegmans. I will now only occasionally buy non-local beer at the store.
I do! My go-to breweries are Drekker, Surly, Brewing Projekt, Kros Strain, Humble Forager, Central Waters, Goose Island (for BCBS), Boulevard, and RaR. I've reviewed every available Drekker since 2019, that's how I got to like sours and tolerate IPAs.
Well, the 'best' locally brewed beers are my homebrewed beers in my cellar. I am presently drinking a homebrewed Bitter Ale as I type this post. I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia and a 'top 5' list I can provide is: Von C Brewing (mostly draft at the brewery) Troubles End (mostly draft at the brewery) Sly Fox Victory East Branch I am also still a fan of Yards Brewery located in Philly. The Philly brewery that gets lots of accolades in Philly is Human Robot. I have enjoyed their beers at beer festivals and I have visited their recently opened satellite taproom in New Hope a couple of times this summer. Lots of others I could mention but back to enjoying my homebrewed Bitter Ale as I watch the baseball game. Cheers!
It does depend on what you consider local, of course... I think I am more into this general area than ever before, although still all over the place in total. When you consider northeast Ohio, there is still a ton of breweries and a lot producing great product - and me still not having nearly enough of them.
I define local as any of the breweries within 30minutes drive, but not Portland (~3hr drive) so I’m probably a little over 50% local with most of the rest being Portland and WA state breweries.
About eight years ago, I found myself perusing the shelves for about 40 minutes trying and failing to make up my mind about what beer to buy. I decided then and there to make things a bit easier on myself by drinking primarily local beer, which isn't hard to do here in Chicago. I've never looked back.
I am a BIG fan of Fat Head’s beers. I feel fortunate that we get some of the brands here in SEPA. Cheers!
Texas, being big, means there is alot more space between cities/ towns here than on the East Coast. "Local" can sometimes be a little more forgiving of a word here.
I would say 80-90% of the beers I drink are not necessarily “local” but are at least brewed in my state (Ohio). I have maybe 5 breweries that I know produce a consistently good product and are worth the money. My days of taking a gamble on $20+ 4 packs from some new brewery are over.
