I have several beer snobs in my family who have been bringing home brew and various microbrews to family gatherings since the 80s.  They show up every time and have to dominate the conversation with their flipping beers.  You think it's over and then an hour later here they come with another whole big thing on how such-and-such a beer is the best and something else sucks.  Sure, I can taste a "difference", but I don't think that I've ever thought "hey I'm going to start buying this regularly".  And I'm not convinced that most beer snobs could correctly taste test a beer that they're in love with and could be easily be fooled by a mislabeled beer that they hate.   

the most tongue frying ipa i ever had was dogfish head 120 minute ipa with the 'randall' handle on the tap. the randall was how the pub could customize the tapped beer by adding it's own extra blast of hops just before serving, if you can believe it. just craziness. you could forget drinking another beer after that!

There aren't as many bocks being brewed as I would hope either, but there are certainly other styles that haven't gotten the attention they deserve from the microbrew world.  Just about any style of lager besides pilsners, I'd say.  How many dunkels, vienna's, schwartzbiers, dortmunders or helles do you see, really?  Sure, I know Dortmunder Gold is huge here in Cleveland, but most people think "dortmunder" just the name of the beer, not that it's a style.

 

For bocks (I assume you're including doppelbocks), I lovelovelove Treog's Treogenator. 

 

GLBC made "Doppelrock" a couple years back.

when the budweisers and millers were made irrelevant by the craft brewers.

 

As someone who pretty much oversees the cooler stocking process in a mid sized bar, I can assure you they are nowhere close to irrelevant.

Craft beer as a whole just outsold Budweiser for the first time. And Budweiser sales pale in comparison to Bud Light.

Craft beer as a whole just outsold Budweiser for the first time. And Budweiser sales pale in comparison to Bud Light.

 

I definitely prefer craft myself, most of which comes from Market Street.  By "Budweisers" I would include all their products including Bud Light, Bud Light Ice, etc. 

 

We have these deep stacking coolers and a center cooler that probably holds the same as two of them.  Four are Bud Light, three Miller Lite, two Budweiser, about a half each Coors Light, Miller High Life, and Miller Genuine.  We also have one Bud Light and one Labatts keg always, the other two vary.  Everything else is in the center.

Craft beer as a whole just outsold Budweiser for the first time. And Budweiser sales pale in comparison to Bud Light.

 

I definitely prefer craft myself, most of which comes from Market Street.  By "Budweisers" I would include all their products including Bud Light, Bud Light Ice, etc. 

 

We have these deep stacking coolers and a center cooler that probably holds the same as two of them.  Four are Bud Light, three Miller Lite, two Budweiser, about a half each Coors Light, Miller High Life, and Miller Genuine.  We also have one Bud Light and one Labatts keg always, the other two vary.  Everything else is in the center.

 

Yeah it's easy to forget that while you're personal experience may be evidence that craft beer is huge, and it is definitely growing at a ridiculously fast pace, it is still very small compared to the old macro breweries

Anyone else think all craft/homebrew beers taste the same, kind of like how all quadcopter footage looks the same? 

 

No, but a lot of them do.

 

I have 206 unique beer check-ins on Untappd, and I'm sure I've got twice again that many that I haven't checked in, and for my reviews for many of them, I'm often just saying "another decent entry in this style" or something to that effect.  I keep tasting new things, though, because every once in a while, you do come across something really special.

 

More importantly, though, while a lot of the craft brews taste similar to each other, they are very distinct from the macro brews and I can definitely tell them apart.  For example, I might not always be able to taste the difference between Great Lakes' lagers (Dortmunter/Eliot Ness) and their counterparts at Brooklyn, Bell's, or Thirsty Dog, I can effortlessly tell the difference between that group as a whole and Bud classic or Bud Light--ostensibly also lagers.  Likewise, for brown ales, I might be reasonably agnostic between Bell's, Brooklyn, and Rogue (the nut flavor is a little more pronounced in the latter, but eh), but I can definitely tell the group as a whole apart from a Newcastle.

This reminds me of Sonny Bono, who wasn't the least bit interested in politics until he tried to open a restaurant. Let's be honest, most of the rules surrounding alcohol sales exist merely protect the large, politically connected operations.

 

New Hampshire’s Libertarian Beer Renaissance

December 9, 2014

by Livia Gershon

 

What could thousands of libertarians do if they moved, en masse, to one tiny state and tried their hardest to reduce taxes, regulation, and general government meddling in people's lives? That's the question that one group of die-hard liberty-lovers has been trying to answer for more than a decade.

 

Founded in 2001, the movement, known as the  ​Free State Project, has persuaded nearly 17,000 people, from across the US and other countries, to sign a pledge promising to move to New Hampshire once the number of signers reaches 20,000. So far, 1,674 "early movers" have already relocated to the state.

 

As you might expect from libertarians, the Free State migrants don't have a single strategy when it comes to turning New Hampshire into an Ayn Randian paradise. Some Free Staters have been trying to change the state from within the system—between ​15 and 20 members​ of the 400-seat New Hampshire House of Representatives are now associated with the Free State Project. Others are trying to build their own utopian institutions, starting businesses and schools aimed at putting as much distance as possible between themselves and Big Government.​

 

Kevin Bloom is seriously involved in both. A real estate agent-turned craft brewer, Bloom moved to New Hampshire with the Free State Project in 2008, and founded a microbrewery in Concord, the state capital. After the venture failed—due in part, he claims, to regulatory hurdles—he helped lead a campaign to pass the nation's first nanobrewery law, differentiating tiny beer producers (2,000 barrels a year or less) from their larger counterparts. Essentially, the law legalizes a scaled-up version of home brewing in your toolshed, letting hobbyists and other experimental fermenters tap into the growing market for craft beer.

 

http://www.vice.com/read/new-hampshires-libertarian-beer-renaissance-129

when the budweisers and millers were made irrelevant by the craft brewers.

 

As someone who pretty much oversees the cooler stocking process in a mid sized bar, I can assure you they are nowhere close to irrelevant.

 

i can assure you i wasnt talking about sales numbers, but after 1-2 craft beers you are wasting your money if you want more and dont drop back to millers, pbr's and the like. craft beer is heavy going and they take your taste buds down hard and fast.

when the budweisers and millers were made irrelevant by the craft brewers.

 

As someone who pretty much oversees the cooler stocking process in a mid sized bar, I can assure you they are nowhere close to irrelevant.

 

i can assure you i wasnt talking about sales numbers, but after 1-2 craft beers you are wasting your money if you want more and dont drop back to millers, pbr's and the like. craft beer is heavy going and they take your taste buds down hard and fast.

 

Yeah I get sick of craft beer after two or three whereas I can still pound the cheap stuff all night long.  No frat's drinking champion can drink 20 microbrew beers in a sitting, or even 10. 

 

^ yep - nowthatswhudahmtalkinabout

when the budweisers and millers were made irrelevant by the craft brewers.

 

As someone who pretty much oversees the cooler stocking process in a mid sized bar, I can assure you they are nowhere close to irrelevant.

 

i can assure you i wasnt talking about sales numbers, but after 1-2 craft beers you are wasting your money if you want more and dont drop back to millers, pbr's and the like. craft beer is heavy going and they take your taste buds down hard and fast.

 

Pre-Ardyn, that was always my strategy.  Now I rarely if ever drink that much.

 

These days, I'm liking Ohio Brewing's "Jingle Bell Ale".  It's smoother and not quite as strong as the Christmas Ale and Twelve Dogs.

http://www.vice.com/read/new-hampshires-libertarian-beer-renaissance-129

VICE: Was that your first foray into state politics?

That was my first one. That was a real education, and I went to all the committee hearings, and to all the subcommittee hearings. I learned how things worked. It started out as a huge bill that would have affected the entire industry and basically reduced barriers of entry for everybody. And what they ended up doing was New Hampshire became the first state in the nation to recognize nanobreweries as a separate category. However, Anheuser-Busch got a small change made to the bill before it got out of committee and before the executive session that I didn't know about until it was too late. That was, it limited sales over the counter to four ounces.

And that in a nutshell is how our federal, state and local governments are run. (Argue all you want about D's and R's and where Obama was born - it makes no difference the real lawmakers are the Lobbyists)

http://www.vice.com/read/new-hampshires-libertarian-beer-renaissance-129

VICE: Was that your first foray into state politics?

That was my first one. That was a real education, and I went to all the committee hearings, and to all the subcommittee hearings. I learned how things worked. It started out as a huge bill that would have affected the entire industry and basically reduced barriers of entry for everybody. And what they ended up doing was New Hampshire became the first state in the nation to recognize nanobreweries as a separate category. However, Anheuser-Busch got a small change made to the bill before it got out of committee and before the executive session that I didn't know about until it was too late. That was, it limited sales over the counter to four ounces.

And that in a nutshell is how our federal, state and local governments are run. (Argue all you want about D's and R's and where Obama was born - it makes no difference the real lawmakers are the Lobbyists)

 

Yep.  That's just insane.  There's no logical justification for it either.

 

Ironically, it's a good example of why those on the right trust corporations more than the government.  Their sneakiest tricks typically require the connivance of the powers that be.

http://www.vice.com/read/new-hampshires-libertarian-beer-renaissance-129

VICE: Was that your first foray into state politics?

That was my first one. That was a real education, and I went to all the committee hearings, and to all the subcommittee hearings. I learned how things worked. It started out as a huge bill that would have affected the entire industry and basically reduced barriers of entry for everybody. And what they ended up doing was New Hampshire became the first state in the nation to recognize nanobreweries as a separate category. However, Anheuser-Busch got a small change made to the bill before it got out of committee and before the executive session that I didn't know about until it was too late. That was, it limited sales over the counter to four ounces.

And that in a nutshell is how our federal, state and local governments are run. (Argue all you want about D's and R's and where Obama was born - it makes no difference the real lawmakers are the Lobbyists)

That gets to the heart of my interest in craft beers. The big guys not only dominate in sales, but have the lobbying and market power to squeeze the little guy. I swore off Anheuser Busch over 30 years ago and supported small regional breweries:Rolling Rock and Leinenkugel (when they were independent), Yuengling, Shiner, Monroe and Point in Wisconsin, New Ulm in Minnesota, etc. Then came the craft beer revolution and lots of choices -- and better quality. It's true, as some here have said, that there may not be great distinctions among, say, the IPAs from any number of brewpubs. But that's fine with me. When I'm in Cleveland, I'll buy a local IPA from there. If I'm in Chicago, I'll get one from a Chicago craft brewer; In Louisville, from a Kentucky brewer. I don't have brand loyalty (though I do have some favorites) -- I am loyal to the idea of supporting the entrepreneurs in any given city (and to their fine ales). It's also true that after a few, the taste buds are a little bit drunk and don't care if the hops are Cascade or Willamette. But I will never turn to Bud or Miller at that point. My default beer is Yuengling -- an independent.

As an active beer participant, these are pretty exciting times. For people that drink their bud and miller, its pretty trivial.

  The world is being turned on its head by the small craft brewers of the U.S.  The quality of ingredients and the variety available to anyone to brew has been the main force. New hops are still being discovered and others interbred to form new hops.  These aren't subtle differences. Its nice to let people see for themselves in single hop beer packs like currently offered by southern tier. They have a single hop brewed cascade, columbus, and centennial. i haven't tried them yet but i'd recommend anyone interested in how hops alters the beer to check it out. 

  So with a little bit of know how, anyone can now make a world class beer right in their own home.  The craft breweries are also fighting against this trend. Which is why they keep pushing more experimental beers or beers that push the boundaries.

  Its also not a local thing or fresh beer thing anymore. Beer now travels better than ever due to better cans and understanding how light affects beer. Even 5-10 years ago people felt a beer probably wouldn't taste what it should taste like if it came from several thousand miles away. Now if i buy a beer from bear republic, i'm fairly certain its going to taste pretty close to what i would get if I were in California.

 

E Rocc, your tastebuds don't deceive you. I was at a blind xmas beer taste test last week and out of 17 beers, jingle bell got first place.

Why is it that the small and regional craft brewers don't typically have a pilsner, or light beer offering.  It seems they're all the same with a Lager, IPA, Red and Stout.  I would love to try some pilsner and light beer offerings from different places, but the options seem very limited. 

Pilsner is a type of lager, btw. Usually if there is a lager or koelsch on offer, it's the "light beer".

Most do have a pilsner, but it is often a seasonal.  Also I'd guess that may not be widely distributed because there is so much direct competition from the European macros, and maybe not enough flavor differentiation from the standard American macros for more casual tasters.

 

As for light beers, that style to "beer snobs" is "American Adjunct Lager".  What that means is that in order to get that light body (and to be made as cheap as possible) they are made mostly with corn or rice instead of the traditional barley malt, and thus an adulterated product to most brewers or aficionados.  Bell's Lager of the Lakes is one that I have seen here in Cleveland, though I'm not sure if it is technically a "light" beer.

^ Brewing a light bear that actually tastes good is probably a pretty difficult task. I’d imagine that the market isn’t there for it yet – anyone willing to pay the extra money for a craft beer wants to get at least a mid to high range ABV for the price. Who would want to pay $6 for a pint of light beer?

 

That said, Moerlein in Cincinnati does make light beers under both Hudy Delight and Burger Lite brands. Burger would be my go to cheap beer for after a couple craft beers, but drinking any more than a can or two of Burger always gives me a headache. I can down a 4 pack of 10% Belgian Triples and be up at 7:00 am working on my house no problem, but 4 Burgers give me a hangover.

 

Pilsner is a type of lager, btw. Usually if there is a lager or koelsch on offer, it's the "light beer".

 

I work at a bar that only sells micros, and we use a koelsch as our light beer.  It's actually an interesting style of beer, in a sense.  They're brewed using ale yeast (thus are technically golden ales), but they are lager aged so the flavors mellow and blend.  I didn't notice them till a couple years ago, but now I'm seeing them everywhere.

^ Brewing a light bear that actually tastes good is probably a pretty difficult task. I’d imagine that the market isn’t there for it yet – anyone willing to pay the extra money for a craft beer wants to get at least a mid to high range ABV for the price. Who would want to pay $6 for a pint of light beer?

 

Very true.  One reason that brewers like making big IPA's, porters, and the like is that they are actually pretty forgiving to brew- big doses of hops and malts can cover for small mistakes.  In a light beer or any other golden ale/lager the brewers technique is really on unvarnished display.

Most pilsners taste too much like the macro brews to really enjoy. In my opinion, Hudy Delight, Hudy 14k, Burger, and Burger Lite are all pretty bad (though I still buy them on occasion). Just recreations of Bud Light, MGD, Natural, and Natty Lite respectively.

 

Some are pleasantly surprising, though.

 

My favorites:

 

Christian Moerlein: La Strada (new beer partnered with the restaurant A Tavola in OTR to recreate the beer often enjoyed at pizzerias in Italy). I was hesitant at first, but really like it.

 

North Coast: Scrimshaw Pilsner

 

I've also heard good things about the (hoppy) Victory: Prima Pils

I think Kolsch is an under appreciated style.  There are other under appreciated styles out there though.  I'd say bitters or ESBs are fairly easy drinking but rarely seen.  I'm not a big "light" beer drinker but I enjoy a well made lager like drinking some of the beers from hoffbrauhaus or over at Penn Brewing in Pittsburgh.  I think those beers are phenomenal.  I don't know that any brewery in the Cleveland area is making great lagers.  I'm not a fan of the dortmunder.  I can drink a small glass but then just feel full and not want any more.  I trust there are much better options down  in Cincinnati.  I wouldn't mind seeing Hudy up here or better yet Rheingeist.

 

There is a brewery opening in Canton that is promising to make "rustic" hearty beers from yesteryear in their historic building.  That should be opening in January or February.  I'm looking forward to that.  I believe that means primarily lagers they will be making.

 

UPDATE: Looked this up again after writing this.  The Canton Brewery is releasing beers at 6pm tonight in downtown Canton at the Auricle.. I'm going to pop in to check it out.  They will have 3 beers from their brewery.  It sounds like one will be an IPA.  I'll report back the details.

Why is it that the small and regional craft brewers don't typically have a pilsner, or light beer offering.  It seems they're all the same with a Lager, IPA, Red and Stout.  I would love to try some pilsner and light beer offerings from different places, but the options seem very limited. 

 

GLBC actually seems to have discontinued their pilsner. "Wright Pils", which was both a seasonal and available at the airport.  It was pretty good but must not have sold.  Dortmunder is of course a lager and it seems to be their top seller. 

Most pilsners taste too much like the macro brews to really enjoy. In my opinion, Hudy Delight, Hudy 14k, Burger, and Burger Lite are all pretty bad (though I still buy them on occasion). Just recreations of Bud Light, MGD, Natural, and Natty Lite respectively.

 

Some are pleasantly surprising, though.

 

My favorites:

 

Christian Moerlein: La Strada (new beer partnered with the restaurant A Tavola in OTR to recreate the beer often enjoyed at pizzerias in Italy). I was hesitant at first, but really like it.

 

North Coast: Scrimshaw Pilsner

 

I've also heard good things about the (hoppy) Victory: Prima Pils

 

I'm a big fan of Victory's "Hop Ticket" pils.  It's dry hopped, which keeps down on the bitterness, but lets the flavor of the hops shine. Make sure you're getting the pils, though, as they sell 4 different beers under the Hop Ticket name.

 

Another great pilsner is Treog's Sunshine Pilsner.  Very light on the hops, almost no bitterness, with a mild sweetness and floral nose that is almost honey-like.

I enjoy beer a whole lot, but am woefully uneducated on the topic. This thread actually prompted me to study up on the production differences between ales and lagers. Mostly it just makes me want to drink beer.

^ Since the scientific method developed, it's been recognized that experimentation is at least as important as theoretical study. :evil:

For the benefit of those who don't live in Cincinnati, here is some iphone footage of a typically huge crowd at Rhinegeist Brewery.  There are often more than 200 people at this place and there have probably been days when over 500 have passed through its doors:

we stopped by and got a little tour of the upstart bronx brewery. their product is found around the nymetro on a few hundred taps. they only make ale, but several varieties. the brewmaster poured us some fresh juniper flavored ale he was working on for fun and that they were going to store in gin casks. not sure if we will ever see it anywhere, but it was pretty tasty. for their regular styles, i liked the black ale best.

 

btw if you ever happen to want to visit note its in the very sketchy port morris neighborhood in sobro, an old warehousey area that may be more hipsterized someday soon, but not quite yet, so take care.  :police:

 

http://www.thebronxbrewery.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ehhh…you get the picture  :|

 

^ Hmmm.....no visible Yankees paraphernalia?

I'm told that the sort of raised concrete pad those fermenters are sitting on with the nice drainage built in are insanely expensive, like $50-100k. 

 

Also it's been a few months now but Mad Tree ran out of space in its building for more fermenters so had a big one installed outside:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/rph/32/1881917/3509209/cincinnati-madtree-brewing-company-psychopathy-photo

I'm told that the sort of raised concrete pad those fermenters are sitting on with the nice drainage built in are insanely expensive, like $50-100k. 

 

Also it's been a few months now but Mad Tree ran out of space in its building for more fermenters so had a big one installed outside:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/rph/32/1881917/3509209/cincinnati-madtree-brewing-company-psychopathy-photo

 

Rhinegeist has a huge advantage with the amount of indoor space they have. I could see them eventually expanding to fill their entire main floor with production equipment and move the social area somewhere else.

I'm pretty sure that's not a fermenter, but a grain silo.

 

Madtree also outgrew their capacity last fall and have taken possession of the former office furniture place next door.  I haven't heard what the plan is from there.

 

They have also sub-let a space inside the taproom for Catch-a-Fire pizza, which was formerly a food truck.  Construction has begun, but was stalled pending some permit issues.  Haven't been in since sometime in December, so no idea where that stands.

I'm told that the sort of raised concrete pad those fermenters are sitting on with the nice drainage built in are insanely expensive, like $50-100k. 

 

Also it's been a few months now but Mad Tree ran out of space in its building for more fermenters so had a big one installed outside:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/rph/32/1881917/3509209/cincinnati-madtree-brewing-company-psychopathy-photo

 

Rhinegeist has a huge advantage with the amount of indoor space they have. I could see them eventually expanding to fill their entire main floor with production equipment and move the social area somewhere else.

 

It appears that Rhinegeist has not only added fermenters, but built-out the "stage" area where they sit to another set of pillars in the party area.  That space is huge but it's also why people visit it.  If the taproom were moved to a generic space, nobody would go there. 

 

Here is a pretty good article talking about Jim Koch's role (Sam Adams/Boston Brewing Company) in the craft beer world as the pioneer-turned-establishment. It discusses the industry as well as his business and personality pretty in-depth. It's a long read, though.

 

How the craft-beer movement abandoned Jim Koch (and his beloved Sam Adams)

 

The most recognizable man in American beer, who sold us all on the idea of craft brew three decades ago on his way to a billion-dollar fortune, was having dinner last October with a group of brewers inside Row 34, one of Boston’s top-rated beer bars. The drink list was filled with esoteric options from hot new breweries throughout the country, as well as palate-pleasing offerings from abroad. But Koch had a problem: Though this mecca for beer nerds carries two dozen beers on draft and another 38 in bottles and cans, it doesn’t serve his beloved Sam Adams.

^ very interesting article. And the comment section is equally insightful.

 

^ very interesting article so far!

 

 

Yeah I read that last week.  The article confirms what I've been saying all along -- that the beer resurgence is all about marketing, not the beer itself. 

 

The way beer drinking habits have changed in the past five years makes no sense.  In the past a regular beer drinker had 3 or 4 beers that he rotated between.  Over ten years that core group of beers might shift to another, but it was a gradual process. Now there are over 100 local brews in each city and people are constantly trying the newest one.  They're not really sticking with any particular type.  It's total chaos. 

 

 

When I go out, I'll try new beers. When I purchase for home, I usually get a 12-pack of Hudy Amber (because it's cheap, semi-local, and tastes better than Yuengling or PBR IMO) or a couple six packs of another local brewery (MadTree, Moerlein, the occasional Rhinegeist Truth, etc).

 

I don't get why you think it's a bad thing to try a lot of different beers. I understand there is a small difference between some beers and blind me and I might not be able to successfully pick out which IPA belongs to which brewery (maybe I can, though. I've never tried). But what's wrong with all of the small breweries popping up? I guarantee you, most people stick to a few beers that they buy for their homes.

What's wrong with it?!!!! It's new and kid's these days!!!!!

CQTS

In my experience, with these bold-flavored beers, you need to switch it up because what was at first an incredible taste experience rapidly wears down (similar to a favorite song). Like a favorite song, you don't necessarily start disliking it over time (though you might), but not switching things up leads to fatigue. It's not "all about marketing." What's all about marketing is the brand loyalty that dominates among BMC drinkers.

 

I do think there will be a bubble burst, where it's no longer feasible to start a brewery and instantly boom just because you're a novelty. However, beer consumption will continue to be more like wine consumption has been forever. Most people who drink wine are very promiscuous with their consumption habits, between vintners and styles (though someone might exclusively drink reds or whites, they are open to a lot of variation within these broad boundaries).

 

On another beer-related topic... I came across a Dogfish Head beer yesterday, Beer Thousand, which was brewed in tribute to the 20th anniversary of Dayton's Guided by Voices releasing their 1994 album Bee Thousand. Picked up a bottle. That was definitely marketing, but hey. GBV. I was all slack-jawed in the store when I recognized the label as sharing the album cover art, since I missed all the articles written about it back in June.

I'm pretty sure that's not a fermenter, but a grain silo.

 

Madtree also outgrew their capacity last fall and have taken possession of the former office furniture place next door.  I haven't heard what the plan is from there.

 

They have also sub-let a space inside the taproom for Catch-a-Fire pizza, which was formerly a food truck.  Construction has begun, but was stalled pending some permit issues.  Haven't been in since sometime in December, so no idea where that stands.

Madtree's proposed expansion ---- Checkitout

http://www.hamiltoncountyohio.gov/pd/boards_commissions/pdfs/RZC/2014/packet.pdf

 

Huh.  Proposed access easements to the properties to the south.  Looks like they have their eye on that for additional expansion, too.

 

Glad to see the proposed streetscaping and lot paving/lighting.  I don't much like surface lots, but a paved and well-lit lot is better than the gravel lot that currently exists.

In my experience, with these bold-flavored beers, you need to switch it up because what was at first an incredible taste experience rapidly wears down (similar to a favorite song). Like a favorite song, you don't necessarily start disliking it over time (though you might), but not switching things up leads to fatigue. It's not "all about marketing." What's all about marketing is the brand loyalty that dominates among BMC drinkers.

 

I do think there will be a bubble burst, where it's no longer feasible to start a brewery and instantly boom just because you're a novelty. However, beer consumption will continue to be more like wine consumption has been forever. Most people who drink wine are very promiscuous with their consumption habits, between vintners and styles (though someone might exclusively drink reds or whites, they are open to a lot of variation within these broad boundaries).

 

 

Well Barrelhouse opened around 1998 or 1999 in Over-the-Rhine where the Art Academy is now and closed around 2003.  Exact same concept and probably just about the exact same beer as what people now go nuts over and speak about with complete seriousness.  I think in the 90s people didn't really want to spend more money for beer than they already were, even if it was "better", and even if the money was staying a bit more local. 

 

The difference between 1990s microbreweries and 2010's microbreweries is that the ones from the 90s took their style cues from the Olde Spaghetti Factory whereas today's look more like Chipotle.  Again, marketing.

 

The big thing with microbreweries coming on line is the internet. There was no web presence for breweries back then. Had to use the yellow pages to find them.  It was very difficult to be aware of breweries and if you could visit them. We did not have tap rooms in Ohio because the law forbade that. It had to be a brewpub in order to visit and drink on premise except for samples. Most brewpubs were fairly small. Most were pretty inconsistent.

 

The difference is the breweries are better, the quality and variety of ingredients are far superior, the improvement in brewing processes makes beer more consistent. The brewers are better coming from brew schools or more typically a long trial and error home brewing background. Finally the drinking public is much more educated now in the various styles of beer and what goes into them. This is not a repeat of the brewpubs from the 80s and 90s where it was a restaurant fad to slap in a little brewery system.

I equate this to where wineries are. There are dozens of them all over the place. I don't see a sudden crash of wineries because they no longer are cool to open.

 

Fun series of tweets from a NY beer blogger who was just in Cleveland to check out the local breweries: https://twitter.com/brew_york

 

Starts here: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Good morning from brewery #1 of 2015! <a href="http://t.co/bfwetsEy4x">pic.twitter.com/bfwetsEy4x</a></p>— Brew York (@brew_york) <a href="https://twitter.com/brew_york/status/553959891086622720">January 10, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Doh, guess I can't embed tweets in the forum?

 

And who just became a 10 minute celebrity for flying back to NYC as one of only two passengers on his Delta flight (due to delays and weird Delta re-booking behavior): http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2015/01/delta_flight_home_gives_manhat.html#incart_river

Great Lakes revealed their new logo today.  I had feared the worst, but I am pretty happy with this refresh.

 

 

More info here:

_http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150113/FREE/150119954/new-logo-new-labels-part-of-great-lakes-brewing-co-plan-to-refresh