Although the alcohol laws of Utah are amongst the most restrictive in the United States, they haven’t managed to deter winemakers from producing wines of note or keep breweries and distilleries from thriving.
AdVINEtures writing about a craft brewery? What?? The craft brewery movement across North America is too big and culturally too important to ignore. The current estimates point to craft beer accounting for 10% of production by volume in the United States. On the West Coast, where the movement finds its stronghold, big craft brew cities like Portland, San Francisco and Seattle are estimated to have 20% market share going to the craft breweries. Elsewhere in the States, Boston and Denver are also seeing big support for the movement. The Brewer’s Association in the US has a goal of 20% market share by 2020 and is trumpeting the mantra “20 by 20”. Stats for Canada are a little harder to come by but by appearances we should be close. Certainly Vancouver has become another stronghold for craft brewing with, at last count, over 60 craft breweries in the metropolitan area.
In 1983, Mike and Brian McMenamin opened their first pub in Portland, Oregon, followed by their first brewery and first hotel in 1985 and 1990, respectively. Today, they own and operate more than fifty properties throughout Oregon and Washington and are one of the largest producers of micro brewed beer in a region that has more craft breweries per capita than anywhere in the world.
For those of us that live in the Pacific Northwest, there’s a certain indescribable vibe that’s virtually impossible to explain if you’ve never spent time in this region. Often stereotyped as ‘tree-huggers’ or ‘hippies’, we have an obsessive-like relationship with our natural surroundings and an unmistakable pride around how we connect with it. We have the luxury of a milder climate and take advantage every chance we get to hike up a mountain, bike along a seawall, or slip into a kayak. This reverence for Mother Nature also extends to the bounty she provides for our consumption as we make it a priority to appreciate and enjoy all things grown locally and used in season. The epicentre of this vibe appears to be Portland, Oregon where daily farmers markets, numerous craft breweries and an innovative foodie scene is being replicated along the Pacific Northwest and beyond at an astonishing rate.
You know you’ve got a great business idea when certain clients demand your product before you’ve even advertised it. And when you provide a fresher, more environmentally friendly and more cost-effective alternative, it really shouldn’t be seen as a challenge. But the wine industry is a fickle one often faced with discerning and staunch opponents to anything non-traditional. The people behind Fresh Tap in Vancouver are up for the challenge and are helping change the wine industry one keg at a time.
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