Thursday, September 18, 2014

Fresh, Local Beer!

There is a good reason they are called "craft" beers.  Small, local breweries are performing their craft when they brew and bottle their beer for our consumption.

Large, commercialized breweries with a national distribution network also are brewing some much-loved beer for our consumption.  They have taken their "craft" to a whole, new level of mass production with a taste that appeals to the masses of beer consumers.  Their advertisements appear on TV and billboards and infomercials on the internet and in the press.

Small, "craft" breweries are creating recipes for some unusual and limited-edition beers.  Often you will find them bottled in large, 22-40 ounce bottles with an artistic label.  Their Facebook pages and websites will announce the "birth" of their latest creation.  Sometimes the bottles are even numbered as an artist would number his prints and paintings.

Due to some recent Ohio legislation reducing the license fees for small brewers and distilleries, more and more "craft" breweries and distilleries are getting into the business of making and distributing their beverages.   Most of these small-scale breweries are producing beer for their own tasting rooms as well as for local bars and restaurants to have on tap for their customers.  A few of these small operators are investing in the equipment and technology to bottle, can, label, package, and distribute their beer to consumers at retail carryouts in many of Ohio's nearby counties.

This week, Homer Village Market is offering two more locally produced "craft" beers:

  • Lot 21 Blonde Ale produced by Millersburg Brewing Company, Millersburg, Ohio
    • 6-pack 12 oz. cans $8.99
  • Bleeding Buckeye Red Ale produced by Elevator Brewing Company, Columbus, Ohio
    • 6-pack 12 oz. bottles $8.99

Recently, Homer Village Market began offering craft beers brewed by Homestead Beer Company in Heath, Ohio, which is in our very own Licking County.

  • Tenpenny Amber Ale - six pack of 12-ounce bottles - $8.99
  • Barnraiser Pale Ale - 22 oz. bottles - $4.99 each
Autumn is one of the most beautiful of the four seasons in Ohio with mild temperatures during the day and cooler temperatures in the evenings.  Friends and families gather together around bonfires in the evenings to enjoy the star-lit skies and enjoy the fruits of their harvests from gardens, fields, vineyards, and orchards.  Fall colors are beginning to show in the leaves and flowers, and colorful gourds are decorating porches and entrances to all the local homes and businesses.

What a perfect time to enjoy some new flavors in beers and wines!  Pass the chips and salsa, and enjoy one of the many craft beers available in Ohio.  When you tailgate before or after the Ohio State Game and you have reached your safe destination, try some of these flavorful, fresh beers with some bratwurst or burgers!   Enjoy the tastes, sights, and sounds of the season!