We all know that brands like Budweiser, Coors Light, Heineken and so many others will never be a thing of the past, but could they be competing with some local craft beers? In the past few years there has been a climb in the number of craft breweries popping up in our communities, and it has begun to spark an interest and even create a hobby with many beer drinkers. As someone who enjoys going to new local restaurants I pay close attention to what they have behind the bar. Are they sticking with the domestic and imported beer because they know it will sell? Are they supporting local business’ in the area and promoting their beer? How many local craft beers do they have on tap and are they rotating them? By answering these questions, I can begin to understand who they are targeting.
So why should you drink a craft beer?
Well first you are supporting local business’. By going to local breweries, you have the opportunity to meet the brewers/inventors of this product. They also have the chance to listen to what you have to say and take that into consideration.
Second, some say that local breweries use fresher ingredients in the brewing process. Typically, all beers use 4 major ingredients; water, grains, hops and yeast. Some local breweries will use locally grown or organic ingredients. If you go to your local brewery 9 times out of 10 they will give you a tour of their facility and show you the products they are using. They take a lot of pride in what they are brewing.
Lastly, most small local breweries focus on quality rather than quantity. Local brewers would rather make 4 of the best local brews rather than 20 brews that are just average. By minimizing their list, they are able to focus on a few things and do them perfectly. It all goes back to the ingredients they are using and the time they are taking to make the products. Local breweries may not be able to produce as much as some of the Domestic Beer Distributors can but what they are producing is great quality.