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Craft Beer and Politics

Butcherknife Brewing Hosts Political Forum Series

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It should go without saying that I find craft beer the perfect complement to just about anything. Craft beer goes great with things I enjoy like fishing, camping and eating. But even the most delicious glass of craft beer can’t keep me from immediately planning my escape when politics come up.

Still, despite my phobia of getting caught up in partisan bickering, politics have their place in society and if that’s the case, yes, a craft beer makes anything better. That’s why it’s great to see small and independent brewers like Steamboat Springs, Colo.’s Butcherknife Brewing hosting a political forum series. Not only does craft beer provide a social lubricant to exchange ideas and opinions, craft beer has become a topic of discussion on the political front in many states, and even on the national level as we’ve seen recently surrounding the FDA’s proposed rule on spent grain.

“I’ve had the opportunity to advocate for small craft brewers twice at the Colorado State Capitol and once in our nation’s Capital, and I feel strongly that not only is it everyone’s right to directly advocate for their own interests but that it’s an easy way to communicate with the folks representing us–folks who aren’t unlike you and me,” said Mark Fitzgerald, co-founder of Butcherknife Brewing in a recent blog post “Fun With Social Responsibility.”

The brewery will host two forums with opposing candidates from local districts. The candidates are encouraged to stick around after the forum. The second meeting will feature Colorado State Representatives Diane Mitsch Bush and Chuck McConnell and will be held Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 6:30-7:30pm at the Butcherknife tap room.

While it’s obvious I’m not the biggest fan of politics, it’s important to have a cause, mine happens to be craft beer and craft brewers. It may surprise you that given craft beer’s popularity, threats to the craft community still exist. If your cause is craft beer, I encourage you to become a Support Your local Brewery Activist to receive alerts when your help is needed on a particular beer related issue in your state.

Cheers to Butcherknife for giving people like me a reason to care about politics and getting out to vote.

Read Fitzgerald’s full post on the  Butcherknife blog: “Fun With Social Responsibility.”

Andy Sparhawk, the Brewers Association's acting editor-in-chief for CraftBeer.com. Andy is a Certified Cicerone® and BJCP Beer Judge. He lives in Westminster, Colorado where he is an avid craft beer enthusiast. On occasion, Andy is inspired to write on his experiences with craft beer, and if they are not too ridiculous, you might see the results here on CraftBeer.com.

CraftBeer.com is fully dedicated to small and independent U.S. breweries. We are published by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s small and independent craft brewers. Stories and opinions shared on CraftBeer.com do not imply endorsement by or positions taken by the Brewers Association or its members.