Self-distribution, brewery optimism, and the vacation continues

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Just Tapped

Another weird week, sorry. Still out on vacation, which is actually a topic this week: beer vacationing. Also, a couple of bits of beer news. We promise to return to your regularly scheduled programming next week. Meanwhile…

Do you beercation?

A few weeks back, someone left us a comment saying that they’d like The Taster Tray to include reviews of breweries and taprooms we’ve visited recently. We said that it soundly lovely, but we are a Seattle-based, nationally focused newsletter, so it doesn’t really fit us. Unless that is, we went on a national tour. That sounds pretty cool and, honestly, we think a lot of people would enjoy gallivanting about the country with us virtually. But, alas, it is not what we do at The Taster Tray.

One person sent us some feedback and said they hoped we could find a sponsor for our national tour. “I hope you can find a sponsor for a nationwide tour of breweries, but then, when would you have time to write your newsletter?”

The whole topic got us thinking about vacationing and beer. Such a tour would not be a vacation. It would be work. Great work, sure, but work nonetheless.

If you work in the beer industry, how much of your vacationing involves things like visiting breweries? While the concept of beer touring is real, and these days many people make their vacation plans around breweries and beer, do you? Or is vacation all about leaving the beer thing behind?

Right now, The Taster Tray is enjoying a short breather. Relaxing. Vacationing. Being so intensely focused on the world of craft beer, as we definitely are, sometimes it is hard to turn it off, but we think it is necessary to do so. Prevents burnout. Fosters renewed energy. There is joy in walking anonymously into a brewery’s taproom to enjoy a pint, without needing to arrange interviews and take notes.

We are curious if other industry folks feel the same way. Do you try to avoid the industry when vacationing, or do you just dive deeper into it? Take our poll below. You’ll be able to leave comments (if you want) after making your selection.

Around the Web

• Bend, OR is a brewing hotspot and has been for years. The home of Deschutes Brewery is also home to several other great breweries. Yes, craft beer sales are suffering, but it is refreshing to hear that Bend’s breweries are optimistic, as discussed in this story from the Bend Bulletin.

• Trend continues. The signing of the new budget in the state of Virginia enabled the creation of a new state department that allows breweries to self-distribute beer for the first time. Discussed in this story from Richmond BizSense.

This week's Taster Tray was composed by Kendall Jones.