Microbreweries are about more than beer

By 2011, The District will be home to several new microbreweries. When they open, the city will produce its own beer for the first time in over 50 years. Beer enthusiasts are understandably excited, but the arrival of local breweries is about more than just beer. It’s a testament to the culture that’s developing in the District.

For years, Washington was a city known for bland government offices and a transient professional population. The city has always had a unique culture, but unlike other American cities, it lacked much that it could really point to as its own.

There’s no shortage of good beer in Greater Washington, and beer lovers don’t need to travel far to find bars stocked with dozens or hundreds of craft brews. No matter what part of the country or world it comes from, there’s a decent chance you can find a bottle of your favorite obscure beer somewhere in the city.

At the end of the day, there’s really no unmet demand for high-quality craft beer. What the new breweries will finally bring is craft beer that Washingtonians can call their own.

Rob Pitingolo blogs at Extraordinary Observations. The Local Blog Network is a group of bloggers from around the D.C. region who have agreed to make regular contributions to All Opinions Are Local.