I know craft beer is rising throughout the country, but what makes the PNW a mecca for beer? Why is the craft industry big in the north west?
Abundant, natural, high-quality ingredients sets the region up perfectly for high-quality craft beer. Because of that, it was one of the epicenters of the craft beer industry a long ways back with folks like the Widmers and other like-minded folks leading the way. Lucky PNWers!!
In addition to what others have said, my impression is there is far less red tape to cut through to start a brewery or brewpub at least here in Oregon compared to say, Massachusetts.
Michael Jackson might have said it best 15 years ago in The Running Press Pocket Guide to Beer: "[The region] grows barley for malting, and possess the principal regions for the cultivation of hops in America (the Willamette Valley in Oregon and Yakima in Washington State). The two major cities [Seattle and Portland] are small enough to have a local pride in their beers but sufficiently large to offer a worthwhile market to their brewers. With the relatively cool weather, both states favor indoor drinking in taverns, and draught beer is more widely served here than elsewhere in the USA. This has helped micros begin without the expense of a bottling line. The climate also favors the full-flavoured specialty beers, as opposed to light quenchers. Seattle is known for its interest in food and drink, and Portland quietly shares the same enthusiasm for civilized living."
In addition to all the reasons already stated, compared to much of the rest of the U.S. I think the PNW (plus California) have been ahead of the cultural curve on most things related to quality of life, quality local ingredients, and generally favoring small community enterprises over big faceless corporations. We demand the best of everything. Naturally this translates into wanting the most flavorful, interesting beer we can find. And if we can't find it, we make it. Also, we're just "a little different" (thanks for the catch phrase PEMCO), and most comfortable playing the role of the outsider who's almost alien to the dominant culture in the rest of the country. When other places start catching up with whatever trend we take for granted, we just casually observe that this has been going on out here for decades.
Agreed. We all enjoy craft anything. Cheese, wine, cured meats, jams, honey, weed, coffee, tea, etc. Also I feel that Portland and Seattle aren't very judgy places either. So if you are someone who happens to enjoy a few pints and isn't a size 2 because of it, no one gives a shit The hops/malts thing is valid but I simply believe a lot of the more outlier individuals in this country either move here or are from here. They leave their corporate BS jobs and help run a brewery or even brew themselves!
I think hopsbreath hit it right on with the quote. I must say, I really appreciate the PNW for it's general lack of exclusivity in the beer industry. We don't have to wait in lines, pay for tickets, drive 800 miles in a day just to collect a 4-pack. Shit, in my neck of the woods you can buy Abyss year around these days! Cheers to the brewers in the PNW for making enough quality beer to ship to their ENTIRE distro area! Only a few exceptions to this generalization I can think of, and usually the exceptions are merited based on production limitations.
