It Takes a Brewery

Being retired, I have had time to visit several nearby and not-so-nearby breweries. What I’ve found no matter the time of day, location, facility, or selection of beer, is people having a good time coming together over cold glasses of that sudsy beverage.

Local breweries are much more to their community than just a place to get locally brewed beer. Like Europe’s town pubs, our local breweries can serve as a center-point for members of the community. They are a meeting place for beer lovers, and with hard seltzers and non-alcoholic sodas available at many of them, even for those not so fond of beer. From groups of friends getting together over pints to groups from the office blowing off steam after work, to out-of-towners looking for good local beer, breweries provide a place where everyone has one thing in common – the love of good beer. And that commonality makes meeting new people so much easier since there is a universal topic of conversation.

The camaraderie that develops quickly between regular patrons creates a sense of community and belonging. My wife and I often joke that going to our local brewery - https://www.ashtonbrewing.com – is like walking into Cheers where everyone knows our names. There is always someone we know there, even if it’s just the beertender, and always good conversation. I’ve had many fun talks with the beertenders I know well when the tasting room is quiet. Not the pour out your problems to the person on the other side of the bar stuff, but conversations about what’s going on in the community, how they are doing, or any other topic of mutual interest. You rarely have that opportunity at a bar or restaurant.

Besides the social context that local breweries provide, they benefit the surrounding community and other local businesses too. In addition to attracting locals, breweries bring people to the neighborhood who might not otherwise venture there, and those people frequently patronize other businesses, especially restaurants and pubs. While breweries in NJ can’t serve food, they usually have menus from local places that deliver or are nearby, and the staff is always happy to recommend a local place for whatever you are craving.

Still, some restaurant and bar owners see them as competition rather than potential partners. It’s interesting that wineries and cideries are not seen that way and therefore are not subject to the same strict rules governing breweries and their abilities to hold events or have food trucks (which count as an event). I won’t go into the nonsensical (in my opinion) logic for having one set of rules for breweries and distilleries, but a much looser set of rules for wineries and cideries. I’ll leave that to the curious among you to search out.

For those businesses that take the opportunity to partner with their local brewery, both sides win. The pub on the corner street that has the local beer on tap promotes the brewery, and the brewery in turn recommends the pub to hungry patrons as a place for good food where they can have the same beer they are drinking in the tasting room. Other businesses can find creative ways to partner as well. The craft shop down the street can make beer-related items for sale at the brewery, thus expanding their market. All the local businesses can benefit by working together, and their success in turn benefits the community as a whole.

Breweries add character to their neighborhood and are often part of an area’s revitalization. More than just a building with a bunch of shiny brewing equipment, local breweries serve as a meeting place, a draw to bring people to their part of town and can create opportunity for other local businesses. Drink local, shop local and support your community.

I will be off next week as I am traveling to catch a Coumbus Blue Jackets game with my cousin.

Next post will be on Halloween.

www.RetiredandInspiredat55.com 10-17-2022