Here in Hamilton, the growing number of breweries has luckily been matched by their quality and innovation when it comes to beer, so it has become even easier for me to eschew long drives or even the LCBO for weeks on end and still have enough new and interesting stuff to satisfy both my curiosity and my palate. Of course, even in the city limits, beer lovers have an even smaller list of favourites and while a lot of that has to do with the beer and styles made at each place, proximity plays a larger part than most people want to admit. Although it is a certain fact that each of the 6 Hamilton area breweries have not only distinct flavour profiles but different personalities and core fan bases that reflect them in many ways. I've spent time hanging out at each one and can attests to the vibe being as unique as the beers each one brews and this bleeds over into their regular crowd and biggest fans on social media and real life.
The closer you are to a brewery means the less you have to spend getting there if you're planning on having a few at a special event. If it's on the way home from work, even better because you can do the quick pop in to pick up something for the evening or weekend ahead. You get to know the people working there and in the case of the smaller breweries, often the owners and brewers themselves. You feel a sense of ownership, of pride when bringing people you know to your local or favourite brewery. It becomes part of your story, attaching itself to your narrative and blending into your life as an ingredient in its' daily or weekly composition. Many people I talk to eschew the LCBO or Beer Store much more than they thought they would when they got a brewery close to home and often are inspired to seek out more and more breweries to stop at when out and about. They begin to learn and acquire knowledge about the process, the flavours and the character of their stops and bring home a taste for new things but still find comfort in their favourite spots and beers close to home.
The rise of a brewery in every small town is a little far fetched, but most folks certainly have far better and closer access to local craft beer than ever before. It shows not only in social media, but in the fact that the viability of such operations can hinge on a close by following, developed and nurtured by business that is inviting and creative. Some do it with a stream of events attached to the space, making it feel like a community hub or even a whole lot of releases that seemingly never end, inspiring weekly stops to see what is new. Some are only open a few hours each weekend and the beer seems sent from heaven, a cult like following growing with each tank of beer sold. And while beer tourism is on the rise and road trips containing brewery stops as a destination rather than a surprise stumble upon continue to grow, people still fall back on the local, the known and the place where everyone knows your name.
It isn't that I am positing an end to seeking out the best craft beer or that people will shrink their exploration if a new brewery opens close to home, but I do feel that the future of so many of the craft breweries we see will and does indeed depend on the voracity of its local following. The nerds like myself may visit once in a while and buy one of each of the releases, but the regulars will be in weekly, maybe more and spend far more time and money supporting that place where barley, hops, water and yeast meet the hopes of so many who dare to dream.
Life has been changed forever as a beer drinker for so many of us and I hope we continue to explore a wider world around us while making sure we support the home team and keep the world close to us filled with beautiful moments at our local taprooms.
Cheers!
Polk
