Drink Local! No thanks.

For me, "Local" starts with the home town, mine fortunately being Chicago. Then there is "in state" local. After that is "midwest" local which, for me, includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota for the most part. After that is USA local which, for me, includes brewers owned and operated solely in the U.S.

Drinking local is a great way to support your local economy. That's why I tend to start with what's being made close to home and work my way outward. Quality, freshness and personal preference are my guides.

 

I support quite a few local breweries like Great Lakes, Fat Head's, and The Brew Kettle, but they deserve it because they make awesome beer. There's also some locals I rarely support because the beers aren't special. I support good beer overall. But drinking local is vital..

 

There are 3 breweries where I lived for 6 years (Bellingham). Recently Kulshan brewey opened up. The beers are ok but mainly I had a lot of friends who worked there and started it up so I drank there a lot. I liked the vibe and I liked the people who worked there. They had no intent on large scale distro. I drink at certain places where friends work and haven't been screwed over by their employers as a couple of the breweries have.

 

I'm in Evansville, IN, not exactly a micro/nano mecca. We have a pizza place that has been making it's own micro for roughly 15 years now. They were on the forefront of microbrewing, and their beer has always been average at best. We have a new place opening on black friday, Tin Man, which is a dedicated micro/brewpub. From all reports, they are little more than average as well. Can't see supporting for the sake of supporting, just because they are local.

I'm 3 hours from St. Louis, Nashville, Indy, and 5 from Chicago. Too many good breweries in the "area" to stay close to home and drink average.

 

Since I moved I have been drinking locals almost exclusively, aside from bottle shares... but I live in Portland, Oregon now...

 

Wait, the make beer outside of Michigan?

*I am not reading every response, just want to be a smartass. If this resembles other posts, oops.

 

We have a few local breweries in CT that are actually on the shelves but the only one that i continuiously buy is New England Brewing. Most of their beers are kick ass and thats what keeps me coming back. Hooker to me any way only has 2 good beers and Calvery is just straight up garbage...CHEERS

 

Rustbelt is such a joke, no matter were i go in ohio, espcially the closer to youngstown you get, the more they wanna shove that half-assed brewery down your throat. I dont care how cheap it is, its not worth drinking, espically when you got hoppin frog just west from youngstown, which is far superior.

 

I support the local breweriers that I really like. Carton and Kane are two breweries that make really impressive New Jersey beers that i fully support. I will and have tried other local breweries and I find them to be decent but nothing that I will seek out on a regular basis.

 

"Do any of you just buy local for the sake of buying local or can you really not find anything better distributed to your state/area?"

I drink local because it is the best stuff I can get. This is not absolute, but very close.

 

I felt like I was cheating as soon as I posted. Thanks for calling me out on it

 

Somebody may have already said it, but the restaurant was founded in Pittsburgh, all brewing is done at the Cleveland facilities.

 

Just the opposite in Minneapolis we have so many local brews that i really do like and but because they make good beer

Steel Toe
Indeed
Harriet
Lift Bridge
Surly
Summit
Town Hall

 

Like all decisions, the equations are complex. I think it an immediate fail to adhere to a "local only position," and with many of those above I do think that this line of support is important, if the support is earned. That said, I haven't stopped reaching for new brews that are well travelled, sometimes extensively so, on the proposition that I'm 1) spending good coin on these and so I'll be careful to optimize that dollar and 2) I don't want to miss out out on something that will give me that fresh enthusiasm for a new craft discovery. Case in point, I absolutely click with everything I've tried from Lagunitas, and more specifically in this case, was absolutely unhinged in my delight with their Day Time IPA. Wouldn't want to leave the planet with that one untried! Glad I did!

 

I do buy a few locally. But what I love most is 3 hours away across the border and I have a limit each time. If not for the limit, 3 hours wouldn't be bad once in a while..

I crave ipa's and it's not an option locally. So I chose to just make them

 

In Houston I really like Karbach and Saint Arnold.

I like Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company.

I don't like No Label.

I support the first two fairly often because they are some great people making some beers I really like.

I'm getting to know Buffalo better.

No Label just hasn't made anything I've liked much, so I'm not going to buy their beer just to support the local guy. I do go to their brewery tastings every once in a while though, because I have many friends that live close and go often.

 

I live in Indy and there are a few great breweries in town now. Here is the problem....it's so f'n expensive!!(Sun King!). I mean every seasonal is $17.99 for a 4pack of 16oz cans. It's ******ed. Most of their beer is good, but not for the $$

 

There's a Brewer in beaver county, pa that is suppose to make some crazy beers, he only does Growler fill's I believe. If I ever make it out there since the days he is open are odd, I'll have to let you know

 

If the local beer is worth it, I would drink nothing else. We have a brewery here that is excellent at it's pub, but their bottles are hit and miss, so I miss. Can't stand a couple of the other places and we don't get any of the good Vermont beers in Southern Vermont. Had a couple of Founders Breakfast Stouts on tap the past couple of days so all is not lost. If it's Smuttynose V Rogue, I'll drink Smuttynose because it is fairly local.

 

It's easy to support the local beer scene, since the closest brewery is Surly, less than 10 miles from my house.