An Introduction To Microbrews
With their varying flavor intensities and alcohol contents, microbrews exist simply because beer distributors noticed a market demand and took a gamble on imports like Corona in the 70s.
This type of flavorful beer sold to a limited yet very enthusiastic crowd.
Beer manufacturers create what sells, but, at first, they didn't believe there would be a significant maket with "those" types of beers. After all, consumer studies, and beer sales themselves, seemed to show that most American beer drinkers enjoyed the watery brew which was available everywhere.
Therefore, it was a bit of a surprise when, seemingly out of nowhere, microbrews popped up on the heels of the first successful microbrew, Samuel Adams. The folks who created, and believed in, Samuel Adams fought with import distributors to try and convince them that a flavorful American beer would sell...and sell well.
They were right, and, now, we have more microbrews than ever before with more appearing on the market, and in people's homes, each and every day it seems.
Of course, no matter how "good" something is, in this world, it's marketing that makes the world go around, and microbrews really didn't come into their own until distributors finally recognized that there actually were some people who would buy them!
Despite the marketers slowly getting on board, home brewers, and brewpubs, still had to face a few legal issues.
In 1968, home brewing became legal, and home brewers across the U.S. now had the support and assistance of supply stores and advice from multiple sources.
Until 1983, however, brewpubs were still illegal in all states.
But, in the latter part of 1983, California began to allow brewpubs to brew, and distribute, their brands of beer on site. This was the real beginning of the microbrew boom.
These charming, yet small, batch breweries experienced high sales, especially when they adopted the strategy of combining their microbreweries with restaurants.
It's almost a full circle, historically.
Just about a century ago, the United States had more than 2,000 breweries making many different styles and variations. But, by the 1980's, there were only 40 brewing companies that offered brands of American Pilsner.
In the present booming world of the microbrewery, there are over 500 microbreweries and brewpubs in the United States. Over the past few years, brewpubs have been appearing all over the place, even in bars that used to only carry the top, name brand beers.
Using Fruit in Microbrews
Alaskan Brewing
Anheuser Busch
Beer Culture
Beer Ingredients
Brewpub
Keg Or Cask
Discovering
Equipment
Guide
History
Hybrid
Lagers
Methods
America
Northwest
Oregon
Original
Pale Ale
Home Brewing
Brewing Process
Troubleshooting
Wheat Beer
Home Brewing
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