| Regional Characteristics of Craft Brewing.It is surely | | | | rule is the amazing bounty of aromas you may find in |
| apparent to even the most casual observer that the | | | | a glass of traditional Hefeweizen, or wheat beers |
| selection of small batch, or micro brewed, beer has | | | | with the yeast left unfiltered.SouthSettled mainly by |
| grown steadily for many years. Early on in the craft | | | | the French, the south and Gulf Coast has little in the |
| brewing revival it was widely speculated that the | | | | way of a brewing history. The very warm climate |
| microbrew revolution was merely a fad and once | | | | made growing malt and hops nearly impossible, and |
| over, factory beers would once again be the only | | | | fermenting in this heat is unpredictable. As such, the |
| beer left standing on the shelves. But these smaller | | | | South does not have many brewpubs and Micros in |
| brewers have not only survived, they have thrived | | | | order to define their space. With the advent of |
| and revitalized many brewing traditions nearly lost | | | | refrigeration, and the ease of shipping ingredients |
| forever. What has emerged is rather amazing. When | | | | now, there are some great brews beginning to take |
| you travel the United States and sample beers over | | | | shape. So perhaps it would be better to wait until |
| a wide geographic range, patterns emerge in the | | | | more brewing traditions have been created before |
| beer styles and flavors you sample. These brewing | | | | pigeon-holing this newcomer to the brewing scene. |
| tendancies are based on the history of beer making | | | | One thing that is noticeable is the effect hot weather |
| in the region, the availability of ingredients, and even | | | | has on the beer drinkers desire. Lighter beers served |
| the climate of the area and its effect on the demand | | | | ice cold are in much greater fashion than the heavier |
| for various beer styles.Let's look at some of the | | | | and warmer ales served by their neighbors to the |
| broad regions of the country and what you can | | | | North.MountainsThe mountains of Colorado, Nevada, |
| expect in the general styles of beers. While this | | | | and Idaho are especially noted for unparalleled skiing. |
| exercise sheds some light on how each region has | | | | Along with skis, vacationers often bring a hearty |
| evolved, it is by no means an absolute reference. | | | | thirst worked up from multiple trips down the |
| There are many wonderful exceptions to every | | | | mountains. Here an ever-growing brewpub scene |
| generalization.North EastNew England has roots that | | | | offers some of the most varied selections in the |
| run to the very beginnings of when Europeans first | | | | country. It is almost like the brewers of the mountain |
| settled North America, and one of the first traditions | | | | region reflect the many expectations brought by |
| these settlers brought with them was brewing. Many | | | | visitors from every corner of the world. Here you will |
| of our founding fathers not only enjoyed a brewed | | | | find German lagers, English Ales, and American |
| libation, they often made their own. One of the | | | | originals all served side by side. But one characteristic |
| biggest craft brewers even takes its very name | | | | that begins to shine through comes from the |
| from a famous patriot and brewer from the | | | | proximity of the hops growing region in the Pacific |
| American Revolution. The microbrew revolution has | | | | Northwest. Beer here has a distinct extra dose of |
| not traveled far from its heritage, and you will find | | | | hops that make them All American. Instead of using |
| almost exclusively beers made in the English tradition. | | | | hops imported from Europe, beer is most often |
| This is ale country, and most brewpubs even have | | | | embued with American varieties descended from |
| the traditional hand pulled beer engine offering true | | | | traditional hops of the world.West Coast and Pacific |
| cask conditioned ales at cellar temperatures. While | | | | NorthwestThe West Coast is mostly affected by the |
| English ales rule in the North East, a few renegades | | | | very close US center of hops growing in Oregon and |
| are offering Belgian style ales. These beers are very | | | | Washington states. Beer styles here are most |
| traditional in their hops and malt balance, smooth and | | | | certainly American. The Pacific Northwest is also the |
| very drinkable.MidwestMany Germans migrated during | | | | heart of barley growing in the United States, so it is |
| the 1800's to the Midwest in search of farm land and | | | | no surprise that the density of micro brewed beer is |
| work in the booming cities. With them they brought a | | | | higher here than most anywhere else in the country. |
| long tradition of brewing cold fermented lagers from | | | | And every brewery or brewpub offers many styles |
| their homeland of Germany, Bavaria, Poland, and | | | | with assertive hops; in the kettle for bitterness as |
| other middle European countries. True to form, this | | | | well as large amounts of dry hops in the barrel for |
| portion of the country still has some of the best | | | | aroma. Most styles are American adaptations of |
| lagers to be found in the world. It is this part of the | | | | German or English traditional brews, adapted for the |
| country where brewing survived during prohibition and | | | | cool wet weather and utilizing the abundance of local |
| then blossomed after its downfall. The United States | | | | ingredients.While throughout the world there are |
| largest brewers are still in the Midwest, but they are | | | | literally dozens of styles of beer, relatively few are |
| no longer alone. The beer selection you will primarily | | | | brewed in any one region of the United States. Each |
| find here focuses on lighter beers that have been | | | | area has been influenced by climate, availability of |
| cold fermented and offer crisp clean colors, the floral | | | | ingredients, and tradition, to develop a limited number |
| and citrus aromas of Noble hops, and little in the way | | | | of distinct beer offerings. |
| of estery yeast by-products. The exception to this | | | | |