From Forbes.com Once a magnet for those looking for a free beer, brewery tours have gotten much more sophisticated in recent years. Along with that gratis beer, breweries the world over are offering everything from in-depth tours to lessons in beer-making. Some have even built restaurants or brewpubs where visitors can lunch on a Kobe burger and wash it down with a German-style ale. Add it all up, and you have more than just a free beer; you have a perfect Saturday afternoon.  read more »

The Morning Advertiser gives the news today of a European Beer Consumers Union constitution which will be signed on 24 June. It sounds rather official: The over-riding aim of the organisation is to ensure there will still be a wide choice of craft brewed beers available for future generations. "In a climate where the big brewers continue to get bigger and bigger and lose all contact with their original routes, axing local beer brands and closing breweries it is essential that the beer drinkers of Europe stand up for local quality beer and fight to protect and promote Europes beer heritage," said ECBU chairman Terry Lock. Why has there not been a beer drinkers' consumer organization arise in North America?  read more »

Brewpub
Date and time reviewed: Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:13:02 EST

Overall Score: 73.3
Selection: 4.25 | Service: 3.75 | Atmosphere: 3 | Food: 3.5

Reviewer: Curmudgeon

Fremont is a small community neatly tucked in between downtown Seattle and the University of Washington. (I include the "U" as a township since it has its own police force & post office!)

It has become a haven for the eclectic & artistic full of pubs, restaurants, book & music stores, costume shops, their very own gay pride parade & bathtub races every year (although not at the same time!)

It's also home to Hale's Ales, the only brewpub remaining from the enterprising mind of Mike Hale who, after traveling through Europe by bicycle was so impressed with the beer, decided to try his hand in his native Washington. The little town of Colville saw his first brewery open 25 years ago, followed soon by a second on the shores of Lake Washington in Kirkland. Eventually the Colville "store" closed its doors & the Kirkland location moved to Fremont where "the main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing."  read more »

"We have a situation where the big brewers are now paying attention and learning from their smaller counterparts."

Seemingly small beer brands are becoming increasingly big business in the US, as a growing number of major brewers move to enter or consolidate their positions in the craft brewing category. via Food And Drink Europe