Brewery Taprooms are becoming the norm for many breweries and this is in part why NEAREST BREWERY was formed, to provide a means to discover them.

They sometimes get confused with the brewpubs that really have a microbrewery on the same premises as the pub and these are open for standard pub drinking hours. Often a brewpubs success depends on a combination of beer, food and atmosphere for casual diners and beer enthusiasts alike.

The taproom is really a craft or microbrewery that opens its door for a few hours a night or even a few hours a week. Yes, they want to sell beer but it is more about gaining a community around the beers and brand.

One of the achievements of craft brewing has been the speed of innovation of so many different breweries. That innovation hasn’t been limited to beer alone, but also comes with new methods of distribution, customer interaction, marketing, and more. The taproom is one of these innovations and a win-win for both the brewery and the beer drinker.

Essentially a taproom allows the brewery to:

• sell beer at retail prices, rather than trade
• gather market research in a customer-friendly environment on experimental, new and existing beers, seeing what faithful customers do or don’t like
• join those making the beer with those drinking it
• build a community who will hopefully live the brand

A difference between a traditional pub and a taproom is that the former is a place where adults go-to drink and socialise whilst a taproom is where people go to experience and appreciate beer in a community way. Pubs typically align to a clientele whereas a taproom will normally have a mix of young and old along within every demographic, often interacting with each other rather than sticking to those they arrived with.

We may all have a slightly different view to what a taproom is or is not but one thing to be sure it is not a traditional pub, but a community hub with a common experience to enjoy the different craft and artisan beers.

In a time when the world seems to be shrinking due to transporting of goods at an environmental cost, it surely is time to stay local and track down a taproom where the beer has travelled only a few metres.

At NEAREST BREWERY we strongly believe you should be able to drink some beer that is made close to where you’re drinking it.

Start your exploring and find a brewery taproom nearby.