Of these, the majority are brewpubs - meaning restaurants that make their own beer in-house. Many, if not most, are located in rehabilitated buildings, often serving as anchors in downtown locations badly in need of economic and cultural revitalization.

The American brewing renaissance can also be called a community-oriented building renaissance. Brewpubs by their nature are community gathering spots. But many go the extra mile to embrace the local community by sponsoring special community events. Quite a few are also loacted in historic buildings that would have faced the wrecking ball if it had not been for their beer-infused renovation. 

Beer-Fuelled Builders
Beer can also act as an alternative source of energy to help get better buildings. London-based White Design, literally uses beer to help build its sustainable architectural designs.

Under their “Builder of the Month” scheme, craftspeople on site are given extra incentive to follow sound environmental and quality building practices with an award recognizing their contribution. While a framed certificate presented in front of the whole site team may give a virtuous glow, the real prize comes in the form of a crate of beer of the award winner’s choosing. Even better is that the architect buys the beer!

The inside of the Beach Chalet is adorned with WPA-funded murals and frescoes like this one outside the bathroom.

Drink Beer. Look at Historic Architecture.
San Francisco's Beach Chalet is an outstanding example of what a simple infusion of beer can do for historic architecture. The structure is located at the western end of Golden Gate park, and started out as a changing facility for beach-goers in 1925. Although it was designed by famous architect Willis Polk, the building eventually fell into disuse after a stint as a militry barracks. In 1997 it was reopened as a posh brewery restaurant. The first floor serves as a visitors center for Golden Gate Park.

Capitol City Brewing Company in Washington D.C. is another example of creative building reuse. The brewpub inhabits the Old Federal City Post Office, originally built in 1911 and decomissioned in 1986. This author has enjoyed the Romanesque comforts of sitting in the old Postmaster's office suite while sipping beers and helping to plan a Washington D.C. beer festival. 

Another example is Davidson Brothers, the quitessential small town brewpub, located in the heart of Glen Falls, NY in a rehabilitated 130 year old shoe factory. Their claim: "If Saratoga (NY) is the Jewel of the North, then Davidson Brothers is the Hope Diamond." 

Likewise, Ellicott Mills Brewing reused a lumber mill and now anchors the top end of historic Ellicott City, MD. Their variety of German style beers and the basement 'Batskeller' make this place worth a visit. 

And Your Little Dog Too
Yet another in what is a very long list of building-reuse projects by breweries is the Bobcat Cafe at 5 Main St. in charming and tiny Bristol, VT. The bar is a salvaged hundred-year old bar from New York. Their spent brewing grains are fed to local angus cattle which are in turn sold on the menu at the cafe, which has a local focus like wild-harvested mushrooms gathered from nearby. The spent yeast-slurry is composted. I don't know what the building used to be, but surely it was something. Now it is used to brew and serve beer. What better way for a small town to welcome a visitor?

(special thanks to reader Linda Farrow, Director of White-Design, for contributing to this story)