What makes a beer local? Is Long Trail?
 

I'm in Vermont and we have an amazing selection of local beers to choose from. I've always been a big fan of Long Trail brewing, partly because I like to support local. Then a buddy of mine pointed out that they are owned by an investment group from out of state that specializes in customizing yachts in florida nd own a dozen other companies. I don't feel like such a fan any more. I think I'll stick with the heady Toppers, Sip of sunshine, 14th Star, Fiddlehead and a lot of other great choices. Thoughts?

I mean in America, if you produce something of quality and people like it, you expand, no? That is likely what happened to long trail, started local, went bigger.
I love all of the beers you listed, but it annoys me that I can't get them in the boston metro area. Why does "selling out" and keeping the quality of the beer have to be at odds?

It employs locals.
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you don't have to technically sell out to expand, you can do it on your own. Alchemist is opening a second brewery and still not producing more heady those jerks! I'm done, onto trillium now!

Are there no long trail breweries in Vermont anymore?

I went to a wedding reception at the Long Trail Brewery near Killington. Guy brewing in the back came out and had a beer at the bar. Starting talking beer with me and getting all excited about it. Ran into the back and brought out some pilot batch tastes they were doing. My wife asked me if I was going to be leaving with him instead of her! (The pilot beers were a little strong and I'd already been enjoying the limbo IPA they make, we may have been getting way too excited about beer.) Anyways, they still have a nice local vibe, at least at that location.

If you live near it....it's local.

What you should be asking is if it qualifies as Craft Beer....
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If you can smell grain, malt or yeast I would call it local. My nose seems to always point toward industrial parks. You know you're a beer nerd when you visit industrial parks while on vacation.

You'll have to come visit my place in 3 weeks. ;)
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Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it employs Vermonters. But I don't like the idea of an outsider using Vermont's hard won brand and using it to syphon off profits to another place. Couple of months ago a group came in from out of state, stared buying up hundreds of acres of maple sugar stands to be the "largest maple producer in the country" His quote in the local paper... "Thanks for the best brand...Vermont!" . What if Bud buys Long Trail? Still local? Like Blue Moon? Shock top?

Anything that I don't have to run to VT or CA to get some! Or the other 47 states :)

Nothing worth running to Canada or Mexico for anyways

Like Dad Fisherman says then you get into the discussion whether it is still considered a craft beer. By definition not... but if the locals still brew it without changing the recipe... then what? For the record I never really enjoyed drinking beer until I HAD A REAL BEER from a craft brewery. I could not believe what I had been missing.

Agreed - what about Stone? Are they still craft? They are a huge operation as I understand it, yet their beers are better than most local beers if you ask me! (not trillium, but better than a lot of local craft brews IMO)

Definition from the Brewers Association
An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional.
Small
Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships.
Independent
Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer.
Traditional
A brewer that has a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavored malt beverages (FMBs) are not considered beers.

In 2012 Stone only sold 177,000 barrels. Top Craft in volume is Sam Adams at 2.1 million barrels.

top 10 http://www.foxbusiness.com/industrie...-sales-volume/

As a result of a rules/definition change:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...wery/70736540/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/0...n_5062484.html