Seattle: a city indifferent to craft beer.

I can't watch the video now (I'm at work, and I actually tried but it keeps buffering and it's too long anyway) so I'll check it out later.

That said, though, I'd say this "indifference" isn't very surprising. Seattle is a big, very diverse, crowded city made up mostly of a lot of people who've moved here from somewhere else for a lot of different reasons. So to get a critical mass of people to universally embrace anything that somehow represents the city's shared identity would be quite an achievement. Like a lot of other things (good coffee, fresh seafood, organic produce, film festivals, live music, great restaurants, outdoor activities... I could go on), I think most people in Seattle just expect good beer to be readily available and easily accessible—but they don't really want to make a big deal about it. I personally view beer as something that greatly enhances other, more important aspects of my life, but I don't really think of it as something to focus attention on as an object in and of itself, if that makes sense. And I'm on BA every single day. Also, Seattleites are notoriously aloof and a little distanced/detached about just about everything, so why would it be different when it comes to beer?

Thanks for sharing, I'm sure it's an interesting discussion.

 

My comments interspersed below in brackets. Cliffs notes: I have no idea what the hell this article was trying to say -- in less than a page it seemed to confuse me about its intentions at nearly every sentence. I didn't watch the videos, which may clear it up, but based on the snippet I'm not really interested.

<below is quoted from source listed in original post>

When Brew Talks finished the long trip from Los Angeles up to the Pacific Northwest stops, in Seattle and Portland, we found two established craft beer cultures, albeit cultures with very different takes on the role craft should play as a civic institution. [Two craft beer cultures? Do tell. Apparently this will be about Seattle vs. Portland and the role of "craft beer" as a "civic institution"? So, like, craft beer producers as a trade / lobbying group? Or craft beer drinkers? "Craft" as a civic institution is a phrase that makes no sense to me by itself.]

In Seattle, which is the subject of today’s Brew Talks video (above), it became apparent that, despite the maturity of the craft industry, it has yet to become an outwardly-directed calling card for the city. [Okay, so this is about Seattle and how it's craft beer industry is perceived outside of Seattle?]

“I would define Seattle as a city indifferent towards craft beer,” said Joel Vandenbrink, the founder of Two Beers Brewing, which hosted the event. [Interesting. Please elaborate.]
“They don’t lean one way against and they don’t really do too much for craft beer.” [Okay, basically the definition of indifferent. Who is this "they" that you're referring to, and what would you prefer / expect them to do? Or is it the brewers who are indifferent?]

Vandenbrink joined Ryan Hilliard, the co-founder of Hilliard’s Beer, and Kendall Jones, the founder of the Washington Beer Blog, in a discussion about the cultural and civic institutions that help promote a craft beer culture in Seattle. [Okay, so we're talking about cultural and civic institutions that promote, or could promote, craft beer? Slightly different presentation here than the first paragraph which had it the other way, "craft beer acting as a civic institution" -- whatever the hell that means, since last I heard craft beer was a beverage.]

Jones passionately explained that Seattle is commonly viewed as a very progressive city, but that it’s regressive in many ways outsiders don’t consider.
“This is the problem in Seattle – we are known for the Space Needle,” he said. “There are people in this town that resent the fact that we are known for the Seahawks or the Mariners. There are people who don’t want Seattle known for anything.” [WTF. I mean ... just WTF. Aside from the question of "what does this even mean," how does it relate to craft beer drinking and the institutions that either it supports or that should support it? Is this now about Seattle defining itself as a craft beer city in the eyes of the outside world?]

Perhaps an indicator of Jones’ sentiment is the recent attempt by state officials to raise excise tax rates on small brewers. [(1) The craft beer industry effectively organized to lobby and shut that down (Yay!). (2) That's a state issue (which includes Seattle to be sure, but goes beyond the Seattle/Portland framing at the start). Regardless, now I take it to mean that lawmakers are anti-craft beer? So now it's cultural, civic, and state institutions, and they're not only indifferent to craft beer, but leaning toward hostile?]

“While the state of Washington was trying to quadruple our excise tax to the highest in the nation, our neighbors down south [in Oregon] passed a little bill that elected yeast as the state microbe,” said Hilliard. “Does that give you a perspective on the different states and how they recognize craft brewers? I think that sums it up right there.” [Um ... no, going to go out on a limb and say that doesn't sum it, whatever "it" is, up.]

That isn’t to say that Vandenbrink and other local craft brewers aren’t actively pursuing change. [Excellent, so the craft beer industry *is* organizing to promote something that is different from whatever it is right now.]

“I have some template letters that I give my regulars, that I have written or one of my guys has written and I mail those to legislators,” he said. “There are certainly laws that I want changed.”

One of those laws Vandenbrink helped to change was his ability to pour other Washington-made craft beers over his own taproom bar. Now, he’s advocating for similar changes that would give him the ability to sell Washington-made cider products as well.
But in order for Washington craft breweries to effect regulatory change, they’ll need more of an organized effort.
“Breweries could do better to band together and talk to our legislators and do it from the top down,” said Hilliard. [Oh, I see. So this is about craft brewers in Washington organizing into a lobby to change state policies to promote craft beer production / consumption in the state. And the best example provided by this article is allowing breweries to sell cider in the taproom? Aside from that, what is problematic about current laws, and what should change?]

 

The chances of me sitting through a hour-long video "discussion about the cultural and civic institutions that help promote a craft beer culture in Seattle" is about the same as me standing in line for an hour to get a beer.

And if this is about Portland envy, the chances get even slimmer.

 

Typical Seattle indifference

 

Haven't watched the video yet, and may not. But, Seattle is so indifferent to craft beer that at 25% of all beer sales are craft, only PDX is higher. In Western Washington a craft brewer, Mac n Jacks, sells more beer than does the Budweiser brand. Yup, we're pretty indifferent.

 

I watched the video. This somewhat reminds me of the "epic" no rare beer in WA thread. The title is a little misleading, we aren't indifferent, we love craft beer. We've all become accustomed to good beer here and expect it, but aren't pushing the boundaries as much as other places and therefore aren't as talked about on the national scale as a craft beer mecca. We used to be at the forefront of the craft beer movement, and now we are content to bathe in the sweet hoppy goodness all around us while other states catch up to us (and some surpass us). There are some who trying to re-energize the industry out here and I think we are moving in a positive direction. We could certainly push the boundaries here more than they have been in recent years, but we are also very content with what we already have, the new breweries popping up all the time, and the availability of other great beers from around the world. I'd love to hear Washington Craft Beer mentioned right up there with the rain, the Space Needle, Grunge, and Sasquatch when anyone thinks of the Evergreen State (for those of us here, we know it is, but the rest of the country may need a reminder, somehow). Although I am perfectly content to let them think what they want while I enjoy another pint of great WA beer. Shit, am I becoming indifferent now too?

 

I blame the indifference on the new South Lake Union crowd: http://blogs.seattletimes.com/fyi-guy/2013/08/08/are-seattle-drinkers-losing-their-taste-for-beer/.

 

Beat me to it.

 

As a born and raised Washingtonian, we're aloof, indifferent and passive. And proud of it.

Every time I go to Brave Horse in South Lake Union, I feel old. And I'm only 31 (32 on Saturday). No problems in Capitol Hill, but goddamn is SLU a bunch of babies.

 

Maybe if you dudes had rare beer

 

Alas, we do not.

 

I'm sorry, I'm 44 and I left my reading glasses on my Hoveround. At the ripe old age of 31, did you just call a bunch of 20-somethings "babies"? That is adorable.

Also, I think taking pride in being indifferent and passive is an oxymoron or something.

 

Even with the smiley, I always get the impression you take my posts way more seriously than you should.

 

Seattle just seems like a weird city. Can I have a brown bag lunch now?

 

That's because I'm old. I still have trouble mentally inserting ironic "air quotes" into everything I read.

 

No, you're thinking of Portland.

 

44? Get off my lawn, ya snot-nosed punk! Harumph, kids these days, with their computer machines and craft beers!

 

Actually, it turns out I'm 43. I always have to ask my wife these days to remind me how old I am.

 

Watched the video. The discussion is actually very interesting. The guy from Two Beers comments about Seattle's indifference are not about the people being indifferent, but rather about how the city is indifferent to what type of business you run. He said his relationship with the city is one of regulations, permits, taxes & paperwork. All three panelists were pointing out that the city & state are missing opportunities to promote tourism & local shopping by choosing not to promote the excellent craft breweries we have. All three seemed like intelligent, reasonable people who are passionate about beer & think we could be doing more.

Hilliard seemed the most frustrated at one point reroposed excise tax increases when he pointed out that they could choose to brew here, but not sell or distribute their beer in Washington.

Worth one's time to watch it IMO.