Support your local brewery (as long as they make a quality product)! It's not hard to tell those who have no idea what good craft beer is, and I feel bad for their continued patronage at bad establishments. A while back there was a highly publicized collaborative 12 pack from all of the local breweries, it was supposed to be released for Cleveland Beer Week, but the state approval didn't come through in time. Needless to say approval finally came about 6-7 months after anticipated. Add this time on top of the 1-2 months I'm guessing that some of these beers were already brewed and bottled and we're looking at some serious age. Most of the styles brewed were meant to be enjoyed fresh and it caused plenty of raised eye brows from us knowledgeable folk. I actually got into a discussion with one of the brewers/owners involved (who makes very good beer) and his only stance was that the locals should support local breweries. I retorted that indeed they should as long as the local breweries provide worthwhile products to support. I will pay any brewpub a visit, but if the beers are sub par then there's no reason to go back and give them more of my money.

Topic Dear to me heart! When I was in Germany I got an idea why some of the old locals went under. Sure times change and consumption goes up and down. Big fish eat smaller ones...bottom line on the closures came down to better cheaper brew down the line. Fools bet of the evening: Cannabis and micro prices at new lows this fall...

quote: Originally posted by Cottrell But then I started thinking about all the people I know that say they don't like beer, and are unwilling to try craft beer because they hate BMC so much. So... seems like quite a few folk can't differentiate between the beer they've always known and craft beer.

Good point. "I don't like beer" = I have tried a few pale lagers and maybe Guinness and didn't like them. I have been told multiple times that what I drink "doesn't taste like beer". Meaning that adjunct pale lager is the expected taste. Anything else is just confusing. [:(]

Agreed. Though I wonder about the other 49 people in the place who were probably regulars...

quote: Originally posted by heemer77 The bad craft brewery is worse. With the huge corporate swill, people know what they are getting. The beer equivalent of McDonald's, not good, but consistent. Bad craft beer turns many people away from trying more good beer. They would rather spend their money on something safe and bland than risk getting something that is bad again. However, like PaulCardom said, some locals seem to love it no matter how bad it is. Just because it is local, that does not mean that it is good.

quote: Originally posted by slowrunner77 Agreed. Though I wonder about the other 49 people in the place who were probably regulars...

Yeah, reminds me of a guy that told me the only beer he liked was Grolsch. I think he truly enjoyed the taste of skunk! For many, I think that supporting the local guy overrides any true critical thinking about the beer. I used to frequent a coffee shop (before I made my own) that had inferior coffee just because I knew the owners. But then again, I think that many people just drink the beer, they don't really think about how it tastes, thus the love for so much junk that is out there. How does Tommyknocker stay around, let alone charge $11 a six pack? [;)]

I'm all for supprting the local guy, as long as they've earned it. Just being the local guy does not mean they have earned my respct...or money for that matter. I don't know if homerism is what was going on here, bas taste, something else, or a combination of all those factors. Anyway...for me, I won't get an inferior product just to remain loyal. There's a couple locals (a brewery and a couple bars) here in Reno that no longer get my business, and it has nothing to do with the product. If I'm going to give you my money, inferior service shant be put up with wither. Too many GOOD places to go to put up with any o that!

quote: Originally posted by slowrunner77 I'm all for supprting the local guy, as long as they've earned it. Just being the local guy does not mean they have earned my respct...or money for that matter. I don't know if homerism is what was going on here, bas taste, something else, or a combination of all those factors. Anyway...for me, I won't get an inferior product just to remain loyal. There's a couple locals (a brewery and a couple bars) here in Reno that no longer get my business, and it has nothing to do with the product. If I'm going to give you my money, inferior service shant be put up with wither. Too many GOOD places to go to put up with any o that!

Agreed. I would take inferior beer over poor service. My worst few restaurant experiences that I can recall were due to poor service. The only time I can even remember bad food was a couple of times when I got food poisoning, that I never forgot!

quote: Originally posted by Stoutlover72 I spent most of the afternoon this past weekend in one of the most beautiful parts of California, specifically, a State Park known simply as The Big Trees. Thousands of acres of huge Redwoods, hundreds of feet tall and several hundred, if not a 1,000+ years old. Nearby is a crafter brewery that's really well known in these parts and bottles their wares and makes them available in pretty much every restaurant/gas station in a 60-mile radius. I've had their beer in bottles before, but this was the first time I've had it on tap. The place was pretty full (40-50 guests) and a majority of them were drinking their beer and enjoying themselves. I had their sampler and 6 out of the 7 beers were just simply F'n awful. Buttery, flavorless, pathetic, mess of beers. They define the term "drainpour". So my question is this. What's worse for the Craft Beer industry? Places like this that sell a crappy product that people seem to enjoy, perhaps because they don't know any better or A/B, Miller, Coors that make a quality product in the sense that it's usually fresh, lacks flaws and defines the word consistent (of course, also lacks flavor, aroma, body, etc). I could not understnd how people were choking down pints of this garbage? I told the waitress that ther beer were really hard to drink, after she asked why I didn't finish my sampler tray. She said "well, maybe you should start out with some training wheels before you ride the big boys bike". I actually laughed out loud and said that she might be right and let it go. So which is worse? Bad craft beer or good/bad macro beer?

I guess one thing to ask that hasn't been addressed is "what other craft/micro" options are available to them in the area? - Are they drinking this stuff instead of the macros because it's the only craft available and they insist on supporting the craft industry (and since they have no other craft to compare it to they thiunki it's good because they don't know any better?) If there are other craft beers available , and they have chosen to steadfastly support the bad one, then maybe you should stay away from those people :) Personally, I'll try everything once. If I don't like it, I won't try it again. I treat all beers equally. Knowing what most of the mainstream macros taste like to begin with, if I'm in a place where the craft/micro selection is shitty, or are beers I don't care for, I have no issue with selecting a macro.

You always have to watch out for the One-Eyed Kings.[;)]

Dang, folks finally getting the brews I get when I drink at micros! My opinions are on record-let me tell you about a re-visit that was PDG. Was in Weed other nite-local brew is undrinkable at best...no PU at me favorite store-so...eel River triple Exultation-and its organic. 3 22 oz later was fine in the morning. Eel river in Fortuna not bad!