What’s Behind the Craft Beer Renaissance?

Photo taken by Jocelyn Stacia

What’s behind the craft beer renaissance? There are two things: community and better beer. 

As the craft beer movement continues to surge across the country, so too does an emphasis on local culture and community. According to the Brewers Association as of April 5th, 2022 there are 9,247 operating breweries, including microbreweries, brewpubs, taproom breweries and regional craft breweries. 600 of those being in New England and 130 of those 600 being in Massachusetts. From brewpubs that double as community centers to production breweries that rely on local input, craft beer is becoming a bedrock of community revitalization efforts. And for good reason: The presence of a local brewery has been proven to positively impact nearby businesses, real estate values, and create jobs. Perhaps most importantly, though, breweries are providing accessible spaces for people to come together and rekindle their love of camaraderie. If you’re interested in learning more about the role craft beer plays in strengthening communities and how you can be a part of it then keep reading.

What is Craft Beer?

For those that don’t know, “craft beer” is often used interchangeably with “microbrew.” Indeed, one is hardly more descriptive than the other; the only difference is that microbrew is the official industry term. In the simplest terms, craft beer is beer produced by a small, independent brewery that uses traditional methods. This includes beer made with 100% barley or a mix of barley and other grains, fermentation with a top-fermenting yeast, and hops added during the boil. This tradition distinguishes craft beer from what is often referred to as “macro beer.” That’s the beer produced by big, corporate breweries like Budweiser, Coors, and Miller. Macro beer is produced using a bottom-fermenting yeast, corn syrup, and hop extract.

As much as macro beer is a hit, these subtle differences that craft beer brings to the game gives it its name. Craft brewers are truly crafting not only an amazing brew, but also the experience that comes along with it when you step foot in the brewery. Craft beer brewers experiment and try a variety of flavors, techniques, and even the types of grain. Specifically here at Berkley Beer Company, Glenn has used hop hash in the past. Hop hash is the residue on the side of the press when they make hop pellets. Essentially the “concentrated goodness” as Glenn calls it. Using these concentrated goodies is the perfect way to add more flavor and experiment with different brews. 

Why Craft Beer is the New Community Building Trend

Asbury College defines community as “a group of people living together who share a common way of life which is expressed in shared beliefs, goals, values, purpose, responsibilities and communication.” Craft beer is built on that very same thing. Keeping craft beer independent to the individuality of the brewer and the beer while still maintaining a sense of shared responsibility, values, and purpose. Craft beer is fundamentally built on community. 

Craft beer has been linked to a number of positive benefits, but its ability to serve as a catalyst for community building is what sets it apart. Berkley Beer Company is a catalyst in the local community for Taunton. We have participated in a number of community building events that not only help the community, but bring the camaraderie we all need today. Weekly we are focused on supporting the arts with paint nights with Create with Kath, local musicians with Double Acoustic Sunday’s, partnering with McCaughey’s Standard Trivia for Thursday trivia game nights and Good Thomas’ Musical Bingo for the opposite Thursday of trivia. With the summer upon us we have been partnering with local yoga studios to offer a peaceful oasis on our patio. We focus on several other types of events that not only incorporate a sense of community, but also give us a chance to interact more intimately with you. We have hosted a number of birthday, retirement, and engagement parties along with social hours, rehearsal dinners, and we are even scheduled for a wedding in 2023! We come together for events like Oktoberfest, Friendsgiving, Halloween, Ugly Sweater Parties all complete with team games and of course the classical musical chairs. Here at Berkley Beer Company we strive to support the community in ways that put a smile on the face of many and laughter in the hearts of all. 

While here at Berkley Beer Company we are working hard to bring a space where you can come relax, play games, listen to acoustic music, and enjoy better beer.  We are planning a multitude of new events from recommendations given to us from our community. We started as a three-barrel nano brewery and grew into the warehouse on the Taunton River you visit us in today. While we still make changes now and then to the facility the expectation is always the same, better beer! 

Rebuilding Neighborhoods, One Pint at a Time

Here at Berkley Beer Company we don’t know a better way than to bring people together than by sharing a pint of local craft beer. We know this was the case for our Anawan Brewing Company. For those that don’t know, Anawan Brewing Company had a devastating fire. Here at Berkley Beer Company we saw this as an opportunity to step forward for not only the community, but for a brethren who loves brewing as much as we do, by doing a collaborative beer with other local breweries in support of raising funds to help ABC get back on their feet. 

Many of our other events have brought us the same camaraderie such as the Black Ale Project of 2021 that supported Berkley American Legion Post 21’s Veteran Beekeepers Training, or the Shining Star Program which was our 2021 holiday community project, where we were able to serve more than 110 kids through generous donations. We can’t wait for these opportunities and are forever grateful to the community for approaching us for all kinds of events. We wish we had more time in the year to accept everything that comes across our path because these events bring so much to our lives here at the brewery. 

Growers: An Asset for Rebuilding Communities

Another way craft beer is helping communities grow is through the use of local ingredients. 

At breweries across the country, craft beer lovers are embracing the fresh, seasonal flavors of local ingredients—and they’re even going so far as to “grow their own barley.” Unfortunately, we are not yet at capacity to start growing our own barely, but that doesn’t mean we don’t do our best to source locally for grains. 

We love seasonal flavors so we incorporate those as often as we can into our craft brews. Our most sought after summer brew is our White Ale brewed with Lemon. This summer also experimented with a Blueberry Wheat Ale which was released just in time for 4th of July celebrations.

Not only do we love seasonal flavors, but we love to give back and that starts locally. Here at Berkley Beer Company we want to make sure that we give to the farmers around us as much as they give to us. For 10 years we have been giving our spent grain to local farmers for their animals. We know this not only benefits the farmers, but also the community. 

Conclusion

With its focus on sharing and community building, craft beer is the perfect beverage to bring people together. The evidence is clear that the craft beer movement is here to stay. Whether you’re hosting a party or just want to enjoy a  pint of beer with a friend, there’s no better time to bring craft beer into your life. 

Written by Jocelyn Stacia