Maybe it factors into which brewer is your "favorite," as do many other considerations (My "first" beer I liked, etc, which get over-rated in some ways), but it won't change whether or not I like a beer when all is said and done. The beer(s) have to be good to be called good. For example, Delaware has nothing to do with the fact that I REALLY like DFH WWS over that West Coast hopped-silly Speedway. (Ok, that was bait for those on the West, but....)

quote: Originally posted by Dansting I was just wondering, are you guys/ladies more biased towards your local brewers than you are to others? I try not to be, but I know that I give Boulevard beers more credit than I would if they weren't about 10 minutes away from my house. Same with Free State Brewing Company in Lawrence, Kansas, where I went to college. Just curious if any of you are the same (maybe a good poll question). I'm not always this way though, as I avoid the Pony Express Brewery in Olathe, KS since their beer isn't that great and their people haven't been the friendliest or the most accommodating to me and others I know. But I know I've given them, along with the River Market Brewing Company, more chances than I would to a non-local brewery/brewpub.

Local brewers most likely get higher reviews than non local brewers. Why? Bias? Maybe, but I don't think so. Beer is best fresh. Who knows how old the Stone is that I pick up off the shelf when I'm in MA, but when ECB or fstbttms picks it up, it's probably fresh as. And you sort of hinted at this at the end of the post, I think everyone wants to see the local guy succeed. I've had bad beer from some locals, but I always head back for more to see how they've cleaned up and improved. A couple bad beers from a California brewery, and chances are, I won't revisit their beers.

quote: Originally posted by Dansting I was just wondering, are you guys/ladies more biased towards your local brewers than you are to others? I try not to be, but I know that I give Boulevard beers more credit than I would if they weren't about 10 minutes away from my house. Same with Free State Brewing Company in Lawrence, Kansas, where I went to college. Just curious if any of you are the same (maybe a good poll question). I'm not always this way though, as I avoid the Pony Express Brewery in Olathe, KS since their beer isn't that great and their people haven't been the friendliest or the most accommodating to me and others I know. But I know I've given them, along with the River Market Brewing Company, more chances than I would to a non-local brewery/brewpub.

Guilty as charged, Dan. I know I have shown a very heavy bias to the Lagers brewed by the Penn Brewery on more than one occasion here.

The closest brewpub for me is Hop's and I am not a big fan of their beer or service. I'm sure I would be biased if I had a real local brewer nearby.

I definitely have a bias, but I also can feel burned too. My local brewpub used to be terrible, both in beer and service. The new owners are still trying to live down that old reputaion, even though they are much, much better. I take Millstream with me whenever I travel. They make some pretty good stuff and people in other states are always glad to get some stuff from Iowa.

I go more with bias for the locals then the theory of fresher brew. If the local stinks, and the brew is fresh, it is still the local watering hole and folks support it. On my part I have no problem not supporting a not so good or bad local. Sierra, Rogue, and De ****s are in driving range of me and I aviod em like the plague. On the other hand there is a small brewery pizzeria about three hours away I do go to when I am in KFalls. Mia and Pia's not only make some pretty good brews, you can always get a cold Bud there for $1.50-can't beat it. When I was in the Schwarzwald there was a local dominant Furstenberg, and I was now fan till...I was out on a hot day, and stopped in to a local gasthaus and had one of their Pils on tap, it was perfect for the day. I asked around about Furstenberg, and it turns out those folks dump millions of Euros a year into local sports teams and concerts. They give so much back to the community, folks love em for it. Moral is: Even if the brew is not your favorite, what is it worth to have a local brewery?