Drink Fresh, Drink Local

A component of my job is to train restaurant staffs about beer and wine. I did so recently at a northern Virginia tapas restaurant.

I showed the staff hops and barley malts. I talked to them about the history of a local brewery. I described the flavors of the new beer they were placing on tap.

I asked for questions. A bartender raised his hand, and asked, "Why should my customers choose that beer?"

My answer (other than how wonderful the beer tasted, its quality, blah, blah, blah):

"Beer is a foodstuff, liquid bread. Consume it fresh. If you were to bake a loaf of bread tonight, would you wait six months to eat it?"

Beer coming from a brewery local to you, at least in its transportation, should be fresh.

The FoodRoutes Network, and one of its local partners in the mid-Atlantic area, the Piedmont Environmental Council, advocate for local, fresh, food and farming. Many of their points could easily be applied to local beer.

Buy Locally Grown, It's Thousands of Miles Fresher

• There are many reasons to buy locally grown food
• You'll get exceptional taste and freshness - Local food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped long distances from other states or countries.
• You'll strengthen your local economy - Buying local food keeps your dollars circulating in your community. Getting to know the farmers who grow your food builds relationships based on understanding and trust.

The Best Tasting Food Ripens Close to Home

• Food travels on average 1,300 miles from farm to table.
• Most fresh fruits and vegetables produced in the U.S. are shipped from California, Florida, and Washington.
• Fruits and vegetables shipped from distant states and countries can spend as many as seven to fourteen days in transit before they arrive in the supermarket.

Plant Your Dollars Close to Home and Watch Your Community Grow