This from the zoning application by The Rare Barrel in West Berkeley (California):
“We will be a gathering place for artisanal brewers, home brewers, beer enthusiasts and food lovers in general. We will bring to Berkeley well-paying jobs both in the brewery and the retail area that do not require an advanced degree.”
The headline on the story: City approves sour-beer brewery for ‘beer geeks.’
This probably made it easier for those sitting on the the zoning board to give the application a thumbs up: “The brewers will contract with several existing breweries to produce wort, an early stage of the beer, in kettles off-site so as to avoid ‘bakery’ type odors associated with brewing.”
Ah California “so we want the brewery, but you know without that brewery smell.”
I can get the lack of equipment or investment to brew onsite initially but this just, well, silly.
If the wind is right when you leave the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield (California) – a popular tour – you can smell wort from A-B’s Fairfield brewery. Don’t know who was in charge of zoning there.
Eeew! ‘Bakery odors’ are so disgusting! (I am very confused by this story.)
I’m with Bailey — who doesn’t like the aromas from a good bakery? Although, I don’t often equate that with beer brewing — though I enjoy both olfactory sensations greatly.
Burlington, WI is home to a Nestle chocolate factory — you can smell the great aromas almost upon crossing the town line… I don’t think anyone’s complained. Maybe visitors from Berkeley. 😉