Beware the Rise of the McBrewpub

Brewpubs were a long time in coming to the Big Apple. Only in recent years has New York City's local beer scene really come alive, with the likes of Heartland, Typhoon, and Commonwealth Breweries. Now that City Hall has modified the law forbidding brewpubs to operate in more than one location, or to sell over a certain amount of gallons per year it seems that nothing stands in the way for continued expansion and vitality in this market. Since the law has changed, successful brewpubs have been quick to clone themselves across the city.

Lovers of the brewpub scene have cheered the minor victory as a rise in the amount of good beer to be had and hopefully appreciation for it. More brewpubs equals more good beer equals more joy. Right?

Maybe not.

Heartland Brewery, for instance, has a snazzy uptown counterpart at Rockerfeller Plaza, but no new beers, deciding to stick with the winning recipes that they brew at the Union Square original. While this decision may seem for good business it may not be good for beer in New York.

The principal lession the craft-brewed beer renaissance of the late '80s and early '90s was that diversity was king. Once real beer drinkers--die-hard fans of mega-brewed lager need not apply--realized they had options they dived in and relished in their new found independance. The danger of brewpubs cloning themselves and morphing into chains is that somewhere along the franchise trail there is the real danger of that this business will become just business, more about money and less about beer. Would the rise of McBrewpubs stifle creativity and stymie a more diverse and vital local beer scenes?

What makes brewpubs so special are the uniqueness of each one. They strive to stand out in a crowd, to make it in a market dominated by mega-brewers whose idea of change is trying on the newest "ice" or "dry" fad every few months. Brewpubs should stick to the notion that made them so hip and popular: innovation. Without explorers in the world of beer there will be no new discoveries.