Being the wealthiest nation in the world, we Americans have a taste for luxury, from our houses to our cars, to our beer. The desire for something better than the mild, generally homogeneous brews produced by megacorporations has spawned our modern, robust microbrew industry. By legal definition, a microbrewery produces less than 50,000 gallons or 15,000 barrels of beer per year, compared to the half billion or so gallons produced by brewer Anheuser-Busch, makers of Budweiser. Appreciators of good beer consider microbrews to be of higher quality and more diversified than the beer distributed by big business. Thus, microbreweries attempt to satisfy our predilection for fine beer.

Beer has been an integral part of our nation’s history. Rather than heading farther south as they had intended, the Pilgrims purportedly came ashore early because they were running out of beer. A passenger on the Mayflower wrote in his journal, “We could not now take time for further search or consideration, our victuals being much spent, especially our beer.” The early settlers were likely drinking English ale—unhopped, top-fermented, and made of maize. The earliest brewery was probably in the colony of New Amsterdam as early as 1629; by the late 1600s, Philadelphia was bustling with microbreweries and brewing Founding Fathers. Thomas Jefferson was instrumental in the legalization of beer brewing, as he believed “Beer, if drunk with moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit and promotes health.” He, George Washington, James Madison, William Penn and of course Samuel Adams were all brewing their own beer. Around 1840, with the German emigrants, along came a revolution in brewing: bottom-fermenting lagers. In fact, German emigrants established a number of early breweries—Adolph Coors, Theodore Hamm, Frederick Pabst, Joseph Schlitz and Bernard Stroh, to name a few.

The number of breweries in the United States hit its apex in the late 1800s, with estimates ranging from 2,000 to over 4,000 breweries in operation in 1870. At this point, individual breweries began to consolidate and merge nationwide with the goal of making beer Big Business. Then came the anti-German sentiment of World War I, Prohibition in 1920, outlawing the manufacturing and selling of alcohol for consumption by the public, and the Great Depression of 1929, all of which contributed to the rapid decline of microbreweries. President Roosevelt repealed Prohibition in 1933 (though some vestiges of the law remained until the late 1970s); by 1939, about 600 microbreweries were operating in the US, but the growth of large corporate breweries continued to threaten the existence of craft beer. By 1974, the number of microbreweries had dwindled to a mere 55, far fewer than the Colonies boasted 200 years previous.

Hail President Carter for saving us from a life of mass-produced, bland beer! He legalized home brewing in 1979, and the microbrewery population has been growing ever since. One estimate has the consumption of craft beer increasing by 50% each year. Reports vary, but in 2002 around 369 microbreweries were operating in the US and today there are over 900. Arizona currently has between 20 and 30 brewpubs - breweries attached to bars, often serving food - and microbreweries.

Although the two microbreweries that existed during Prescott’s territorial capital days are long gone, Prescott Brewing Company has revived our local brewing tradition. Owned by John and Roxane Nielsen, PBC boasts a total of 22 international and national beer awards, making it the “most awarded brewery in Arizona.” PBCs Lodgepole Light, a five-time winner, is an excellent, creamy and low-hop ale. The more full-bodied, gold and silver medaled Petrified Porter is a delicious blend of chocolate and roasted malts, sure to satisfy those with a taste for a dark and hearty beer. PBC brews are crafted in-house and stored in the basement cellar. The Nielsen’s are quite proud of serving what they call “the freshest beers to be found anywhere in Prescott and Yavapai County.” It doesn’t get any fresher than beer that's brewed on-site and pumped directly to the tap from the brewery through a distribution line that is just shy of sixty feet in length. John said that PBC brews are free of chemicals and preservatives and are made of the “finest malted barley, world-class hops, yeast, and water.” Mosey on over to 130 W. Gurley Street, stay and enjoy yourself, or grab some fine “beer to go.”

Two more Arizona brewers, Fred and Rita Klaus, opened the Oak Creek Brewing Company (2050 Yavapai Drive, Sedona) in 1995. While living in Germany, Fred learned how to brew beer at the Horseshoe Brewery in the village of Pottenstein. According to Fred, OCBC brews are unique due to their use of “spunding.” Less than fifteen percent of brewers use this natural carbonation process that produces finer bubbles that impart a smoother taste,” he said. Smooth, indeed. The medium-bodied Amber Ale (silver medal winner) and the slightly spicy Nut Brown Ale (gold and silver awarded) are delicious. At 11% alcohol by volume, the seasonal Scotch Ale will have you celebrating the merits of microbreweries in no time. Oak Creek beer is also brewed and served on-site and is available to purchase at the brewery or in over 324 Arizona stores. Head brewer Jim Strelau brews 8,000 kegs of Oak Creek beer per year, so there’s plenty for you to try.

Quality beer was important to our earliest settlers and to our founding fathers, and judging by our virile microbrew industry, it’s important to us modern folk. So toss that aluminum can of ho-hum McBeer and support your local brewpubs!

For more info:

www.microbrewforum.com

www.beer100.com/brewpubs

www.prescottbrewingcompany.com

www.oakcreekbrew.com