Brewing is an ancient art that can be traced back to the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, mankind’s oldest civilization. When humans were first beginning their transition from hunters to an agricultural sedentary lifestyle approximately 10,000 years ago, the Sumerians started brewing. The first Europeans to make beer were the Germanic tribes of the Bronze Age, around 2,000-700 B.C. Much has changed since then but the basics of the brewing craft have remained the same.
Local brewers are keeping this ancient art alive. Their beer is the product of refinement over millenia of experimentation, tradition, and knowledge transmitted from generation to generation. Their beer has the true taste of the ages.
What is a craft brewery? A brewery must be independent, traditional, and small to be called craft. Small means a production of less than two million barrels of beer per year. Independent means that no more than 25 percent is controlled or owned by another company.
Brewing beer is an art form and it is the local brewers that help maintain this art. The real art of making beer is mastered by the local handmade breweries that make smaller batches of beer in a more traditional way.
These locally owned breweries deliver better social value than the global companies. From an economic point of view the local breweries have impact on the local communities contributing with wages, taxes, and expenditures to the economic well being of the communities. Local brewery ownership is a mean of community building.
From a social and cultural point of view the local breweries keep alive a tradition and an ancient craft. Local breweries are our neighbors. Some of them are also brewpubs, places where beer lovers can enjoy the beverage in their own neighborhood. A brewpub is not only locally owned but actually make the beers that it
sells.
The ownership of breweries by faraway global corporations is alienating. People would rather seek out the intimate experience provided by brewpubs. The majority of the patrons of those brewpubs appreciate the social interaction combined with the alcohol consumption.
Going local is a trendy concept and it applies to beer as well. You can help support your local breweries by buying local crafted beer at your local store or visiting one of their establishments.
One aspect that is well known about Canadians is that they just love their beer. Canadian beer can be said to be pride of a nation. As a matter of fact, most events taking place in the region feature a variety of local brews. This will apply to both formal as well as informal. The social drink is not just another chilled drink but a symbol of the culture of the people. A beer brand that existed in the days of our grandparents still remains popular to this day. Talk about passing on of the drinking culture.
In line with keeping up the rich beer history, large as well as microbreweries regularly hold beer festivals. At the event, a person is able to sample what Canada has to offer. Whether you love your ice beer, fancy your cream ale, or simply cannot resist craft beer, then this is an event for you. Brewing beers is no longer a tightly kept trade secret as it was in the yesteryears. The modern brewer allows his customers sample the latest brews as well as have a tour of the brewery. This experience allows beer drinkers share their thoughts about their favorite drink. It also leads to people appreciating the big role the beer industry plays in the economy.
Friendships and strong social bonds are always established during the beer festivals or a tour of a brewing plant. This is even becoming a common pastime for many people. It is also viewed as a way of appreciating the local brewing sector that has been growing tremendously. Local brands are generally well received in the market. This is attributed to the provincial regulations which encourage local brewing. So next time you are sipping your cold Budweiser, Molson dry, Coors light, Labatt blue, pale lager, or any other beer brand, you may well appreciate the rich culture, strong friendship, as well as robust economy that is made possible thanks to the beer industry.
The benefits of supporting your local brewery aren’t limited to the awesome beer, the great food or the wonderful camaraderie. Supporting your local brewery means that you are contributing to the local economy and ensuring that the brewery and your locality thrive.
It’s easy to see how being a patron of a local brewery contributes directly and indirectly to the local economy. The brewery pays taxes to the local government, which ensures that, with every bill you pay there, there is money going to the local economy. There is also the added factor of jobs being generated with the growth of the local brewery. Some of the better known local breweries go on to mass produce their beer to be sold across the country, and this generates even more jobs for the town. With brewing being a skill that takes years to perfect, interested individuals will benefit greatly from helping out at the brewery and learning on the job.
Pub food has always been a unique cuisine and local breweries go to great lengths to carry on the tradition. Most local breweries have a menu that pairs their food with the beer available and the combinations can be mouthwatering. It’s a good reason to choose the pub over a fast food chain for a hearty dinner.
Buying merchandise is also a great way to support your local brewery. Buying a t shirt or a cap not only helps you show your support for the brewery but also gives them some free publicity. Advertising can be expensive, so the small cost you pay for the t-shirt or the cap may mean huge savings for the brewery!
If your brewery is in a farming town, this means that some farmers can diversify their crop and add barley to their crop rotation. This will ensure that the brewery has a convenient source for their main ingredient and farmers have a permanent customer. Another boost for the local economy.
At the end of the day, it’s not a hard task to support your local brewery. The food is good, the beer even better and the merchandise is a great reminder of the place you love.
