How Important Is Local/Micro?

I buy locally brewed beers.

I buy non-locally brewed beers like Sierra Nevada, Firestone Walker, imported beers when I can find them fresh,...

To me the important criteria are quality, freshness and reasonable pricing.

Cheers!

 

I drink everything from Busch to Wichita Brewing Company. Do Not Care. I feel like I need to apologize for liking BEER on this website most of the time.

 

I like to buy from companies that make quality products AND are ethically managed with a focus on community. In my experience, micro breweries frequently have these qualities. That makes local/micro important to me. There is more to it than just the product.

 

Any time a craft brewery is bought I proceed with caution. Often times they still have control over the brewing so the taste doesn't change. But occasionally it goes downhill and then I get sad. I try not to hate a breweries for selling, because I get that it makes getting further distribution a million times easier. Ballast Point's sale especially bummed me out because they were one of my favorite breweries. Too soon to tell if it will change the quality of beer they're putting out. I drink mostly California craft, simply because the market here is so saturated. I could probably drink nothing but SoCal beer and never have to look outside this area for one I'd never tried before.

 

There is too much great beer out there to only drink super local, but i do like to go for mostly regionaly local beers like...

Yards
Weyerbacher
Victory
Neshaminy Creek
Brooklyn
Sixpoint
Flying Dog
Heavy Seas
Dogfish Head
And all the NJ brewers

Not super local but its nice that all of these breweries are 2 hours or less from me.

 

I think as more people realize the importance of freshness when it comes to IPAs and other hoppy beers, the more important local breweries will become. This is assuming that IPAs remain the most popular style of craft beer. A super fresh IPA from my local is usually going to be better than the 2-3 month old world class IPA from across the county.

As far as 'fighting the power', not really a reason for me to drink a lesser beer. Glad to support local if they make good beer but I'm not shelling out my money for mediocre beer.

 

Right now, its very important to me in my life!