Craft beer is craft beer, right? Well, seeing the forest for the trees, yes, but what is hardcore craft beer? Or what makes craft beer “hardcore”? You’ve more than likely heard “Think local. Drink local,” right? Local craft breweries are at the heart of hardcore craft beer, but it goes even further to also having local representation for regional breweries.
Local representation is having representatives living in the area and market in which the beer is sold and distributed. These reps are a part of that market’s community and they call those cities home. These reps educate buyers and consumers on the product instead of having someone who knows little about the product trying to sell or explain it to others. They give the brewery a face and a name while giving consumers a direct line to the brewery to ask questions and share feedback. The beer isn’t shipped out, dropped off, and poured all while the consumer knows nothing about the history or makeup of the beer. Consumers these days have questions and an interest in knowing what they are buying and why it’s any different from the rest, and most of all, what they are consuming. Having local representation covers just that and is a vital piece of the hardcore puzzle.
All of these factors make hardcore beer “hardcore”. These breweries have a strong loyalty and commitment to the craft and how the beer is produced and then supplied to the end user, the craft beer drinker. More and more people are discovering (and enjoying) craft beer and we thank everyone for helping us celebrate the hardcore of craft beer. Cheers!