Monday morning musing: On drinking local
No imported beers for us in the next year and change.
Oh, we’ll drink Bavarian beer . . . when we are in Germany. And beers brewed in West Flanders . . . when we are in West Flanders. Beers from upstate New York? You guessed it.
We’ll be drinking local. That means the local water, beer and wine. What’s local coffee? That discussion belongs in another blog.
We don’t have a precise definition for local, but I’m sure that when we’re in New Jersey that we have to consider a Michigan beer an import.
So I can already think of times we’ll feel challenged. Like December, when we won’t be in California. Will a holiday season without Sierra Nevada Celebration feel like the holidays?
- Interesting to see the New York Times explore if the ‘real’ Ireland still exists while the Chicago Tribune has story from the Washington Post I previously overlooked about how Ireland’s growing affluence has led to 1,000 pubs closing.
The “closed” sign abruptly posted on Carney’s door — and on the doors of 1,000 rural Irish pubs in the past three years — was another sign of the profound lifestyle changes that have accompanied the country’s rise to affluence.
“It was like a sudden death in the family,” said Anthony Scanlan, 51, a farmer who lives near Carney’s. “Everything has changed in Ireland. It’s as fast as New York around here.”
Posted: May 19th, 2008 under Beer culture.
May 19th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Christmas without Celebration Ale I can do, but no Anchor? That would a tough one. Thankfully I can consider them both “local”.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:12 am
That would be a challenge. We’re in Massachusetts, and New England isn’t exactly wanting for breweries, but no Sierra Nevada, Fuller’s 1845, Sam Smith’s India Ale, Anchor Our Special Ale or Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye? Tough road to hoe.
I’ll think about it, though. We’ve certainly become more interested in eating locally as much as possible.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Interesting in that the latest radio advertising for Old Style here in the Chicago area is “Think Local, Drink Local.” Interesting because Old Style has never a truly been a “local” beer. But i follow the advice, I go out and grab some Goose Island.
May 19th, 2008 at 10:54 am
SteveH, I listen to Cubs games on XM while at work, and after Ron Santo, that Old Style guy makes me want to stab myself in the ear with a pencil. In case you’re wondering, not a Cubs fan, just a huge baseball fan.
May 20th, 2008 at 5:17 am
“that Old Style guy makes me want to stab myself in the ear with a pencil.”
He has an e-mail address now…
May 20th, 2008 at 5:33 am
That Chicago Tribune piece is pure publicans’ propaganda. The publicans have brought these closures on themselves by using their considerable political muscle to block any attempt to allow new pub licences to be created — the last fresh licence in Ireland was issued in 1902.
Instead, they have ensured that their licences change hands for hugely-inflated prices — about €180,000 on average these days — and have readily sold out to big developers and supermarket chains who need their licences to be allowed sell beer.
A look at the beer selection in almost any Irish pub will tell you how much the publicans care about generating footfall by providing a better service to customers. They’d much rather whine about the smoking ban and blame anyone but their themselves.
May 21st, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Oops, previous link appears to be bad. Try this: http://hodoeporicon.blogspot.com/2007/06/drinking-local.html
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I love this idea. I posted about drinking local last June: http://hodoeporicon.blogspot.com/2007/06/drinking-local.html . I’m lucky to live in New England, where we have an embarassment of riches for brewing!
August 3rd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
[...] 2008 in beer review, local I’ve been hearing talk about keeping it local these days, with some being more ardent in their approach than others. Me? I mostly employ the scattershot method of [...]