Most industries are cutthroat. Brewing is no exception, at least at the top. However, the craft brewing and micro scene is a bit different. Beer is not treated as a commodity, but a differentiated product. And making this product is so time-consuming and variable-dependent that no one brewery could possibly brew enough different kinds of beer to satiate the cultured masses.

As in many other industries, microbrewers are extremely passionate about what they do – and not only about what they do, but about beer in general. They appreciate beer, which necessarily means appreciating other brewers. Add to this a “David and Goliath” mentality of the little brewers vs. the A-B’s and the Miller’s of the world, and you’ve got a strong affinity between smaller brewers. This kind of affinity is best epitomized by outright collaboration: something like Russian River and Avery’s “Collaboration, not Litigation Ale.”

While not all inter-industry support is this blatant, it makes a powerful point. Brewing is about beer. We brew beer and enjoy that we can make a living doing it, but money isn’t why we brew. There are very few industries where I would feel comfortable supporting “competitors.” People like Brad Warbiany, who has just recently decided to pursue his own commercial brewing endeavors, and Beau’s All-Natural Brewing, a father/son brewing start-up in Canada. I genuinely look forward to consuming these beers. I feel a kind of kindred spirit, even though I have yet to meet either of them.

So why do I love the business of brewing? Because it leaves room for love of the product and appreciation of it’s production (and consumption). Life is more than money.

This entry was posted Monday, August 13th, 2007 at 8:03 am and is filed under Industry, MNB: legitimate business. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.