Grain, hops, yeast, and water: That’s beer. It’s a product of our natural environment.
While the quality of beer is dependent on good agricultural practices, beer drinkers don’t often consider terroir — the soil, topography, and climate — when appreciating it. Terroir is typically a wine term, and though there are exceptions, beer people may be averse or disinterested in the concept altogether.
If terroir really is an “expression of a sense of place,” why isn’t the term used more often in brewing? Is it because beer involves more processing? And given the variety of additional ingredients and processes to make beer, how many ingredients need to come from a singular geographic area for the beer to express a sense of that place?
When we look at beer as an agricultural product through the lens of terroir, we can further appreciate the ingredients and care that go into making great beer. Crack one open and join us for a thought-provoking, interactive discussion on terroir and beer.
RESOURCES / NEXT STEPSBrewers’ AssociationCRAFT BREWING: Cornell Certificate ProgramHomebrewers’ AssociationState Craft Beer Sales & Production Statistics, 2020Industrial Arts BrewingStodgy Brewing Company
