Does anyone buy mediocre beer just because it's local?

I was up in Vermont last summer and was almost overwhelmed with the beer culture there

 

I've lived here for two years and I'm still overwhelmed man! As soon as I get over something another amazing Brewery pops up or starts canning! The fact that I can go to multiple bars in town that have to repeatedly tell tourists that they don't have any BMC is awesome.

 

I support my local breweries (Sarasota/Bradenton), and while they are making a great one-off here and there, most of the beers made I would classify as "solid" but not great. Nonetheless, I choose to give them some love, because they are in my community, but I would not say they get a majority of my beer money.

 

I laugh at local fan boys like that. If two products are of equal quality, definitely go local. But those that waste their money on mediocre beer bease it's local and try to say it's better than it is make me laugh

 

Like a lot of other people commenting here, I also don't intentionally buy mediocre local beer. But if I've never had it and it turns out that way then what can you do? Notta. But I also think that supporting local breweries (more specific to newer, 2-8 years) can only mean giving them time to progress and brew awesome beer down the road and I'm totally okay with that. And NO I'm not saying that new breweries don't/can't brew good beer.

 

Sam headquarters is local but they brew in OH and PA. Not a fan of Jacks Abby, Nighshift, Cape Ann, CBC, Trillium, Clownshoes, or Treehouse? To name a few. Really? YRMV. I too love my Sierra Nevada but MA has wealth of great breweries.

 

One of the benefits of local is fresher. Most of the time. Choosing time, 4 days old, 4 weeks old, which is going to taste better? Assuming you have had the beers before and know what you getting into. With the exception of Sierra Nevada and the occasional Rodenbach, all I buy is local Local being within say 75 miles or so. Same goes for supporting local farms etc.

 

That's a great point. I only repeat buy if I'm going to be drinking for an extended period of time, and want to know I'll like the 6 or 12-pack I'm drinking. If I'm buying a bomber, draught, or 4-pack or something to split with my wife, it's almost always something new.

 

Of course I love and buy the local beers I know and can find. I just think some of the main NE breweries aren't as good as some of the better national craft breweries in different states. Sam Adams is good, but like I said not too many great beers. I love Night Shift, but they are still growing. What they have available is good. I haven't tried Trillium, I want some Treehouse, and Clown Shoes, I just haven't gotten too into all of their beers and where I can get them and afford them all yet. I just vote non-local because though I do like the better local breweries, at the same time if a local brew is mediocre, I'd rather get a good beer that isn't local. Of course though there are many great beers locally around here. If I was stuck with the option of only having to choose beers from New England or MA I wouldn't be too bummed, other than the fact that I can't get the other beers that I like from elsewhere.

 

We should re-define "local". TO ME, LOCAL is/are the breweries in the city in which you live ONLY! But that's also dumbing down the fun! Are we talking about a 10 mile radius, 50 miles? The state in which you live?

 

What was the original definition and why does it need redefining?

 

Unfortunately, mediocre brews seem to be a growing problem here and probably in most markets due to the burgeoning craft beer scene. I will try them initially just out of support, but beyond that, they have to compete for my sobriety!

 

I'll try most of the local beers when I can find them in singles, and if they are mediocre.. well, I'll obviously never buy them again.

 

Same as post 2. I will try local beer 9/10 times despite reputation. A tester. Or pint. But im not gonna go out and get a case with blind pallet.

 

I try to support local breweries, and by "local" I'm talking about in-state breweries. If I try 3 styles of their beers and they are all average, then I won't buy another beer from them. But generally it's all or none, if they brew one style good, they usually brew most styles good. I don't support local breweries for the sake of it, no.

 

I appreciate the honesty of the 11% that acknowledge they buy local mediocre beer--I am guessing they are buying it knowing it to be so and not the tried it once and didn't buy again--all of us have done that.

I wonder why the 11% do it--are you supporting in hopes they will survive and get better? Locavore movement? Friend owns the place? Cool place but so so stuff? I can't imagine availability to good non-local stuff is the issue anymore.

 

I love to support local, so good thing for me Chicago area has great breweries!

 

I never intentionally buy anything mediocre, or what's mediocre to me (there is quite a bit of subjectivity involved). If it happens then I can simply say I've tried it and I move on the my next choice. But I do like to try local whether I'm home (I guess Victory is my closest local brewery) or traveling.

 

I suspect the actual percentage of "yes" people is dramatically underrepresented in that poll...

 

No doubt. The wording of the question and answers. Any reasonable person could expect to be demonized in that poll with the minority answer. Even more so once you read a few of the strong replies from the majority.