This content was originally published by The Hop Review, a digital magazine that joined the Hop Culture family in March 2020.
This piece was written by Tom White.
We step out of Chicago on this steamy Friday as news comes to us from as close as southwest Michigan and as far as South America.
In this week’s Hoplinks, Michigan gains a brewery and a mobile pub, there’s great news for fans of trading, and we find out just how far some people will go for a beer. Have a great weekend and let us know what else we missed in the world of beer!
BRIDGMAN, MI – Big news from one of our top Chicago brewers as Transient owner Chris Betts announced this week that he’s putting down roots in southwest Michigan. Quite the news for the small town which is now home to under the radar brewery Tapistry and the soon-to-open Haymarket bottling facility. [Transient Artistan Ales]
MICHIGAN – Governor Rick Snyder this week signed legislation that allows for “pedal pubs” to be used in the state. Yet “another way for people to enjoy Pure Michigan,” you can drink beer or wine at the mobile pubs during your next visit to the mitten, pending local approvals. [MLive]
USA – Congresswoman Jackie Speier of California announced that she’s introducing a bill that would allow USPS to legally mail wine, beer, and liquor. The long overdue bill would be great news for the beer trading community who has long had to skirt the often ignored rule at the post office. [Facebook]
USA – Here’s an interesting look into which beers are most likely to be on the menu throughout each state. While many are predictable – Miller, Coors, Bud – it’s great to see micros making an appearance. How about an Oberon in Kentucky or a Sierra Nevada in New Mexico? [Priceonomics]
VENEZUELA – Sometimes we take for granted how easy it is for us to get a quality beer where we live. That is definitely not the case in Venezuela where producing and distributing craft beer is illegal. Take a behind the scenes look at the “smugglers” who risk prison to get their beers out to the people. [Seeker Stories – YouTube]
Photograph by Robert Battista of the Transient barrels currently at Aquanaut.